Demystifying Eggs

Demystifying Eggs

Lets face it we head to the grocery store and we see this:

Egg Display at Sprouts 

I don't know about you but a few years ago I thought to myself, "What do all these labels mean? Why are some eggs to cheap? Why are some so expensive?"

Well this post is determined to teach you about eggs, what the labels mean, and which ones are worth the extra cash and which ones are a waste of money? So... Here is goes...

Gimmick Labeling

• Natural-
• All this means is that eggs are not made from an artificial source, well of course they aren't, all Hens are natural and therefore all eggs are natural. This label means nothing and you should not pay more for these eggs. 
• Hormone Free- 
•  Egg Laying Hens are not fed hormones, as hormones just caused the Hens to gain weight, a heavier egg laying Hens is in no way beneficial, so farmers do not give their Hens hormones. 
• United Egg Producers Certified- 
• This means nothing, there than that they are eggs sold at a super market. This Hens can be fed anything, and kept in the tiniest of cages. 

Living Quarter Labels

• Cage Free- 
• While letting a Hens live outside of a cage is great and all, this particular label means just this. The Hens can still be kept on a concrete slab, and have their feathers and beaks removed. While this is 1 step up from generic store bought eggs, antibiotic usage, feed and traditional Hen living are not a factor in this label. Often times these Hens do not even see sunlight. 
• Free Range: 
• This differs from cage free in that the Hens must have some access to outdoors, the rest is the same. Their outdoor area may still be small, and can be concrete, Feed and antibiotic usage is not regulated and these Hens are not living how Hens should. 
• Pasture Raised: 
• This label means that Hens are living in their appropriate environment, they are out at pasture, eating what chickens should be. They are allowed to graze, hunt, and peck all in the comfort of outdoors. A lot of farmers will have a large rolling cage around their chickens in their instance. This is good for two things, it keeps predators out, and it also allows the farmers to move the chickens around the pasture to feed in places where the grass is more supple. LOOK FOR THIS LABEL! 

Feed Labels

• Grain Fed-
• If you see this label, RUN! No chicken should ever be fed grain. Chickens are vegetarians, besides for the occasional bug they find at pasture, but grain is not a stable in their diet. 
• Antibiotic Free-
• This requires actual certification and means that antibiotics were not distributed to the chickens through feed or water at any time. LOOK FOR THIS LABEL! 
• Omega 3 Enriched- 
• Pastured Eggs are already rich in Omega-3's. Typically this label means that the eggs you are buying are not pasture raised and therefore the feed for the Hens is enriched with Omega-3 to try and make the eggs healthier. I tend to stay away from this unless I am in a pinch. 
• Vegetarian Fed:- 
• I certainly like this label as it means that there are no animal products in the feed of the Hen's. This is definitely a label to look for if you are a vegetarian yourself. 

Certifications 

• Food Alliance Certified- 
• This certification requires free space to roam, access to sunlight and restricts forced molting (featherless Hens), however says nothing about beak cutting or requiring their roaming space to be a pasture. 
• Certified Humane: 
• Like Food Alliance Certified, the only difference is that they restrict feed to containing no animal byproducts. 
• American Humane Certified-
• This label says that cages are okay for egg laying Hens. Forced Molting is not allowed, but beak cutting is. 
• Certified Organic - 
• This is a great one in terms of feed, this requires that birds are fed organically, they are allowed outdoors, are not allowed to be given antibiotics, and prohibits the use of cages. However, this certification does not address molting or beak cutting so by itself is not perfect. LOOK FOR THIS LABEL! 
• Animal Welfare Approved- 
• This certification truly looks out for the welfare of the Hen. Meaning the hen flock size is limited, each hen must have a certain amount of are to itself, they are required to be outdoors, their beaks can not be cut, and their feathers can not be molted. LOOK FOR THIS LABEL! 

In summary, labels are important, but a lot of labels mean nothing. In reality the more labeling a company has the more expensive their eggs are going to be as the systems that provide certifications for them to use charge them big bucks $$$$. When I go to the store to buy eggs sometimes spending $6+ on eggs is not in the budget and I get that, but when I see a deal I splurge. 

My Ideal Qualifications for eggs: 

Pasture-Raised
Certified Organically Fed (Includes the Antibiotic Free Label)
  Animal Welfare Approved 

*This three labels ensure that my eggs are coming from Hens who live like they should, are treated humanely, are allowed to roam like chickens do, are not given harmful antibiotics, are given sunlight, and when food is supplemented it is organic and vegetarian. 

These are my favorite eggs but I only buy them onside as I
do not spend $7 on organic pasture raised eggs. There are many
other brands that are equally as good, just take some time read
the labels, and if you really aren't sure visit the website.
You can tell a lot about a company by what they are
willing to share, and what they keep private!
Check out Vital Farms!

These are available at Safeway, and many other grocery stores. Although
they are not labeled Pasture Raised, this farm is very open
about the living quarters of the chickens. You can even take a virtual tour
of the farm and see the grass the chickens have access to! Check it out! 

Where I Buy My Eggs 

*Most of the time I find deals at Sprouts on eggs and often will by 3 to 4 cartons at a time, Recently I have gotten deals as good as $.99 per dozen, or 2/$5. Eggs have sell by dates and when kept in a cold fridge can be good for up to 3 weeks past the sell by date, don't believe me? Ask the dairy man! 

*Alternatively, if you have a local Egg farmer near you, a lot of people do (Check on Facebook, the next-door App, or other online buy and sell sources) Ask them what they feed their Hens and ask them if you can see their Hens, most people are proud of their chickens and would be happy to show you what they have going on. These eggs tend to be cheaper than the grocery store eggs, and its nice to know you are supporting a local economy. 

Check out the difference in these egg comparisons. The darker the yolk, the more nutrient dense the egg is (the top left is my favorite Vital Farms eggs):