A Dozen Creative Ways to Use Egg Cartons

 Celebrating National Egg Month

A Dozen Creative Ways to Use Egg Cartons

Egg Carton Roses: Cut 1 slit into each corner of 1 egg cup and shape into petals. Repeat twice, making petals slightly smaller and roll together to make a bud shape. Hot glue the  layers together, offsetting middle layer so petals sit in spaces between petals of bottom layer. Create bouquets, wreaths, or use to cover a picture frame or mirror.

Egg Carton Flower Lights: A bit of creative cutting, a strand of Christmas lights, and a dab of paint can turn that boring carton into an adorable floral lighting string.

Grow Seedlings in Egg Cartons: The small cups are the perfect size for smaller seedlings.

Bird Feeder: Punch four holes in bottom half of an egg carton. Cut four 18-inch pieces of twine and attach to holes in corner. Fill carton with birdseed. Tie loose ends into knot and hang in a tree.

Get Organized: Egg cartons are the perfect way to organize “small stuff.” Decorate them and use for storing jewelry, beads, office supplies, buttons, craft supplies, nuts/bolts, and more.

Store Christmas Ornaments: Store smaller holiday decorations. They work like a charm, keep your ornaments safe, and save a lot of space.

DIY Fire Starters: Add a bit of wax, and some dryer lint, and voila! You have a handy fire starter for camping or cold winter nights.

Charcoal Grill Starter: Take a cardboard egg carton and place one piece of charcoal in each slot. This technique puts the kindling and coals into close proximity Make up several cartons and keep them on hand to take on camping trips, or keep in a safe place for those last-minute backyard marshmallow roasts.

Paper Mache Clay: Fill a bucket with 10 egg boxes and two glossy magazines. Tear strips into one inch pieces and soak overnight. Use a kitchen mixer to beat the paper to a mash. You can also use a drill with a plaster mixer attachment. Drain the mixture with a colander and an old pair of stockings or draining bag and squeeze out water. Dry into balls and add water to bring back to life!

Egg Carton Mancala Game: Egg cartons make the perfect game board, and you can use beads, marbles, or dry beans for the playing pieces. 

Sidewalk Chalk: Mix 1 cup of plaster of paris, 3/4 cup of cold water, and tempera powder (use more for brighter colors) in a container with your stirring tool. Let mixture thicken, and pour into egg cartons. Let sit one day for mold and chalk to dry completely.

Paint Cups: This idea will be popular with the kiddos, or if you are needing to use several colors at once.

SMC Supreme Eggs

South Mountain Creamery’s Certified Humane Eggs can’t be beat*! Our eggs meet the Humane Farm Animal Care program standards, which include a nutritious diet without antibiotics or hormones, animals raised with shelter, resting areas, sufficient space, and the ability to engage in natural behaviors. Our laying hens are fed with food grown and harvest on the farm. See how SMC’s eggs compare to the leading brand: www.southmountaincreamery.com

*Disclaimer: SMC eggs CAN be beat! Try them scrambled or in a soufflé, quiche, crème brulee, and more! Visit our EGG-Citing Ideas Pinterest board for recipes, ideas, and more!

Egg Storage

 

How to Store SMC Certified Humane Brown Eggs

Take care of your farm fresh SMC eggs with these storage tips!

Always store your South Mountain Creamery eggs in a refrigerator. To maintain freshness and quality of your eggs, it is always best to store eggs on an inside shelf, rather than in the refrigerator door. Repeated opening and closing of the refrigerator door can cause temperature fluctuations. Slamming can even result in breakage.

The carton in which you purchase them helps keep the eggs from picking up odors and flavors from other foods while also helping to prevent moisture loss.

Storing Fresh, Uncooked Eggs

You can keep fresh, uncooked eggs in the shell refrigerated in their cartons for at least four to five weeks beyond the pack date. If eggs are properly handled and stored, they rarely spoil. Sometimes, eggs will dry up if you keep them long enough. Never leave eggs out. They will age more in one day at room temperature than they will in one week in the refrigerator!

Storing Hard Boiled Eggs

As soon as hard boiled eggs have cooled, refrigerate the eggs in their shells and use them within one week. When storing hard-boiled eggs, you may notice a gassy odor in your refrigerator. Often, the smell is more noticeable when you open the refrigerator infrequently. The odor is caused by hydrogen sulfide, which forms when the eggs are cooked. This odor is harmless and usually dissipates within a few hours.

Picnics and Outdoor Occasions

For outdoor eating occasions, you can keep eggs refrigerator-cold with ice or commercial coolant in an insulated bag or picnic cooler.

Leftover Whites and Yolks

Refrigerate and store leftover egg whites in a covered container for up to four days. Store leftover yolks in water in a covered container in the refrigerator and use them within one to two days.

SMC Supreme Eggs

South Mountain Creamery’s Certified Humane Eggs can’t be beat*! Our eggs meet the Humane Farm Animal Care program standards, which include a nutritious diet without antibiotics or hormones, animals raised with shelter, resting areas, sufficient space, and the ability to engage in natural behaviors. Our laying hens are fed with food grown and harvest on the farm. See how SMC’s eggs compare to the leading brand: www.southmountaincreamery.com

*Disclaimer: SMC eggs CAN be beat! Try them scrambled or in a soufflé, quiche, crème brulee, and more! Visit our EGG-Citing Ideas Pinterest board for recipes, ideas, and more!

Have a Brighter Easter with SMC Eggs

Did you know you can dye brown eggs instead of white for a different range of colors? When brown eggs are immersed in dye, they take on darker, bolder colors.

