Ok, Let Me Eggsplain....

Hi everyone! So sorry it’s been a while since I’ve blogged. Life has been insanely busy. I actually keep having this dream where I’m packing for a trip or to move and I’m never able to actually finish packing. I keep finding more and more stuff to pack. I looked this up on some dream sites and they all said the same thing – the dream signifies being overwhelmed. Yeah, that pretty much sums it up.

But I resolve to not let my blog die. Even if no one else really cares, I enjoy writing my posts. I just need to get my priorities in check and get back on track!

So is anyone as confused as I’ve been about the best eggs to buy? It seems there are a million versions of egg carton labels – cage free, organic, vegetarian, hormone free, blah, blah, blah. What does it all mean?? And what is really the best? Being the inquisitive lil gal that I am, I thought I’d take some time to figure it out. And I’m sorry to say that, unfortunately, over 97% of eggs are produced in inhumane, disgusting conditions. An average building houses tens of thousands of hens all packed together so tightly they can’t even lift a wing. Floors are covered with waste and diseases are easily spread. And to keep the hens from pecking each other to death in these horrible environments, producers cut part of their beaks off. Cuz a dead bird ain’t a good egg maker….

I could continue to elaborate on these operations and blow your mind, and probably the contents of your tummy, with more details – but I think you get my point.

So to aid you, my fabulous readers, in your quest for the safest, tastiest and most humanely produced eggs, I’ve listed a few shopping tips and little known facts  about what’s out there. Let’s proceed….

1. The Cornucopia Institute has created the “Organic Egg Scorecard”. The scorecard provides ratings to companies that sell eggs using a list of specific criteria – such as access to the outdoors, quality of outdoor/indoor space, how/what the animals are fed, etc. The list of criteria on the institute’s website is pretty expansive and you can click on each company to get more information on them and where you can buy their products. Here’s the link – Organic Egg Scorecard.

2. Beware of labels on egg containers that say things like “produced without hormones”. That’s nothing but a marketing ploy. It’s actually illegal to use hormones in raising poultry.

3. Most of us think the label “cage free” or “organic” on a box signifies a safe and humane choice. But that’s usually not true. In fact, the Cornucopia Institute notes “the vast majority of organic eggs for private label brands are produced on industrial farms that house hundreds of thousands of birds and do not grant the birds meaningful outdoor access”. And in regards to cage free, that usually just means the hens are crammed into a warehouse, in the same disgusting conditions as if they were in a cage, unable to move and go outside. So when you see the recent story about Burger King and other fast food chains switching to only cage-free eggs, remember what you just read. As always, fast food is the devil….

4. The safest eggs (unless you get them from a local farm or famers market – or raise them yourself) are those that are labeled as pasture raised. I love Vital Farms eggs. You can get them at Whole Foods. When you open the container, there’s actually a little flyer showing how the hens are raised and the eggs are gathered. I think that’s kind of cute . And they taste fabulous!!

Well I hope I’ve been helpful in shedding a bit of light on this subject. Like I said above, I could keep on writing and get quite graphic. But my purpose is not to make you cry and hurl – I simply want to continue to implore you to learn about where your food comes from. Don’t just trust a label on a box – remember that most of these companies are simply out to take your money. You owe it to yourself and to your family to get the facts.

Thanks, as always, for reading! Happy gathering!

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