Three Fabulous New Ways to Enjoy Eggs

Think beyond breakfast with these three unique and tasty new ways to enjoy eggs any time of day!

When I think of eggs, I think of the smell of my mom’s french toast and my dad’s omelettes and childhood. Food can be so nostalgic in that way.

I fell in love with food long before I fell in love with writing and even longer before I fell in love with nutrition. Eggs were one of the first things I could make all by myself without burning my hair off. It brings me great joy to chat you today about one of the first foods that actually made me feel confident in the kitchen. As I grew up and got more creative with cooking, eggs became so much more than breakfast fare to me. They pretty much saved my wallet and my stomach in college. We all deserve to know how to get the most nutrition bang for our buck along with ALL THE FLAVORS by using eggs in some creative and fun new ways. Everyone can use a little change sometimes, ehh?

I’m a big variety girl.

But let’s rewind for a hot minute and revisit what makes eggs so nutritionally stellar. An interesting tid bit you may not know is that eggs are one of the only natural sources of vitamin D, with 41 IU per large egg. They’re also one of the richest food sources of choline, which is critical not only for fetal brain development but also for maintaining optimal brain function later in life.  An even more interesting tid bit is that most of that choline along with vitamin B12, selenium, and more than 40% of the egg’s protein is found there. You’ll also find plenty of fat-soluble nutrients like vitamin D, E, A, and the carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin in the yolk. HOLY SMOKES!

One of my personal favorite facts about eggs is that they’re such an affordable and accessible source of high-quality protein for all. We don’t all have the luxury of stocking are cupboards with thirty types of flour and ancient aztec superfoods, ya know. Now let’s talk about versatility and how you can get your drool on STAT with these epic non-breakfast recipe ideas!

First up, we’ve got a Mediterranean Salad in a Jar with hard-boiled eggs! I was actually shocked how good this was. I knew it would be tasty, but when I shook it up and dumped it in a bowl, I couldn’t help but gasp over how perfectly the flavors and textures melded together. Salads in a jar are meal prep at its finest. I don’t know about you, but I never make salads for lunch solely because I’m too lazy to chop everything. Layering nutrient-dense + flavorful ingredients in a jar with the dressing at the bottom and greens at the top allows them to stay fresh and crisp for days. Such an easy lunch or dinner on the go!

As an added bonus, a study by Purdue University found that adding whole eggs to a colorful veggie-based salad boosts the amount of vitamin E and other antioxidants the body absorbs from the vegetables.

Now let’s talk about my favorite time of day: snack time! Jeff always laughs at me because I’m the queen of eating seventeen things in one sitting. I can’t help wanting a bite of everything in the fridge! For example, yesterday at 5pm I had a bunch of crackers and hummus with hot sauce, two dill pickles, and a hard boiled egg. Random but delish! This Sweet and Salty Snack Plate is super satisfying and hits every flavor and texture note. My kinda snack situation!

Last but not least, let’s talk about the magic of a sunny-side up or over easy egg paired with creamy avocado bright lemon, and a crunchy rice cake as a snack versus breakfast. For some reason, using a brown rice cake totally takes away the breakfast connotation for me. Anyone else? I always crave crunchy when I’m snacking and brown rice cakes totally hit the spot! Slather it with mashed avocado, a squirt of fresh lemon juice, salt, pepper, a hot egg, and greens if you have them on hand. Snack smarter, not harder!

Have another fun way to enjoy eggs beyond the breakfast basics? Tell me all about it in the comments!

This post is sponsored by The American Egg Board. For more recipes, visit IncredibleEgg.org and check them out on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube.