Buy eggs today for easier peeling!

According to the American Egg Board, eggs that are 7-10 days old will peel more easily than very fresh eggs.  If you plan to hard-cook eggs for Easter and eat those eggs after the holiday, buy them soon  for easiest peeling.

Remember– hard-cooked, not hard-boiled

Because of their delicate protein content, eggs should be cooked carefully.  When eggs are cooked at too high a temperature or for too long a time, the whites shrink and become tough and rubbery and the yolks become tough and their surface may turn gray-green.  Here’s the best method for hard-cooking the perfect egg:

• Put the eggs in a saucepan.  Cover with water (water level should be at least 1 inch over the eggs.)
• Cover the pan and heat quickly until the water just begins to boil.
• Turn off the heat and slide the pan to a cool burner if necessary to stop further boiling. 
• Let stand 20 to 25 minutes, covered.
• Immediately drain the hot water and run cold water over the eggs or place them in ice water until they’re completely cooled.

Eggs for inexpensive protein

The protein in eggs is both high in quality and low in cost. It’s easy to compare the price of eggs to the price of other protein foods. A dozen Large eggs weigh 1 1/2 pounds, so the price per pound of Large eggs is two-thirds of the price per dozen. For example, if Large eggs cost 90¢ per dozen, they cost 60¢ per pound. At $1.20 per dozen, Large eggs are only 80¢ per pound.  You can compare the cost of different sizes of eggs with this helpful chart.

Another helpful formula is that one egg equals one ounce of lean meat, poultry or fish. This means that you can use two eggs as your main dish at a meal or you can use eggs to “stretch” more expensive protein foods. For instance, you might use one cooked egg per serving along with half the usual amount per serving of expensive meat or seafood in a casserole or salad.

Eggs are nutritious and economical, so when they go on sale for the Easter holiday, stock up!  They’ll keep in the refrigerator for 4-5 weeks to enhance many family meals.

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