The Dye

Mix 1 teaspoon of vinegar and 20 drops of food coloring (use more to intensify color) in 1 cup of hot water in a heatproof bowl, cup, or jar deep enough to let you submerge an egg completely. To create different tints, vary the dipping time. To make handling the eggs easier, use tongs or a whisk.

Dye your eggs naturally using everyday ingredients! For directions visit our blog post on All Natural Egg Dyes.

Egg Dyeing Tips

• Before you begin dyeing eggs, protect your work area with paper towels or newspaper.
• Save your eggs from year to year or turn them into ornaments to hang from branches! Instead of hard-boiling the eggs, blow out the yolks and egg whites before dyeing them. To empty a raw egg, begin by using the tip of a sharp utility knife to pierce both ends of the egg; turn the knife in one of the holes to widen it slightly. Then, poke a straightened paper clip through the larger hole to pierce and "stir" the yolk. Hold the egg over a bowl with the larger hole down, and blow the contents out with a rubber ear syringe.
• Broken shells? Don’t throw them away! Crunch the dyed shells into little pieces to make a beautiful mosaic.
• Most naturally-dyed eggs have a matte finish. For shinier eggs rub eggs with coconut or olive oil and polish with a paper towel.

Egg Patterns and Designs

Try these different techniques for creative designs and patterns on your Easter Eggs!

Two-tone: Dip top half of egg in 1 color and the bottom half in another.

Dots and Shapes: Before dyeing, place stickers on the eggs. Once dry, remove stickers. Try using shapes or animals for different designs!

Stripes: Place rubber bands on the eggs before dyeing to create the design of choice. Once dry, remove rubber bands.

Personalized: Draw zig zags or pictures on the egg with a white or light colored crayon before dyeing.

Glitter: Use Glitter Glue to add sparkling designs on eggs. Allow glue to dry on eggs before moving.

Marbled: Mix 1/4 cup boiling water, 1 teaspoon vinegar, 1/8 teaspoon oil and 4 to 8 drops food color in shallow bowl. Gently roll egg in mixture until desired shade. Transfer egg to second color mixture, and repeat the process. After egg dries, wipe away excess oil with paper towel.

Color Wash: Place several eggs in a colander in the kitchen sink. Splash eggs with vinegar. Drop desired food color onto eggs. Gently shake the colander for a few seconds to help the color spread. After 30 seconds, lightly rinse eggs with water. Drain completely. Allow eggs to dry.

A Dozen Reasons to Eat More Eggs

A Dozen Reasons to Eat More Eggs

1. PROTEIN On average, eggs have 6 grams of high-quality protein! The protein found in eggs is one of the highest-quality proteins of any food. Not all of the protein is found in the egg white—some of it is in the yolk! A protein-packed breakfast helps sustain mental and physical energy throughout the day. 

2. GLUTEN-FREE Eggs are naturally gluten-free. Always have been, always will be. 

3. CHOLINE Eggs are rich in choline, which promotes normal cell activity, liver function and the transportation of nutrients throughout the body. Choline is also essential to healthy fetal development. Choline may be a key factor in the development of an infant’s memory functions. It has also been linked with increasing memory retention and recall as well as improving alertness.

4. AMINO ACIDS Eggs have all 9 essential amino acids. Our cells, muscles and tissue are partly made up of amino acids. They also play a key role in transporting and the storing nutrients. Amino acids are essential for healing wounds and repairing tissue, especially in the muscles, bones, skin and hair.

5. CERTIFIED HUMANE South Mountain Creamery meets The Humane Farm Animal Care program standards. These standards include a nutritious diet without antibiotics or hormones, animals raised with shelter, resting areas, sufficient space, and the ability to engage in natural behaviors!

6. PACKAGED AT SMC All of our eggs are laid and packaged on the farm. Watch a video on the egg packaging process here.

7. VITAMINS Eggs are among the most nutritious foods on the planet. A single large boiled egg contains:

• Vitamin A: 6% of the Recommended Dietary Allowances.
• Folate: 5% of the Recommended Dietary Allowances.
• Vitamin B5: 7% of the Recommended Dietary Allowances.
• Vitamin B12: 9% of the Recommended Dietary Allowances.
• Vitamin B2: 15% of the Recommended Dietary Allowances.
• Phosphorus: 9% of the Recommended Dietary Allowances. 
• Selenium: 22% of the Recommended Dietary Allowances.

8. MINERALS Eggs are packed with phosphorus, iron and zinc, which are vital for your body. Iron helps to prevent you from feeling grumpy, tired and run down. Zinc keeps your immune system in top form and helps your body convert food into energy. Phosphorus is important for healthy teeth and bones. 

9. OMEGA-3S Our eggs are high in Omega-3s! Our hens are fed Omega-3 enriched feeds, made of grains and seeds that are grown and harvested at SMC!

10. HEALTHY EYES Two antioxidants, leutin and zeaxanthin, are present in eggs and have been linked to protecting eyes from damage related to UV exposure. They have also been associated with reducing the likelihood of developing cataracts in old age.

11. ZERO CARBS Eggs contain zero carbs and no sugar. 

12. FEEL FULL Eggs keep you feeling full much longer than cereal or toast. The protein and fat in eggs helps sustain your energy levels, keeping you satisfied for longer and reducing the need for a mid-morning snack.

Have South Mountain Creamery Certified Humane Eggs delivered straight to your door! www.southmountaincreamery.com