Buying Eggs and Understanding their Labels

I remember a specific food memory in my teens when my dad went to the grocery store and brought home brown eggs. He was so excited, as was I! This was many (many) years ago when they were more expensive and some of the stars on Food Network used them, so we assumed they were far superior eggs! Flash forward to now, after years of wisdom and gained food knowledge, we know that nutritionally speaking, the color of the shell doesn’t make a difference. The color is purely dependent upon the breed of the hens. The things we should be focusing on, when it comes to purchasing eggs comes down to the hen’s diet and their housing conditions. For years I’ve been buying cage-free or free-range but upon researching further, I’m questioning whether this is good enough. I assumed these terms meant they had room to roam and step outside for grazing. Apparently that’s not the case for all brands.

Have you ever considered the chicken’s housing conditions when looking at the egg section in the grocery store? Have you ever read the fine print on the packaging or researched the brand itself? I’ll be honest, I haven’t. I had been buying the 365 brand from Whole Foods and I know they pride themselves on sourcing the best, so I never thought much more about it. It’s very clear that prices are extreme in this egg category and it seems silly to spend upwards of $7 for 12 eggs when there are options on the shelf for less than $3.

I’ve done some research on the brands available at my local grocery stores, basically determining how important the labels are. What I learned? Not all eggs are created equal. The standards aren’t detailed and certifications don’t tell you the whole picture of their practices. There are brands that go the extra mile so they are hybrids between categories. For instance, Organic Valley chickens are labeled free-range but they require their hens to access their organic pasture to forage in their natural habitat. So, they are labeled “Free to Forage”. Happy Egg also has free-range eggs but claim their hens have freedom to outdoor access to over 8 acres. These are much better Free-range options than other brands that loosely claim “outdoor access” which could mean a tiny door that doesn’t promote outside access.

I’m still catching myself when it comes to food decisions and how I weigh the cost vs quality. It’s a slippery slope when researching where your food comes from! How important is this for you? We eat a decent amount of eggs in our house and they are a great source of protein for quick breakfasts or lunch. Not to mention baking, every recipe almost always requires eggs. So, to me, it’s important to buy responsibly raised and nutritious eggs.