By Grace DeRose-Wilson, Screening Integration Coordinator at Elder Law of Michigan
Each spring, people around the world participate in egg related activities and celebrations, from decorating Easter eggs and egg trees to Bosnia’s celebration of Cimburijada, The Festival of Scrambled Eggs. One reason eggs could play such a significant role in Spring celebrations is their abundance during this time.
Seasonal changes in daylight affect when chickens and other birds lay eggs. In the fall as the daylight period gets shorter birds naturally begin laying fewer eggs and may eventually stop laying altogether. In the spring when the daylight period begins to lengthen birds begin to lay again.
Before electricity was widely available people had to live with the natural cycle of egg production, which meant fewer or no eggs for much of the winter. Now people use artificial light to keep chickens laying throughout the fall and winter. Michigan State University explains how chicken owners can use a light in their chicken coop to give their chickens the 14 hours of daylight they need to continue laying eggs. Many people set their chicken lights up with a timer to make sure they are turning on and off at the right times. Even with artificial light, chickens may lay fewer eggs over winter.
Many countries outside the US do not allow eggs to be washed or refrigerated. As explained in Why The U.S. Chills Its Eggs And Most Of The World Doesn’t, eggs naturally have a thin coating on the shell that seals out bacteria, water, and oxygen. If eggs get washed, they lose this coating and need to be refrigerated. If you buy eggs locally that have not been washed or refrigerated, they can be kept on the counter for weeks without going bad.
According to BBC Good Food, eggs are an affordable nutrient rich food. They are a good source of high-quality protein, and are rich in B vitamins, vitamins A, D, E, and K, Selenium, and minerals like Zinc and Iron. A versatile egg recipe that I enjoy is rice cakes. This quick, simple recipe is tasty hot off the stove or as a cold snack later in the day.
Basic Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked rice
- 4 or 5 eggs
- 1/2 cup to 1 cup grated cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
You can change the recipe however you like by adding more or less eggs or cheese, spices, or veggies like kale, spinach or broccoli.
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and put a frying pan on the stove to heat. With a large spoon, scoop a scoop of batter into pan, flatten it out a bit with the spoon, and let it cook on medium heat until the bottom is golden brown and crisp. Flip the rice cake over and cook for a few more minutes.
For more egg recipes, check out these resources 50+ Ways to Use Extra Eggs or 200+ Recipes That Use A Lot Of Eggs.
Grace DeRose-Wilson is a Screening Integration Coordinator for MiCAFE at Elder Law of Michigan and has been a member of the Elder Law of Michigan team since November 2018. As a Screening Integration Coordinator, Grace helps Michigan seniors navigate the benefits application process, and helps raise awareness of benefits through community outreach events.