Safeway: 1 Dozen Lucerne Eggs FREE

I'm not sure if this is regional or not, it doesn't appear to be so but sign up for "just for u" savings (via your club card) and you can load a digital coupon for a free dozen eggs on your Safeway card!

Cracker Barrel: Free $5 Gift Card

Sign up for the Cracker Barrel Instant win game and get a free $5 Cracker Barrel Gift card. In order to get the card you must register for the sweepstakes and opt in to receive Cracker Barrel Old Country Store emails to receive $5 digital gift card. One $5 digital gift card per household for the duration of the sweepstakes (ends 8/15/2012). The digital gift card will be emailed to the address provided at registration within two business days.

Knowing Your Egg Producer

Sometime ago, I wrote a post describing the difference between free-range, organic and conventional eggs. In that post, I talked about how pastured organic eggs were the best choice. In this post, I would like to expand on the topic as to why it's also important to know your farmer. Why?

Eggs should normally be processed within a day after lay. In the US, eggs are often processed as long as 7-30 days after being laid. Processing includes collecting, cleaning, grading and packaging.

Egg shells are porous. That is why the older the egg, the larger the air sack in the egg will be. This is how to tell if an egg is still fresh: if it sinks in water it is fresh. Conversely, an egg that floats is stale. Because of this porousness, an important aspect to take note of is the cleaning process.

The chicken egg is covered by a bloom, a waxy substance that coats the egg. This bloom seals the egg and protects it from the external environment. Once cleaned, the bloom is cleaned off with the egg, leaving the porous shell exposed to the air and therefore faster spoilage.

As a substitute many large egg producers then coat the egg with mineral oil, a petroleum by-product. It is never meant for consumption. However this oil can and will eventually enter the egg. This process explains why egg whites from eggs that have been oiled will not form stiff peaks when beaten (a process that's important for making baked products, including meringues).

While using mineral oil on organic eggs would be unlikely, regulations vary from state to state. Hence the importance of knowing your farmer.

Amazon: 4 Ragu Pasta Sauce (4 packs) $9.69

Choose subscribe and save to get this 4-pack for $9.69. You can cancel your subscription immediately without affecting your order.

American Express $10 Statement Credit for $10+ Panera Bread Purchase

Sync your Amex on Facebook and get $10 statement credit when you spend $10 or more at Panera Bread (through April 30, 2012).