National Egg Month: Economy

For most families, protein foods are often some of the most expensive items on the grocery list. Fortunately, the protein supplied by 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.

When you plan menus, one egg of any size equals one ounce of lean meat, poultry, fish or seafood. You can use two eggs per serving as your main dish at a meal. You can also use eggs to stretch more expensive protein foods. For example, in a fajita, you can use one scrambled egg per serving along with half the usual amount per serving of chicken, beef or shrimp.

Right after Easter and on through the summer months, a relatively constant supply of eggs bumps up against less demand. At this time of year, egg prices often fall and eggs are an even better protein-food bargain than they normally are.

Adding to the economy of eggs is the fact that you don’t need any special equipment to cook them. Although many special pans and gadgets are sold to cook egg dishes, you can usually prepare eggs with ordinary kitchen assortment. For example, you can make an omelet in a slope-sided fry pan, a quiche in a pie plate and a soufflé in a straight-sided, casserole dish or an uncoated saucepan.