Eggs are part of almost everybody's everyday breakfast routine. There's really no reason they shouldn't be—they're a great source of protein, contain a wide array of vitamins and minerals, omega-3 fatty acids, and let's not forget, they taste delicious even with just salt and pepper. In 2017, the US consumption was estimated to be 274.2 eggs per person. In short, Americans love their eggs.
However, egg disasters are way too hard to escape, and I know we can all relate. From fried eggs in weird shapes, to breaking a hard-boiled egg when trying to remove the shell, sometimes it's difficult to actually get the motivation to a eat a hearty egg-filled breakfast. Ready to get that motivation sky-rocketing? Here are 10 egg hacks that are bound to change the way you eat your eggs in the morning, making breakfast that much easier.
1. Use Cookie Cutters for the Perfect Fried Egg
Sometimes, we break an egg in a pan to get ready to fry it, and the white spreads all over the place. Not only does it make the whole process of cooking it much harder, but aesthetically, the egg won't look as nice as we want it to (especially for Instagram, am I right?). Next time you fry an egg, take a circular cookie cutter or a mason jar lid, grease it, put it on the pan and crack the egg inside of it. You'll get a beautifully circle-shaped egg; everyone will be asking you how you got it to be that perfect.
#SpoonTip: Make the cutest Valentine's Day eggs by cracking them inside of a heart-shaped cookie cutter!
2. Use the Microwave for a Two-Minute Breakfast
This egg hack is my favorite. Impatient for your eggs to fully cook in a pan until they're ready? We're lucky to live in a world where literally every single thing exists, such as microwave egg poachers. Simply spray the bottom of the microwave egg poacher with cooking spray, cover the bottom of the egg poacher with water, crack an egg into each section, and microwave the eggs on high for 60 to 90 seconds. You get perfect eggs in a short amount of time. Just be careful and make sure the cap is perfectly sealed; if not, a mess may occur in the microwave.
3. Remove a Hard-Boiled Egg Shell in a Cold Water Container
Don't get me wrong, I love hard-boiled eggs. But getting that shell to crack without making a mess or breaking the egg? I'd say it's mission impossible. Make your life a bit easier next time by adding your hard-boiled eggs to a container filled with cold water. Close the container, and shake it up gently. Remove the cap, take the eggs, and you'll see the shells come off immediately. Thank me later.
4. Determine if Your Egg is Fresh by Dropping it in a Cup of Water
Nothing is worse than cracking an egg open and seeing that it doesn't look as fresh as we'd like it, and wasting our time looking for better ones. Worse is not realizing that the egg isn't as fresh, then trying it and having to spit it out, leading to food waste. Before you cook your egg, dump it gently in a glass full of water. If the egg sinks to the bottom, it is fresh and good to use and eat. If it floats to the top, it is old and has gone bad, and you should probably use another one if you want a quality meal.
5. Separate the Yolk from the White with a Water Bottle
I'm guilty of having made numerous messes trying to separate the yolk from the white, and ending up with a pool of whites filled with yellow specks. Did you know that all you really need to do this is a plastic water bottle? Gently squeeze the bottle over a cracked egg, and when the bottle re-inflates with air, it will scoop the yolk up. Don't fret if you don't get it the first time, though. This method may take some practice.
6. Make Eggs in a Muffin Tin for Ready-to-Eat Breakfasts
I love waking up to a ready-made breakfast. Overnight oats are one of my favorite meals to have on mornings when I'm rushed to go out the door, but still want to have a nourishing breakfast. For those mornings when I'm craving eggs, there's an easy way to have them ready in the morning for grab-and-go. Take a muffin tin, spray it with cooking spray, and crack one egg in each hole (if you want them whole), or whisk a couple eggs in a bowl with some spices and veggies, and pour a little bit of the mixture into each hole. Bake for 15 minutes. You can freeze them and simply defrost in the morning.
7. Scoop Out Egg Shell Pieces Using an Egg Shell
Cracked an egg and accidentally dropped a piece of the shell in the white? Trying to take it out with your hand is useless and time consuming — trust me, I've tried. All you need to use is an eggshell-half to scoop out that stubborn piece; it’ll stick right to it like a magnet.
8. Place Hard-Boiled Eggs in an Ice Bath to Stop Cooking
Jammy eggs, or soft-boiled eggs where the whites are set but the yolks are jam-like, not firm, are totally making a comeback nowadays. Not only does breaking the yolk and having it spread all over the avocado toast taste amazing, but it also makes for a drool-worthy pic to post on your Snapchat story. However, it's hard to remove the eggs from the pan before they get firm, because even if you do this, their high temperature will continue to cook the inside even when removed. To prevent this, stick the eggs in an ice bath as soon as you remove them to stop the cooking. PSA: Two-minute hard-boiled eggs that are placed in an ice-bath post cooking make the jammiest eggs.
9. Add Milk to Scrambled Eggs to Up Their Fluff Factor
If there's anything I hate, it's scrambled eggs that come out too hard or over-cooked. Are fluffy scrambled eggs too much to ask for? Nope! Whisk your eggs in a bowl with a splash of milk (whole or plant-based both work!), and beat your eggs well before cooking to make the fluffiest eggs you've ever tried.
10. Too Lazy to Chop Veggies? Combine Them in a Blender with the Egg Mixture
One of the best ways to get your veggie quota in early in the day is to add them to your eggs in the morning. Nonetheless, if you don't have time in the morning, chopping your veggies to add to your scramble or omelette might not be so realistic. One of my favorite things to do is crack open the eggs in the blender, and add whole washed veggies, such as bell peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms, or squash, directly in there as well. The blender will chop everything and incorporate the veggies in the egg mixture. Just pour it into the pan and make an omelette or scramble it all. You'll have a veggie-filled breakfast that took virtually one minute to prepare.
Now that you have these egg hacks at the tip of your fingers, there is no excuse to skip breakfast in the morning, or forget about making a delicious plate of eggs, for that matter. These tips will help you save time, money, effort, and will prevent waste and messes as well. Easy, disaster-free cooking makes for a very happy me, and I hope you, too.