Whether you're getting ready to attend a pot luck or getting ready to throw your own party, preparing food in advance saves you time and anxiety. Luckily, crowd-pleasing deviled eggs fall readily into the make-ahead category – as long as you follow some basic guidelines. What's more, you have options when it comes to the methods for storing them safely in the fridge. Although whole hard boiled eggs last safely for up to one week in the refrigerator, deviled eggs have a shorter timeline for safe storage.

A deviled egg will stay safe in a refrigerator, kept at 40F or below, for three to four days. However, the tops of the eggs may become dried out slightly and lose their soft texture and consistent pale yellow color. Wrap the platter of eggs in plastic wrap to minimize them drying out and to minimize the chances of the eggs taking on flavors or odors of other foods. Put toothpicks into a few of the eggs so the plastic wrap won't squish down the yolk toppings.

If you will have some time before serving the deviled eggs, consider storing the whites and the yolks separately in the refrigerator. You can either mix the yolks with mayonnaise before storage or save that step as well for the day you plan to serve the finished product. While this method takes more time on the day you plan to serve the eggs, it has the advantage of keeping the filling for the deviled eggs fresher tasting and fresher looking than storing the eggs finished. Plus, it's easier to cover the filling, with plastic wrap or in a container, this way than it is to wrap the completed deviled eggs.

When it comes to food safety, it's always better to err on the side of caution rather than to take risks of getting ill from food-borne bacteria. There's always the possibility that your refrigerator hasn't maintained a consistent 40F temperature, so if the eggs develop an off odor, a strange texture or color, or if you have any doubts about the safe condition of the eggs, throw them away.

Another way to keep the eggs safe from bacteria that grow at room temperature is to keep the egg whites refrigerated while you make the yolk filling.