Be Smart About Eggs: How To Buy, Store & Make Them Last

Brown eggs aren’t better than white.

They may somehow seem more “natural” because of the brown hue, but brown eggs simply come from a different breed of chicken than white eggs do. Though not true with all breeds, hens with white feathers and earlobes tend to lay white eggs, while hens with reddish-brown feathers and earlobes lay brown eggs.

Brown eggs aren’t somehow more wholesome, and there are no significant nutritional differences between brown and white eggs. One large egg has about 70 calories, 6 grams of protein, and lots of vitamins and minerals

Egg yolks contain protein too.

Yes, egg whites are full of protein. But most of the egg’s nutrients and almost half the protein is actually found in the yolk.

Besides protein, the yolk (at about 50 calories) also contains:

• Vitamin D: Eggs are one of the only foods that naturally contains vitamin D
• Choline: This is a nutrient that’s especially important during pregnancy but that most people don’t get enough of
• Lutein: It’s an antioxidant that’s good for eye health

So don’t toss the yolk when making an omelette–there’s good stuff in there!

“Cage free” doesn’t mean what you might think.

When eggs are labeled “Cage Free”, that means that the hens were not held in enclosures (cages), but they are still kept indoors.

“Natural” eggs can be a bit misleading too. All eggs are natural, because they don’t contain added flavorings and colors, so don’t pay more for this claim.

Here’s what some other labels mean:

• Free Range: These eggs come from hens that are given access to the outdoors–but it doesn’t mean they actually went outdoors (or that the outdoor environment was more than a concrete slab).
• Pasture Raised: Though there’s not a standard definition yet, this claim indicates the hens were raised on open pasture with access to shelter.
• Certified Organic: These are laid by hens that have access to the outdoors and eat all-organic feed that was grown without most synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers.
• Certified Humane: Eggs labeled with this meet specific standards, such as amount of outdoor space or outdoor time required for the hens.

Hard-boiled eggs last longer in their shells.

Hard-boiling a batch of eggs for food prep? Keep them in their shells, which acts as a protective coating against bacteria, and use within one week.

Once hard-boiled eggs are peeled, eat them within a day or two. That goes for any recipes you make with hard-boiled eggs, like egg salad.

The “no hormones” claim is kinda sneaky.

“Hormone-Free”, “No Hormones”, or some variation of the claim “Hens raised without added hormones” are meaningless on eggs. By law, poultry is not allowed to be given hormones, so this claim on cartons is just marketing.

Eggs can supply omega 3s–but not nearly as much as fish.

If you see claims on egg cartons about omega-3 fatty acids, here’s what it means: The hens were given feed containing a source of omega-3s, typically flaxseed. So the eggs those hens lay have more omega-3s in them than regular eggs do.

But keep in mind that most of those omega-3s will be ALAs–the kind in flaxseed and walnuts–not the EPA and DHA fatty acids in oily fish like salmon and sardines. We tend to get enough ALA in our diet, but not enough EPA or DHA.

One Eggland’s Best egg has 125mg of omega-3 fatty acids. About half of those (65mg) are EPA/DHA combined. But a 3-ounce fillet of farmed salmon has nearly 2,000mg of combined EPA/DHA. So feel free to buy these enriched eggs. They’ll supply some omega-3s, but they’re not a one-for-one swap for fish.

Eggs aren’t refrigerated in some European stores.

Eggs have a natural protective coating on the shell that seals them from bacteria entering, but that coating is degraded when eggs are washed and sanitized during processing.

If eggs are bought cold from the refrigerated section of the store and then kept at room temperature at home, the eggs can start to “sweat”, which can cause bacteria can enter through the shell.

In the UK, eggs aren’t washed this way, so the eggs retain the protective coating and aren’t required to be kept refrigerated (which is why you can buy them straight from the shelf in their markets).

Eggs from backyard chickens and some small farms also have this protective coating unless they’re washed. But keep in mind that all eggs will stay fresher longer in the refrigerator.

You can keep eggs well past the date on the carton.

Don’t worry if you’re past the “sell by” date stamped on the carton. This only indicates the last day that eggs should be kept on store shelves. Kept refrigerated at home, eggs will keep up to three weeks after that date.

Fun fact: The numbers below the sell by date are called the Julian Date, the date the eggs were packed. The dates go from 001 (January 1) to 365 (December 31). In the photo above, the Julian date is 359, aka December 26.

You can freeze extra eggs.

Just not in the shell. Crack the egg and beat it, then pour into a freezer-safe container (such as a food-grade ice cube tray like this one) and freeze for up to a year. When you’re ready to use it, defrost in the refrigerator.

But don’t freeze hard-boiled eggs–the texture will be gross!