By Blythe Copeland | Mon Oct 26, 2009 11:50
-
Buy Green: Organic Eggs
How do you take your eggs? Try organic and cage-free, from chickens fed on vegetarian feed.
Few foods in your kitchen have the versatility of the everyday egg. From its starring place at the breakfast table to its mixed-with-mayonnaise salad incarnation at lunch to the soufflés and frittatas of dinner and the sweet delight of cakes, brownies, and custards at dessert. And if you're using them so often, doesn't it make sense to purchase the best for your health? The brands on this list get high marks for their commitment to cage-free farming and pesticide-free organic feed?all of which lead to happy, healthy hens?and we've even included a few recipes to take your egg expertise beyond scrambled, fried, or over-easy.
-
Organic Free Range Eggs From Born Free
Why We Like It: The hens that produce organic free range eggs from Born Free are raised in a cage-free environment, with room to "just enjoy being hens," as the Web site puts it, and the finished product is certified by the independent Humane Farm Animal Care organization.
Eco-Factor: The kind treatment of the hens extends to their feed: Made from whole grains and soy protein, it's vegetarian, free of pesticides, antibiotics, and synthetic hormones. In addition, the eggs are certified organic by the United States Department of Agriculture.
Try This Recipe: Basic Deviled Eggs from Born Free
Where: Try the store locator
How Much: $4-5/dozen
Photo courtesy of Born Free
-
Organic Brown Eggs From Organic Valley
Why We Like It: Organic eggs from Organic Valley are produced by a co-op of growers all over the country, on family farms that allow the hens to wander indoors and out, lay their eggs in nest, and then have farmers gather the eggs by hand.
Eco-Factor: The eggs are laid by hens fed organic, vegetarian feed (including greens in the summer and alfalfa in the winter); the Omega-3 variety includes 225 milligrams of the fatty acid as a result of extra flax seed in the hens' diet.
Try This Recipe: Enchilada Strata from Organic Valley
Where: Try the store locator
How Much: $4/dozen
Photo courtesy of Organic Valley Family of Farms
-
Cage Free and Organic Eggs From Eggland's Best
Why We Like It: As part of the most common brand on the market, Cage-Free and Organic Eggs from Eggland's Best make organic and cage-free varieties readily accessible to the masses; the company says its hens are kept safe from predators without cages, and the eggs are certified organic by the USDA.
Eco-Factor: These eggs have all the same nutritional benefits as regular white eggs, but the layers' diets contain no recycled or processed food, animal byproducts, antibiotics, or hormones.
Try This Recipe: Raspberry Chiffon Cake from Eggland's Best
Where: Try the store locator
How Much: $4-5/dozen
Photo courtesy of Eggland's Best
-
Organic Egg Whites by Eggology
Why We Like It: Eggology Organic Egg Whites are a protein-rich alternative to whole eggs?perfect for baking, cooking, and in bodybuilding shakes.
Eco-Factor: The organic egg whites that Eggology sells may not be different from cracking and separating an organic egg on your own, but they are free of the dyes and preservatives that you'll find in other egg white products; plus the chickens live cage-free lives, just like the other brands on this list.
Try This Recipe: Spinach Feta Omelet from Eggology
Where: Eggology for delivery within the continental U.S.
How Much: $6/dozen
Photo courtesy of Eggology
-
Organic Eggs From Local Harvest
Why We Like It: Eggs are one of the easiest food items to find locally, and Local Harvest can help, with contact information for farmers' market sellers across the country and an online store that lets you order them no matter where you live.
Eco-Factor: In addition to the cage-free, hormone-free, antibiotic-free, vegetarian, organic diet shared by the hens from the other companies on this list, buying eggs from a local farm means you won't incur the carbon footprint of cartons shipped cross-country.
Try This Recipe: Egg Drop Soup from Emeril Green
Where: Search online to find a farmers market or Community Supported Agriculture in your area, or shop for the eggs online.
How Much: Prices vary; from about $3.50/dozen
Photo courtesy of Local Harvest
On Now
- 07:30pm Grizzly Man Diaries
- 08:00pm Off the Grid
- 09:00pm Whale Wars
On Tonight
- 08:00pm Off the Grid
- 09:00pm Whale Wars
Earthquake in Chile - How You Can Help
Find charities and social media tools to help with relief efforts.
10 Ways to Help the Haiti Earthquake Relief Efforts
Send text messages, donate online or just get informed on easy ways you can contribute.
How to Make the Recovery Last
Once the Red Cross pulls out, Haiti will still need help getting on a path to real development.
More Ways to Help
Get our complete coverage of the relief efforts in Haiti and ways you can take action to help.
| CREDITS | DCL | |
| DISCOVERY SITES | Discovery Channel | TLC | Animal Planet | Science Channel | Planet Green | Discovery Fit & Health | Hub | Military Channel | Investigation Discovery | Discovery Home | HD Theater | Turbo | HowStuffWorks | TreeHugger | Petfinder | PetVideo | Discovery Education |
| CUSTOMER SERVICE | Viewer Relations | Free Newsletters | RSS | TV FAQs |
| CORPORATE | Discovery Communications, Inc. | Advertising | Careers @ Discovery | Privacy Policy | Visitor Agreement |
