E if for Eggs

Fresh and free range... of course!

Eggs - not only are they a tasty addition to breakfast but an essential ingredient in cakes, pancakes and custard.

Unfortunately, we are unable to keep chickens as our block is just too small and apart from our driveway and front entrance most of our outdoor space is comprised of narrow garden beds between our house and the neighbours.

So apart from the occasional (and very much appreciated) donation of home-grown eggs from friends like most families we are left to navigate the purchase of eggs from the grocery store.

Last year in Australia new rules came into effect around the labelling of "free range" eggs. To be free range hens must have 'meaningful and regular access' to an outdoor range during the day and be free to roam and forage outside. There's also a maximum stocking density, which dictates how many hens are allowed per hectare of outdoor space. Good new right? Or so we thought until we actually started researching what 'free range' means.

In Australia Egg producers can run a maximum of 10,000 hens per hectare (that's one hen per square metre) and be accredited as 'free range'. Here's the rub though, 10,000 hens per hectare is much higher than stocking densities that were proposed by the Primary Industries Ministerial Council model code of practice (published by the CSIRO), which recommends just 1,500 hens per hectare. It's also four times higher than the EU where there is a maximum outdoor stocking density of 2,500 hens per hectare (which also aligns with the NZSPCA code).

So, we figure that while free range is good (or at least better than no standard at all like in the US) we try to buy eggs that meet the model code. To guide us we found the Choice 'Free-range eggs buying guide' a useful resource. It lists the brands that meet the recommended model code of 1,500 hens per hectare. Fortunately, there are numerous brands across Australia that meet the code and are available in most grocery stores.