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White or Brown Egg Shells?

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My store of choice is Sainsburys and recently I read that they are now selling only white shelled eggs. Apparently no difference in quality, taste etc. However, I have found that with the white shelled eggs I cannot ever crack one without getting pieces of eggshell in whatever I am preparing and we all know how hard it is to remove those dodgy bits. They are significantly harder to peel when hard boiled too. It is really starting to bug me (I know, trivial) but wondered if you have found this to be same for you.

Lynibis
a week ago
Comments+20 points
Jerseydrew

Literally no difference in taste. The only time theres a difference is if you get free range organic eggs

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Lynibis

Jerseydrew yep the only difference I am annoyed about is the fragility of the shells, so sick of picking shell bits out of food.

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TiaTia

I shop in Sainsbury's too and last week I bought the eggs with a white shells and don't find them any different to the brown eggs. I don't make hard boiled eggs so I can't comment about peeling the shell.

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Leannexxx

Maybe it's just me I got while ones and I thought they were horrible 😂 so I went back to brown

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Lynibis

Leannexxx I didn't find any difference in taste just how fragile the shells are. But I have now decided to buy my eggs from a local nursery and farm type shop.

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Leannexxx

Lynibis if you can I would do the same in all honesty probably get more for your money too

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hky

Lynibis I absolutely agree with the weak thinner egg shell & peeling.

The white shelled egg whites are a little 'harder' & yolk 'softer' than the brown ones - we often have very well-done boiled eggs. My niece is mostly on liquid diet but every now and then has a bit of mashed boiled egg, but she can't eat the whites of the white shelled ones.

I also noticed it when I paid attention after my mum pointed it out - it's hard to notice quality difference unless you're sensitive and don't just gobble it down, I guess.

And also the raw egg yolks often seem more 'watery' in the white shelled ones - less fatty , which would probably makes sense because the chickens eat less than the brown ones I think, but produce the same amount of eggs.

Sometimes cheaper brown eggs can be weaker shelled/less quality but the white eggs have been rather consistently the same wherever we've gotten them from.

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telmel

I thought this explanation might be of interest L, it's more or less down to profit as the hens producing white eggs eat less feed and live longer amongst other reasons , so the eggs will be cheaper to produce

Sainsbury's is switching its own-brand shell eggs to white varieties to lower its carbon footprint and meet corporate net-zero climate goals.

Why White Eggs Lower Carbon

  • Smaller hens: White-feathered hens are smaller in size.
  • Less feed: They eat less feed over their lifetime, which reduces the resources needed to grow feed crops.
  • Longer lifespan: They live longer and lay eggs for a more extended period.
  • Fewer emissions: Research shows white eggs have a 12.7% smaller carbon footprint than brown eggs
Quality and Nutrition
  • No difference: White and brown eggs have the exact same taste, quality, and nutritional value.
  • The only change: The color of the shell is the only difference.
A Return to the Past
  • 1970s shift: White eggs were common in the UK until the 1970s.
  • Brown trend: Brown eggs became popular later because people thought they were healthier.
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Lynibis

telmel thanks for all the info Tel, it's a shame though as using the white shell eggs is now so messy I have decided to buy mine from a local farm shop which has a fantastic food hall

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hky

telmel Oh I didn't realise white hens are smaller, I thought they ate less but were the same size. I somehow read and remembered the rest of the info though, so it somehow felt like they were penalising the same sized chickens that ate more.

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DPK

Just being silly - I don't eat the shell so I don't really bother. Sorry having a silly half hour

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Lynibis

DPK and why not lol. But I hope you know I was referring to shards of shell in the mix of eggs when cooking. They are so hard to get out and a waste of time. I even tried sieving yesterday but the gloopy white, despite whisking mostly got stuck 😂😂😂

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DPK

Lynibis saw someone on telly the other day saying to use the big part of the shell to retrieve the little bits. Don't know if it works though

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Lynibis

DPK yes I have done this previously with other eggs and it does work if you can find the pieces, easier when not whisked. I do prefer thicker shelled Brown eggs.

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JoannaYouel

I buy my eggs from Tesco I prefer brown ones .

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jms19

Honestly I have had both white and brown shelled eggs fairly recently and not noticed any difference at all but maybe it is because I wasn't really paying any attention. I will have to do my own little comparison, maybe even side by side to see. What is Sainsbury's reasoning for only selling white shelled eggs from now on, is that what their suppliers provide or is it for cosmetic reasons?

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Lynibis

jms19 have a read of telmel's post above, it explains better than I could. Let's be honest I don't think swapping from Brown to white eggs is gonna save the world lol.

