National Egg Day

One of the simplest and primary parts of the diet of humans all over the world, the egg is a form of food as well as a source of life. National Egg Day offers the opportunity to pay heed to this unique and special item – the egg! 

History of National Egg Day

Some historians believe it’s possible that humans have been eating eggs for up to 6 million years! Scavenging for eggs in bird nests and just eating them raw, prehistoric people would likely have found eggs to be a nutritious source of food. Later, in lieu of hunting and gathering, some humans figured out that it was possible to domesticate certain types of birds so that their eggs would always be available.

The story of the egg has continued throughout human history, ebbing and flowing based on each culture’s access to eggs and different preferences in eating. While today in the West, the most commonly eaten egg is the chicken egg, many other eggs have been useful over the centuries and in different cultures. Some of these more unique edible eggs include duck eggs, goose eggs, emu eggs, ostrich eggs and even crocodile eggs!

National Egg Day was established to offer an opportunity to show appreciation for and raise awareness for the amazing and marvelous egg. The celebration of the day is encouraged by various egg farmers throughout the country and supported by those in the egg industry.

For extreme egg lovers, one bit of good news is that eggs can be celebrated more than one time a year. In October, World Egg Day offers an additional option for paying respect to the incredible, edible egg.  

How to Celebrate National Egg Day

Show appreciation for and celebrate this simple but complex food by implementing some fun and interesting activities. Have fun with some of these ideas for National Egg Day:

Eat Eggs for a Meal

While eggs are often associated with breakfast, they absolutely do not need to be limited in such a way. Eggs can be delicious for any meal throughout the whole day. Scrambled, fried, poached or boiled, eggs make delicious and nutritious food anytime. They even make a great snack!

Try an egg salad sandwich made from boiled eggs, enjoy an egg frittata, cook up some omelets, or even have some egg drop soup. Eggs are not only tasty, but they are extremely versatile and typically very easy to cook up into something unique and creative. So have fun with those eggs in honor of National Egg Day!

Make Peace with the Egg

In the late 1960s, the American Heart Association made an announcement that people should be limiting their intake of eggs as eating them was associated with cholesterol levels. These claims were refuted by the egg industry and others in the health world and by 2015, almost 50 years later, the restrictions on eggs had been dropped from the dietary guidelines.

Still, it has taken a while for many people to get over the negative reputation that was cast upon the egg. Perhaps this year’s National Egg Day would be an ideal time for people to make peace with the egg and come to terms with the fact that the whole egg (even the yolk) is a healthy and affordable way to gain vital nutrients for the body!

Try Some Egg Experiments

Parents and teachers, and just curious adults, might like to celebrate National Egg Day by performing some interesting experiments with an egg. Many science-y activities can be found with a quick online search. For instance, it might be fun to boil one egg and leave one unboiled, then spin them to see which one spins faster. Or drop two unboiled eggs into water, one in tap water and one in salt water, to see which one floats and which one sinks. Certainly there are many other types of experiments that can be done with eggs just for fun in honor of this day!