Guide to Egg Labeling - An Egg Education

Chickens with white earlobes produce white eggs; those with red earlobes produce brown eggs. Are we joking? Somehow, no. Here’s what your carton is telling you. by Modern Farmer

• GRADE AA: The golden standard. Whites are thick and firm; yokes are high and round; shells are sturdy and clean.
• GRADE A: The same as Grade AA, except egg whites are slightly less firm.
• GRADE B: Generally used for commercial baking.
• JUMBO: 2.5 ounces per egg
• EXTRA LARGE: 2.25 ounces per egg
• LARGE: 2 ounces per egg
• MEDIUM: 1.75 ounces per egg
• SMALL: 1.5 ounces per egg
• PEEWEE: 1.25 ounces per egg
• ORGANIC: Chickens consume organic (GMO- and synthetic fertilizer-free) feed; are not confined to cages; have access (unspecified amount) to the outdoors; beaks can be cut and molting can be forced
• FREE-RANGE OR FREE-ROAMING: Typically uncaged, and have access to the outdoors (although the amount of access is, again, unspecified); beak cutting and forced molting are permissible
• CAGE-FREE: Uncaged but, in most cases, have no access to the outdoors
• NATURAL: Virtually meaningless regarding animal welfare standards
• OMEGA-3 ENRICHED: Again, virtually meaningless
  Living without eggs at your house? Check out our Guide to Egg Substitution