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kitty88uk

Oh really?! I didn’t know to see would be problems cracking eggshells lol I mean as for peeling them soaking for at least 5 minutes in cold water after boiling them.. definitely no difference whatsoever in taste as they are just bland… what do anyone eat them with? I know fried eggs 🍳 can eat with bacon 🥓 as it’s salty I don’t really like mashing them up with mayonnaise as that’s made of eggs too or salad cream cause that’s sweet

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Lynibis

kitty88uk I love egg mayo roll or sandwich. I also have omelette at least once a week with mushrooms or ham etc. I whisk the egg whites first (soft, not as you would for meringue) then fold in yolks, fry gently in a little olive oil or butter then finish top under grill. I also like hard boiled eggs with salad or just sliced in a sandwich with no mayo. Sometimes I will get out my poaching pan and have soft poached eggs on toast.

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kitty88uk

Lynibis lol 😝 now you are making me hungry 😋 I like fried eggs and omelettes too! I do not at boil eggs now and again but not fond of the rubbery texture lol 😅 I eat them cause they are filling

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Lynibis

kitty88uk they are also a good source of protein, especially if you are a vegetarian.😋

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kitty88uk

Lynibis yeah that’s right for those who need protein. I mean for white or brown eggs is there one that more pricey? I know free range eggs can be like that or buying from M&S I think it’s good to buy from Sainsbury’s cause at least can collect nectar points lol and it counts towards your next money off if you use them as part payment for your groceries

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kitty88uk

Lynibis yeah our main grocery shopping is done at Sainsbury’s as it’s just a few minutes down the road from where I live. Have a lot of nectar points collected but family doesn’t spend it much 🤦🏻‍♀️ just continue to collect more. Yeah I eat boiled eggs now and again but not all the time.

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tara73ziva

The color of the shell comes entirely from the breed of the hen. White-feathered chickens with white earlobes generally lay white eggs, while red or brown-feathered chickens lay brown eggs.

Brown eggs often have a higher price tag because the hens that lay them are typically larger and require more feed to produce. And definitely no taste difference. If you get egg shells in when cracking the egg use the bigger piece of the shell to remove it. It is so much easier than trying to remove it with your fingers or a spoon. And if you roll your hard boiled egg before you peel it, it should be easier 

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Lynibis

tara73ziva Yes I did know that info but was basically making the point that the white egg shells are far more fragile and splinter easily. I have always used egg shell to retrieve egg shell but due to the fragility the eggs splinter into tiny pieces when cracked into a bowl or straight to cooking pan and I definitely find this far more so with white shells than brown. I will definitely only buy brown in future for as long as they are available, probably from our local garden centre with a great food hall that sells all manner of locally produced food, almost like a farm shop.

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BonzoBanana

I always look for brown eggs but don't reject white eggs if its the only option. However I'm not a big egg eater but do buy them occasionally just for food variety.

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Lynibis

BonzoBanana I find them very versatile and will have an omelette meal each week as they're a good protein substitute for meat. I also use them in cake baking and will regularly make a quiche. A fried egg sandwich is also an occasional treat. Like you I will still buy white eggs if there is no other option.

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BonzoBanana

Lynibis It does sound like the option to get brown eggs will start to disappear as any cost savings nowadays are important. Maybe we will start seeing brown eggs priced higher and then it will be a decision about cost maybe an extra 20p for half a dozen of brown eggs will become the norm. I'm a tightwad so it will definitely be white for me.

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Lynibis

BonzoBanana ha ha, I buy mine when they are on offer on nectar in Sainsbury's so always go for the cheaper option.

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BonzoBanana

Lynibis I must admit I buy most of my eggs from the coop. They do free range eggs at a aldi matched price point and the are ethically one of the best stores for checking their logistics etc and morality. The two offers you can select a week eggs are often there with a 25p discount too so I would typically choose that and 6 eggs will last me about 2 weeks or more. I've gone a couple months too without eggs at times. I do get pangs for a bacon and egg sarnie occasionally though and also enjoy an omelette from time to time especially with a bit of cheese in.

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Sherrifffroggy

I rarely buy eggs apart from when I'm baking. I did buy some 2 weeks ago and those were the usual brown shell eggs. Can't remember if those were from ASDA or Tesco. I haven't seen white shells for decades. I find eggs to be very expensive for what they are. I remember when those were much cheaper.

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SassyBee001

I don't think there's any difference with the taste whether it's brown or white, but I do prefer the brown as when you crack the egg shells, it's less messy, can't be doing with the small pieces of eggshell when you're trying to cook.

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