Breakfast is costing
everyone more these days, with eggs 60% more expensive than a year ago,
according to the Consumer Price Index.
News 12's consumer reporter Janice Lieberman has
The Real Deal on
whether spending even more on certain types of eggs is worth it.
Organic, free range or farm
fresh? Here's what the labels mean:
Cage free: The chicks are not
in cages, but they aren't necessarily roaming the fields in fresh air. They can
be inside and crowded.
Farm fresh: What eggs don't
come from a farm? Doesn't mean the hens aren't cooped up in cages. It just
means they are fresh, not frozen. But what eggs in a shell come frozen?
Free range: Chickens have an
opportunity to see the great outdoors, but it may be a tiny space, and their
conditions inside or out can still be crowded.
Natural: Natural does not
mean organic. An egg is natural, so what does it really mean? Not much.
Organic: Usually the priciest
of them all. The label means the hens are fed food without GMOs and sythetic
pesticides. They are not caged, or fed antibiotics, and can congregate outside.
But now with the avian flu, it seems like organic prices are competitive or
even cheaper than conventional.