Whether they’re cooked on their own for breakfast or whisked into cake batter, eggs are a versatile staple ingredient in many households.

While a carton of eggs can keep for 3–5 weeks in the refrigerator, you may wonder whether it’s safe to freeze those you won’t be able to use before they go bad.

Or maybe you’re using only egg whites to make a cake and don’t want the yolks to go to waste.

While raw eggs should never be frozen in their shells, freezing whisked whole eggs is a safe and effective way to reduce food waste.

Additionally, freezing whites and yolks separately is a convenient solution for making recipes that call for only one of these without wasting the other.

Given that yolks need to be whisked prior to freezing, frozen eggs are best used in dishes like scrambled eggs, quiches, or baked goods.

To reduce the risk of foodborne illness, frozen eggs should be thawed in the fridge and cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C). Thawed raw eggs can be used in a variety of savory and sweet recipes.

Raw whole eggs can be frozen by whisking together the yolk and white. Egg whites and yolks can be separated and frozen individually. Raw eggs can be frozen for up to 1 year, while cooked egg dishes should only be frozen for up to 2–3 months.