Egg sales are at a 50-year high according to a recent story in the Washington Post. The estimates are such that each person eats close to 300 eggs annually. I think my family exceeded that in 2018 and I am happy to brag.
Eggs are no longer thought of as evil little cholesterol bombs. Instead, they are celebrated once again as an economical source of protein. And boy do they pack a protein punch, 6 grams per egg, into a small package. I may be partial, but good things come in small packages!
The resurgence of eggs in the home and restaurant kitchens across America is based on not just one thing. My guess is it is due to a combination of several of these recent ways of thinking about overall health and diet. Eggs got a bad rap for a while and are now making a comeback.
Why are they popular again?
It may be anyone's guess why eggs are more popular today than they were just 5 years ago. I have heard debates and talk shows alike recently discuss this topic. There are probably as many opinions on this topic as there are ways to prepare eggs.
Here are eight things that make this no surprise to me and why I think egg consumption has increased in the last few years (besides the fact that eggs are easy and delicious):
- There is the popularity of high protein diets like Keto, Whole30, Paleo and Atkins.
- It is an affordable protein source that contains all the essential amino acids we need plus vitamins, minerals, and cholesterol (cholesterol is not evil).
- The popularity of raising backyard chickens, even in urban settings, has grown in recent years.
- Dietary Guideline for Americans changed and actually dropped restrictions on dietary cholesterol (https://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/).
- American Heart Association even recommends 8-9 servings of poultry, meat, and eggs per week ( https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/nutrition-basics/suggested-servings-from-each-food-group).
- Food trends like avocado toast and sous vide egg bites are popular on both restaurant menus and to make at home.
- Restaurants making all-day breakfast menus more widely offered. Even McDonald’s took that leap in 2015 and sales exceeded expectations almost immediately.
- More consumer packaged breakfast goods available in grocery stores and online like the Jimmy Dean Egg'wich and Just Crack an Egg scramble bowls.
8 Little Known Facts about Eggs
- Egg color and the amount of eggs produced annually is based on the breed of chicken.
- Brown eggs are not more healthy than white eggs. Brown eggs are only more expensive because the chicken breed is larger, thus requiring more feed to produce a brown egg.
- Chalaza is the term for the white curly string membrane found in eggs. The more pronounced they are, the fresher the egg is.
- All eggs are hormone free since the FDA banned their usage in all poultry in 1950.
- Iowa is the top egg-producing state.
- Fresher eggs have cloudier whites but are also harder to peel than older eggs. So if you are hard boiling eggs, older eggs work best.
- According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the most yolks found in a single egg was 9!
- The greenish-gray color around the yolk of a hard-boiled egg is the formation of ferrous sulfide. It is caused by the reaction of from the egg white (sulfur) and egg yolk (iron) when heated.
EGG HACK - Want to prevent the formation of greenish-grey ferrous sulfide around a hard-boiled egg yolk? Be sure the egg is boiled only as long as is needed to just set the egg, and then plunge it into cold water and peel it promptly. Set that egg timer!
Avocado Toast with a Fried Egg
8 Great Ways to Enjoy Eggs Anytime of the Day
With all this good news, everyone should be putting eggs back on any mealtime plate. If you can afford it, I suggest organic, non-GMO and pasture raised eggs on your menu. Here are some of our egg favorites:
- Shakshuka
- Fried eggs on toast with smoked salmon, avocado, etc
- Cheese & Bacon Frittata
- Eggs Benedict
- Sous Vide Egg Bites
- Deviled Eggs - Try my Party Perfect Deviled Egg recipe here, https://theshortordercook.com/party-perfect-deviled-eggs/
- Chilaquiles
- Fried eggs on a burger
What egg recipes do you and your family enjoy most? Share any egg photos or recipes for inspiration.
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