It’s strange for such a commonplace grocery item, but eggs have been top of mind for a lot of shoppers. With sky-high egg prices that have stubbornly refused to come down, many have cut back on buying them or have started to look around for better deals. But any comparison shopping for a staple like eggs starts raising a lot of questions. Are more expensive “high-quality” eggs actually better? Should you be worried that cheaper eggs are less nutritious? Does it matter where you buy your eggs from at all? To clear all this up, we consulted an expert, Nelson Serrano-Bahri, a chef and the director of innovation at the American Egg Board, about whether there is a best grocery store for buying eggs.
Serrano-Bahri’s answer is a pretty definitive “no.” Despite all the egg options you have, he explains that “it’s important to know that all eggs sold at grocery and retail stores in the U.S. are regulated by the USDA and the FDA and subject to the highest quality and safety standards in the world.” That doesn’t mean there is zero difference between egg suppliers, but at a base level most eggs are pretty much the same. “Different egg farmers use different methods for farming eggs, giving you great options,” Serrano-Bahri adds, “but you don’t have to think twice about whether any eggs sold at grocery and retail are wholesome, high-quality, nutritious, and safe.”
Eggs have the same characteristics no matter where you buy them
It’s not just that eggs are safe due to USDA inspections. Serrano-Bahri explains that from store to store, eggs are always going to get the job done. “All eggs sold in grocery and retail stores provide the same amazing functional performance in recipes and baking,” the chef notes. If you need to whip up a meringue or add some structure to your baked goods, Serrano-Bahri reassures us that any egg on the shelf is going to work just as well as the next.
This also extends to taste. Tests have shown that in blind tastings eggs are almost impossible to distinguish from each other, and Serrano-Bahri agrees. “You’ll find that any eggs you choose at your grocery or retail store will have the same consistently high quality,” he notes. The chef attributes this to the stringent standards of the American egg industry, explaining, “Those farmers are there every day, looking after their hens, working with the USDA and FDA, and using the best of human know-how and modern technology to deliver top-quality food you can rely on and trust.”
This is true regardless of the name on the package. When asked about more affordable store-brand eggs, Serrano-Bahri notes that “egg farmers sell their eggs under multiple brand labels—including farm brands, store brands, and others. At the end of the day, all the eggs you find in the egg case at your grocery or retail store are the same high-quality product.”
You are getting the same level of nutrition from eggs at any American grocery store
We eat eggs because they taste great, of course, but they are also one of the most nutritious foods on the planet. They have a wide variety of vitamins and provide a high density of protein and nutrition compared to their calories. Serrano-Bahri reminds us that “eggs are one of the highest quality proteins available. It’s so high that food scientists often use eggs as the standard to assess the protein quality of other foods.” And just like other aspects of eggs, he adds that “all eggs sold in grocery and retail stores have the same key nutrients that support lifelong health for your brain and your body.”
The only exception here are eggs that have been boosted in some way. No eggs are going to be deficient in the nutrients that make them healthy, but according to Serrano-Bahri, some eggs “are nutritionally enhanced—as with vitamin D or omega-3, which is done through the hens’ feed.” How can you tell the difference? “When in doubt, always check the Nutrition Facts label on the carton,” he reveals.
So, you don’t have to worry about your favorite store’s eggs being unhealthy, but some brands will deliver above and beyond the standard. Either way, don’t fret and run all over town looking for the “best” eggs. They’re all good. Certainly take a deal where you can find one, but your body, taste buds, and various egg-related recipes won’t be able to tell the difference.
