Egg cartons

By the Fluff & Feed team · Updated October 13, 2026

Brown chicken eggs in a molded cardboard carton

USDA says to keep eggs in their carton in a refrigerator set at 40°F or below. Alabama Extension calls foam and pulp cartons one-time use and recommends plastic if you want to reuse cartons.

Choosing and using cartons

USDA says to store eggs "in the refrigerator set at 40 degree F or below" and to keep them in their carton, in the coldest part of the fridge, not the door.

Alabama Cooperative Extension says foam and pulp cartons are "one-time use products" and recommends plastic cartons if you want to reuse them. University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extension is less strict for home use: "Used egg cartons or egg flats work great," as long as they are kept away from strong odors. If you sell eggs, check your state agriculture department's rules on reused cartons and labels before you buy.

On washing, the sources differ. USDA says it's "not necessary or recommended for consumers to wash eggs." UNL Extension says only dirty eggs need washing, in water "at least 20°F (11°C) warmer than the eggs," one at a time and never soaked, then dried and refrigerated.

Prices here are for the smallest pack each store sells, and price per carton is that pack price divided by the carton count. Bigger packs cost less per carton.

Sources: USDA FSIS, Shell Eggs from Farm to Table, Alabama Cooperative Extension, Farm to Fridge, University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extension, Egg Cleaning Procedures for the Backyard Flock. Collecting eggs? See nest boxes and roosts.