Jan Bilton: Make an egg-cellent choice

The choice of eggs available has increased. Photo/Thinkstock.

Christmas is a time of celebration and the perfect excuse to enjoy decadent desserts.

However, not everything about Christmas recipes are decadent. There's an abundance of healthy seasonal fruits as well as loads of affordable, high-protein eggs.

The choice of eggs available has increased. The Animal Welfare (Layer Hens) Code of Welfare 2012 specifies that conventional commercial hen cages are to be phased out by 2022. They are to be replaced by colony, barn or free-range housing that allow hens to behave normally - nest, scratch, perch, stretch their wings and interact with other hens.

Farmer Brown has led the way and is the first company to introduce colony eggs and at an economical price - only 10c more each than standard cage eggs. Farmer Brown now produces a variety of egg choices - standard cage, colony and free range - all with different price points, free-range being the most expensive.

New Zealanders love eggs. We are one of the highest per capita egg-consuming countries in the world.

Many cooks, myself included, purchase free-range eggs for weekend brunches but caged or colony eggs for baking.

It's a matter of budgeting for the occasion.

Dollar for dollar, eggs offer great value for money protein-wise. Standard cage eggs cost 4.5c per gram. Premium beef mince is 6.1c/g, chicken breast 9.2c/g; lamb shoulder chops 6.7c/g and skinned and boned gurnard 11.9c/g.

Whatever your choice, eggs are great value for money and a key ingredient of delicious festive desserts.