Best Eggs To Buy Direct

Beyond the lifestyle labels, you can use a "secret" trick to find the freshest carton: Egg Grading Shields - Agricultural Marketing Service - USDA

: While better than cages, this only guarantees "access" to the outdoors, which could just be a small door to a tiny concrete porch. 3. The "Better Than Nothing": Cage-Free best eggs to buy

If you want the absolute best in nutrition and ethics, look for eggs. These come from hens that roam freely on open land (usually 108 square feet per bird), foraging for a natural diet of bugs and grass. Beyond the lifestyle labels, you can use a

: You'll notice a deep, vibrant orange yolk—a sign of higher levels of Omega-3s and vitamins A, D, and E. These come from hens that roam freely on

: This ensures the hens were fed non-GMO, pesticide-free feed and weren't treated with antibiotics. Organic hens must also be "free-range," though the quality of their outdoor access can vary.

If pasture-raised is out of budget, these are your next best bets: