Frugal Friday

The Incredible Edible Egg.

We eat eggs. A lot.

Why eggs are frugal:

• First, the 'duh' reason: they are inexpensive! You can buy large eggs for $2/18 ct. on sale and you can often find 'home grown' eggs for $2-$3/dozen. Even better, if you are me, your in-laws will buy chickens and offer eggs to you for free once they start laying! (They are just chicks now, but will be laying by the fall, I'm told! I am very excited!)

• Eggs, eaten in reasonable amounts, are very healthy. They are packed with high-quality protein and, therefore, stay with you a long time. Protein fills us up much better than carbs. They have healthy fats and, according to this website, they are an excellent source of choline, which helps regulate the brain, nervous system, and cardiovascular system. According to the same website, apparently they are also one of the only foods where Vitamin D occurs naturally. Cool beans :)

• One of my favorite things about eggs is that they can be prepared in so many different ways. You've got your traditional scrambled, fried, and boiled. You can also have them mixed with other yumminess, like omelets with tomatoes and cheese. I make a mean breakfast casserole that combines tons of eggs with cheese, a b'fast meat, milk, and bread. You can make egg salad, which is one of my personal favorites. You can even add boiled eggs to things like salads, tuna, etc. to bulk them up and add protein and flavor. And let's not forget the delicious-ness of deviled eggs!

• Because of all the options available, they are a great choice for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Hannah very often eats a boiled egg as her protein for lunch. It is not messy and is portable for playdates! Don't rule out breakfast for dinner, folks! We do it almost weekly and its really a great way to save some $$ while still filling your tummy at the largest meal of the day.

• They are yummy! We all like them and are happy to eat them at least twice a week, usually once or twice for b'fast and one dinner. If your family doesn't eat what you prepare and it goes to waste, well, that ain't frugal!

• This more of a "why eggs are awesome" thing- Finally, as I found out when I used to count calories, one large egg is only 70 calories, yet quite filling. Yay!