Going egg-free makes so much sense, and it’s so easy to do. Even more so than meat, eggs might be the most objectionable all foods. In this guide, I’ll review the advantages of quitting eggs, and then we’ll look at some fantastic egg alternatives.
Why Go Egg-Free?
People moving toward plant-based diets often drop one animal-based food at a time, saving eggs until last. But if your goal is to eat more compassionately, consider cutting out eggs right away.
Most eggs sold worldwide come from hens cruelly confined to tiny wire cages. They stand on this wire, and sleep pressed into it, all while lacking sufficient space to spread their wings. Since hens lay about 250 eggs a year, that means they require about 30 hours per egg. That’s an great deal of time spent enduring appalling conditions in order to produce such a tiny amount of food. It’s therefore hard to deny that eggs from caged hens contain more misery-per-mouthful than meat or dairy products.
Even free-range eggs farms utilize disturbing farming practices. Many buy their hens from hatcheries that grind unwanted male chicks alive. And all egg farms, including those that are cage-free, kill their hens by the barn-full once egg yields decline to unprofitable levels. They refer to this mass-slaughter as “depopulating” their barns. Hens at egg farms never die of old age.
Regardless of what the industry would have you believe, eggs are certainly no health food. They contain no fiber, but have loads of saturated fat. The nutrients abundant in eggs, namely protein and iron, can readily be found elsewhere. So an egg-free diet makes all sorts of sense.
Going egg-free is easy. Let’s explore how to make the transition.
How to Drop Eggs from Your Diet
Avoiding eggs might seem difficult, since they appear in all sorts of baked goods: pancakes, muffins, cakes, pies, and mayonnaise. Yet despite their ubiquity, eggs are remarkably easy to avoid.
When you think about it, there are only two reasons to use eggs. The first is in foods that feature eggs as the main ingredient, such as scrambled eggs, omelets, and souffles. The second way eggs are used is in relatively small quantities for binding, moistening, or glazing. As we’ll now see, excellent alternatives exist for both of these purposes.
Egg Substitutes
Just Egg launched in 2018, receiving rave reviews from the vegan community. This product is ideal for scrambled eggs, French toast, and omelets. Think of Just Egg as a vegan liquid egg. You simply squirt out whatever quantity you require for the dish you’re making.
If you’re looking to capture the flavor of egg yolks for recipes like quiche, French toast, or custard, you’ve got terrific options. Another vegan product called The Vegg imparts a flavor indistinguishable from egg yolk—without all the fat, cholesterol, and animal cruelty.
Even when you’re buying packaged food, it’s easy to avoid eggs. Most natural food stores sell vegan versions of just about every product that typically contains eggs: cookies, muffins, waffles, even mayonnaise.
Baking recipes that call for eggs are easily converted. Just swap in a convenient and inexpensive Egg Replacer powder that’s mixed with water as the package directs.
In stove-top dishes that rely on eggs for moisture, several alternatives work wonderfully. Simple ingredients like applesauce, mashed bananas, or ground flax or chia seeds can replace eggs while providing additional flavor.
For more information on egg-free cooking, check out our vegan baking guide. We also offer detailed coverage of every sort of egg substitute.
Egg-Free Cookbooks
Regardless of whether eggs are the star of the meal or a bit-player, they’re easy to replace. Scrambled tofu is an outrageously good alternative to scrambled eggs. And you can likewise find super-eggy omelet recipes made entirely from vegan ingredients.
Every vegan cookbook is by definition egg-free. You can check out our cookbooks page for recommended titles in every niche, including fantastic dessert cookbooks. For more egg-free baking coverage, see our vegan baking guide and also our vegan desserts page.
To equip yourself with the ultimate arsenal for bypassing eggs, turn to cookbooks like Vegan Brunch or Whole Grain Vegan Baking. Every good vegan dessert cookbook features egg-free recipes for cookies, brownies, cakes, pancakes, and muffins.
Going Egg-Free has Never Been So Easy
Years ago, quitting eggs required genuine sacrifice. Egg-free baking recipes often produced lackluster results. And some foods, like a superb omelet, seemed forever out of reach.
But the emergence of vegan baking cookbooks and the latest generation of egg substitutes has changed all this. You no longer must rely on egg whites or yolks to deliver the textures and flavors of classic baked goods and desserts.
Eggs certainly remain widespread in Western cooking and processed foods, but they’re now quite easy to avoid. In nearly all cases, you can easily replace eggs without anyone but the hens noticing the difference.
