Put An Egg On It: 10 Ways to Add Eggs to Your Day
Author: Rachel Hansen, MS
The egg is often an unsung hero. The truth about eggs though, is that they are versatile, nutritious, and delicious! Before we get into the many ways you can add an egg to your meals, let’s take a look at what components make eggs so great.
Eggs are nutritious
It is commonly known that eggs are a good source of protein but they are also full of micronutrients! The U.S Department of Agriculture FoodData Central shows us that eggs have nutrients like vitamins A, D, and B6, as well as the minerals potassium, iron, calcium, and magnesium. While these nutrients are found in small amounts, a little can go a long way when you are adding an egg to your balanced meals.
The American Egg Board boasts that the type of protein found in eggs is highly digestible and has a broad-range amino acid profile. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein structures, including human muscle, bones, organs, skin, and nails–basically the whole body! That means getting an adequate amount of protein each day is going to help keep your body strong and healthy. The hard facts on how much protein is good for you can be subjective, but Health.gov tells us that the daily dietary guidelines for protein for men age 19 and older is 56 grams/day and women ages 19 and older is 46 grams/day. Eggs have about 6 grams of protein per egg! Whichever way you stack it, eggs are a great way to get the protein you need!
Eggs are versatile
The reason we are all here! To find out how to add eggs to our meals (or snacks) without skipping a beat. It’s super easy to add eggs because they can be prepared in so many different ways! You can prepare eggs in a scramble, hard boil, soft boil, poach, fried, over easy, sunny side up, baked, basted or made into an omelet. There are so many ways to appreciate the egg!
Eggs can be incorporated into any meal
Here are 10 ways to incorporate eggs into your day:
- Start with a scramble
Of course! Eggs are super popular at breakfast! Not all of us have time to hover over a skillet in the morning, we’ve gotta get out the door! Instead of making a traditional scramble or over-easy egg- try a hard or soft boil the night before to grab and go in the morning! Great on its own or pair it with some cheese, fruit or veggies. - Enjoy them as a snack
Hardboiled eggs are a snack staple. Enjoy them on their own, or pair it with cheese, nuts, seeds, crackers, fruit, or veggies. - “Put an egg on it”
Many of us are able to cook dinner at home and have the time to get creative. What are you making tonight? Pasta, soup, casserole, or meat and potatoes? Hook it up with an egg! Pasta is great with a fried egg and soup goes with a soft-boiled egg. Top meat and potatoes with a sunny side up egg! You’d be surprised just how good it can be! - Savor in a salad
Yes, a little boring, I know, but while salads are a common food to put an egg, it’s still a good one! Salads are a lovely way to get in a ton of green foods and you can dress them up pretty much any way you’d like! Why not throw a boiled-egg on top for extra protein? YUM! - Mix it in a sandwich
Just as versatile as the egg, a sandwich can be done in so many different ways! Turkey, ham and cheese, egg salad, chicken salad, vegetarian sandwich–the sky’s the limit! Shake things up a bit and add an egg soft boiled, hard-boiled, over easy or poached! This addition fits right in! - Wrap in a burrito
The elusive breakfast burrito, or, let’s be honest, any-time burrito. Beans, veggies, meat–why not an egg too? All of this goodness wrapped up into a hearty tortilla definitely makes for a delicious meal! - Add it to your BLT
Who doesn’t love a BLT? Crisp lettuce, cool tomato, toasty bread, and juicy bacon! Why leave the egg out of all the fun? Take this sammy up to a new level with an added egg. - Throw it in a hash
Let’s just throw everything into a frying pan and cook it up! Sometimes food doesn’t have to be pretty or precise, it just needs to taste good and fill you up! Cracking an egg into a hash can add a wonderful texture and fuller flavor. Give it a shot! - Make it a star in a shakshuka
Have you ever heard of this culinary delight? If you have and have tried it, you know it’s delicious! If not, give it a go! It’s basically poached eggs in a veggie tomato-y sauce. Lovely at any mealtime and can even be paired with many other dishes as a great side. - Try it out in a quiche
Ok, so yeah, this one is mostly eggs–but have you ever added fresh veggies like tomatoes and avocado to a quiche? Talk about taking it to the next level! YUM!
No matter how you choose to get in your protein, enjoy the variety that food allows us each day and have fun getting in the nutrition your body needs!
