When we buy things in bulk sometimes little cartons of stuff get relegated to the back of the fridge and we forget they are there until it is too late and they are past expiry. Although eggs are best used fresh, and it is not advisable to keep them around for weeks before actually using them, but if you find yourself with a box of eggs that is past the “use by” date, there are many ways to use them and not just throw them away in the trash.
First you should check their freshness with methods other than the date printed on the box. If they aren’t fresh and cannot be used for culinary purposes, they still have many other uses. If you know how to tell if eggs are bad, you can decide based on their level of staleness which of the following purposes they are best suited for.
- Use as starter pots for plants. Break the eggs in a way that you have about two-thirds of the lower half of the eggshell intact. Wash out the interior and use a small pin to create a tiny hole in the bottom for drainage. Then fill the egg shell with your favourite brand of potting soil. You can use these starter pots to start seedlings from seeds. You can place your egg pots back in the egg carton and watch them grow. Once the seedlings are large enough to transfer to a larger pot or the ground, put them directly into the soil, shells and all. The shells will decompose over time and act as a nutrient rich fertilizer.
- Clean your garbage disposal. Put a few eggs down your garbage disposal. The eggshells are great to clean the blades of the disposal. Make sure you flush with some vinegar afterwards to kill and residual smells.
- Use as fertilizer for your plants. You can use eggs that have crossed their expiry as fertilizer for your plants. Just bury the whole egg under the soil. You can also use just eggshells. Crush dry eggshells to a fine powder and mix in with your soil before planting. Eggs have high doses of calcium and magnesium, and are great for plants. You can also make a liquid fertilizer, by soaking your eggshells in your watering can for several days and using water from there. You can also use the water from when you are boiling eggs too.
- Use as a hair mask. All the proteins in an egg are great for your hair. Just don’t use really bad or rotten eggs for this, use the ones that are just past prime. Eggs are a super food for hair. Vitamins A and E, biotin, and folate are found in eggs and help keep our hair thick and healthy. The yolk is full of healthy fats, which help the hair to retain and replenish moisture and make your hair sleek and shiny. Beat up a couple of eggs with a few drops of lemon juice. The lemon juice reduces the eggy smell of the mask. Whisk it till the mixture is frothy. Apply it to your hair with your hands. Cover your hair with a shower cap and shampoo normally after 40 minutes.
