Things You Need to Know When Purchasing Eggs

Buying eggs may sound easy, but the number of choices is so great that getting a dozen eggs can be a daunting task. From size to color, quality, and even packaging, choosing the type of egg you want to put in the fridge each week is more like a project than just an item to check on your shopping list. To avoid fridge panic, when buying eggs at a grocery store or farmer’s market, read all the questions to find the best egg for your needs.

DIfference of cage-free, free-range, and pasture-raised eggs

Think of these three differences as if a human were living in a studio apartment or a large mansion. Cageless chicken eggs are laid by birds that are not caged but are stored indoors in a crowded state and never go outdoors. Free-range is a step up. That is, USDA does not specify the time or space that chickens need outdoors to consider their eggs “free-range,” but chickens have outdoor access. Pasture-raise is the most luxurious of all, chickens are free to roam open countries, and often become healthier chickens on a more nutritious diet (grass, bugs, yams). Eggs from chickens in wider spaces tend to be more expensive as you know that real estate costs will be incurred, but you get what you pay for-the quality is often better and the yolks are rich in vitamins and bright yellow shades.

Difference Between Brown and White Eggs

The color of the eggshell depends on the breed of chicken that lays eggs and not on the diet, environment, or other factors. Like other shades of gray, white and brown eggs are both natural. There is no difference in the taste and quality of eggs depending on the color of the shell. White chickens often lay white eggs, and brown-reddish chickens have many pigments in their shells.

Soy-Free Eggs

You won’t break eggs to find tofu cubes, but people with soy allergies may not tolerate eggs from chickens that mainly eat soy (a cheap feed option for egg farmers). A soy-free diet is natural for chickens, and packaging labels help people with soy intolerance avoid eggs from spawning chickens that eat soy.

Is Size Important When Choosing Eggs?

Egg size depends on a variety of reasons, including the breed of the chicken or diet, but the most important factor is the age at which older chickens lay larger eggs. Egg size doesn’t affect quality, according to a spokesman for Austin’s Vital Farm, but it can make a difference whether you’re baking or making a recipe that uses a lot of eggs.

Jumbo eggs usually weigh about 2.5 oz inside, and small eggs weigh only about 1.5 oz, so recipe differences add up quickly. Eggs in one carton are usually the same size, but there may be slight differences. Eggs are graded by the total weight of the carton, so you may see small eggs next to large eggs, but not all are small.

Eggs: Dairy or Not?

If you’re secretly wondering if an egg is a dairy product, you’re not alone. The happy answer for dairy intolerant egg lovers is no. Eggs are not dairy products. However, they are by-products of animals and are incompatible with the vegan diet.

Proper Way to Keep Eggs at Home

Most refrigerators have a place to store eggs inside the door, but according to Vital Farms, it’s not the best place to store eggs. Eggs are best stored in the carton you purchased, in the main area of ​​the refrigerator, where the temperature is most stable. This is the preferred method over refrigerator doors, which can open and close and fluctuate in temperature and humidity.

Fresh eggs usually last about 6 weeks in the fridge but can last even longer. To test if an egg is rotten, gently place the egg in a tall glass of water. If it’s sunk, it’s okay, but if it’s floating, throw it away.

Conclusion:

Eggs are not that complication to be checked and with enough knowledge based on what we have discussed, we can make sure that you are well-equipped the next time you are to buy trays of eggs at the grocery store.

You can get the freshest and high-quality eggs here at Fresh Farms!