We’ve all been there. You go out to eat brunch with your friends and family and you have a lot of leftover food. Normally we don’t even bother taking the food home but it’s just so wasteful.
So if we do take the brunch home then how long do you have to eat leftover breakfast food?
This begs the question – can you even refrigerate the scrambled eggs?
Scrambled eggs can be refrigerated for up to 4 days. Make sure to store scrambled eggs in the main compartment of the fridge and in a sealed container. The door shelf of the fridge or other areas where the temperature fluctuates will cause the eggs to spoil faster.
Reheat scrambled eggs on the stovetop or microwave in order to return them to a light and fluffy state.
Since scrambled eggs can be stored in the fridge, let’s cover how to properly store and reheat them so you can enjoy your leftover breakfast at a later time.
How To Store Scrambled Eggs In The Fridge
Properly storing the cooked egg dish in the fridge is a crucial step in ensuring your eggs do not pick up any funky flavors or odors from your fridge.
Thankfully storing any cooked egg dish follows the same process whether it’s scrambled eggs or an omelet.
Follow these steps when storing your cooked eggs in the fridge:
- Place the scrambled eggs (or cooked egg dish) into an airtight container
- Close the lid and make sure it’s secure
- Place the container in the main compartment of the fridge away from the door
- Temperature fluctuations will cause the eggs to spoil faster
Now your eggs are stored in the best possible way to make them last the longest while not picking up any funky smells or flavors.
How Long Do Scrambled Eggs Last In The Fridge?
The US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) recommends refrigerating leftover cooked egg dishes, such as scrambled eggs, and using them within 3 to 4 days.
So you have up to 4 days max to eat any leftover scrambled eggs.
However, try to eat any leftover cooked egg dishes well before the 4 day timeline since the flavor and texture of the eggs will degrade over time.
This means scrambled eggs that have only been stored in the fridge for 1 day will taste a lot better than scrambled eggs that have been stored for 3 days. So eat them as soon as possible.
How To Reheat Scrambled Eggs
There are two primary methods for reheating scrambled eggs. The goal of reheating scrambled eggs is to make them warm, light, and fluffy again without drying them out.
Reheating the scrambled eggs too long will just cook them more and eggs tend to get dry when cooked a second time. So follow these steps to ensure your reheated eggs do not dry out.
Reheating Scrambled Eggs On The Stovetop
The best way to reheat scrambled eggs is on the stovetop since you can add a little oil to help prevent the eggs from drying out.
Follow these steps to reheat scrambled eggs on the stovetop:
- Warm a pan or skillet over medium-high heat
- Add butter or oil to the pan
- Place the scrambled eggs into the pan
- Stir the eggs frequently and drain any excess liquid that may come out of the eggs
- Transfer the reheated eggs to a plate when they’re hot and eat immediately
Typically the scrambled eggs will take about 2-3 minutes to reheat on the stovetop.
Make sure to add enough oil or butter so that the eggs are coated when in the pan to help them from drying out.
Reheating Scrambled Eggs With The Microwave
The quickest and easiest way to reheat scrambled eggs is with the microwave. However, this method can dry the eggs out so you need to monitor the eggs closely when reheating them.
Follow these steps to reheat scrambled eggs in the microwave:
- Place scrambled eggs into a bowl
- Wet a paper towel with water and squeeze dry
- Loosely cover the bowl with the damp paper towel
- Microwave scrambled eggs in 15 to 20 second intervals
- Stir the eggs with a fork in between each interval to ensure thorough and even reheating
Final Thoughts
Refrigerating and reheating leftover scrambled eggs is a much better option than letting good food go to waste.
There are two great methods for reheating scrambled eggs and you can even make them better by adding chopped onions, peppers, and cheese while reheating.
There is simply no reason to not refrigerate any leftover scrambled eggs.
