How To Freeze Eggs // 3 Safe Efficient Ways (2024)

FAQs

How To Freeze Eggs // 3 Safe Efficient Ways? ›

If you are freezing individual eggs, use 1/8 teaspoon of salt or sugar for each egg. Store your eggs. Cover and freeze in a muffin tin or ice cube tray until frozen (about 4-6 hours), and then transfer them to freezer containers or freezer-safe bags.

Portion them into freezer-safe containers (we find a muffin tin or ice cube tray works great for this), seal them tightly, and label with the contents and date. Again, only freeze fresh eggs. Expired eggs should go straight in the trash or compost bin.

These tips are important whether you're freezing whole eggs, yolks or whites: Zip lock bags/muffin tins – zip lock bags are great for freezing flat and avoiding freezer burn.

If you're using an ice cube tray, it's likely translating to a half egg per cube, for recipe planning purposes. If you're using a plastic bag, place the sealed bag on a sheet tray or another surface so it lays flat in the freezer (you can remove the tray once it has frozen).

After eggs are harvested, they go through vitrification — a method of quickly putting eggs into a deep freeze. They're stored in liquid nitrogen tanks in an embryology lab.

In order to avoid ovarian torsion (twisting of the ovary when it becomes enlarged that requires surgery to “*ntwist”) during an egg freezing cycle, women need to limit exercise and intercourse.

Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) is a painful and potentially dangerous byproduct if a woman is improperly stimulated during egg freezing or IVF. OHSS symptoms include pain, nausea, dizziness, vomiting, hospitalization, organ failure or worse.

Freezing in Mason Jars

An 8 ounce mason jar will hold about 4 large eggs. For one dozen eggs you'll need 3-4 jars. Wash and dry mason jars and lids.

Once the eggs are frozen, remove them from the tray and put the egg cubes into a vacuum seal bag or a ziplock bag (from which as much air as possible has been removed) and then put the bag into the freezer for storage. You can then remove however many cubes you need for baking and cooking. Easy peasy!

2- Freezing Raw Scrambled Eggs in Zip Bag

Place the desired amount of eggs into a bowl. Add 1/8 teaspoon of salt/sugar for each egg. Whisk well then transfer the eggs into a labeled freezer bag to store in the freezer. Indicate on the label how many eggs and the date.

How to freeze eggs in a muffin pan? ›

Freezing your eggs for individual servings

For freezing chicken eggs in individual servings, this is the easiest method. Simply break each one into a muffin tin sprayed with non-stick cooking spray and add a 1/2 pinch of salt into each muffin spot. Whisk gently to combine, then place the muffin tin in the freezer.

Freezing milk is easy, helps avoid waste, allows a backup supply, and saves money. Thawed milk will be most nutritious if people freeze it at its freshest. However, as long as freezing happens on or before the best before date, it is fine to freeze milk and thaw it for later use.

You absolutely can freeze potatoes, and you should if you have an excess of spuds. But there's one important thing to remember: You should really only freeze cooked or partially cooked potatoes, as raw potatoes contain a lot of water. This water freezes and, when thawed, makes the potatoes mushy and grainy.

How are people paying for egg freezing? For insurance purposes, egg freezing is usually considered elective unless you have a medical problem or are undergoing a treatment that could impact your fertility, such as certain cancer treatments. That's why in most cases, insurance plans don't cover it.

One recent study put the overall chances of a live birth from frozen eggs at an average of just 39 percent. For patients younger than 38 at the time of egg freezing, the chances rose to 51 percent. It's “certainly much lower than one would hope,” said Ginsburg.

Key takeaways: On average, the cost of freezing eggs can be anywhere from $10,000 to $15,000 per cycle. More than one cycle may be needed, which can make the total cost about $40,000 or more. Grants, manufacturer savings programs, and multiple-service discounts can help reduce the financial burden.

Perhaps the most important medical risks associated with egg freezing are those that can result from ovarian stimulation, such as ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome.

Egg freezing can cost up to $30,000+, but the average cost is around $11,000, with the typical range being $8,000 to $15,000 per cycle (if you pay out-of-pocket). Keep in mind, storage fees will cost you anywhere from $500 to $1,000 annually.

There is no actual age limit or cutoff for freezing your eggs, although the potential of those eggs turning into a live birth reduces in the 40s. According to research, women who are under age 36 when freezing their eggs have a 95% survival rate for their eggs once they are thawed.