Be “egg-stra” careful this weekend!

Some egg tips from Giant Food’s consumer advisor, Andrea Astrachan:

• Buy Clean Eggs – At the store, choose Grade A or AA eggs with clean, un-cracked shells. Make sure they’ve been refrigerated in the store. Consumers shouldn’t have to wash eggs: Government regulations require that USDA-graded eggs be carefully washed and sanitized using special detergent before they are packaged.
• Keep Eggs Refrigerated – Take eggs straight home and store them immediately in a refrigerator set at 40°F or slightly below. Store them in the carton in the main section of the refrigerator- not on the door.
• Use Eggs Within Recommended Times – Use raw eggs within 3 to 5 weeks. Hard-boiled eggs will keep refrigerated for 7 days.
• Handle Eggs Safely – Wash hands, utensils, equipment, and work areas with warm, soapy water before and after contact with eggs.
• Cook Eggs Properly – Eggs should be cooked thoroughly until yolks are firm. For hard-boiling eggs, cover eggs in a saucepan with cold water and bring to a boil. Turn off heat, cover and then let stand for 15 minutes. Then put in cold water to stop cooking. Then refrigerate immediately.

For Easter Egg hunts:

• After cooking eggs, check and make sure there are no cracks. Color only un-cracked eggs. Use food-grade dye if you plan to eat decorated eggs.
• If eggs crack during dyeing, discard them.
• Chill eggs in the refrigerator until just before the hunt and if left out for more than 2 hours, throw them out. To be safe, you could make 2 sets of eggs- one for the hunt; one for eating! And avoid hiding the eggs in locations where they could come in contact with dirt or animals.
• Remember the 2 hour rule– don’t keep eggs out of the refrigerator more than 2 hours if you plan to eat them. Eggs kept at room temperature for more than 2 hours lose moisture and become susceptible to bacterial growth.

Giant Food is hosting Easter events at all Giant stores tomorrow, Saturday, April 11 from 11-4. They’ll have Easter egg hunts down the aisles, raffles, cookie decorating and more. Check with your local store for more details!