Eggs with Egg-free Mayonnaise

I was sitting at the breakfast table and as I looked down at my plate, it occurred to me how ludicrous the combination on my plate may seem. I was eating eggs, but had specifically chosen to shop for egg-free mayonnaise. The thought tickled me and I felt the need to share and educate on the paradoxical scenario.

My choice to become vegetarian manifested as a result of the growth in my awareness of animal suffering. Whilst I still have doubts about how healthy it might be to consume animal products like dairy and eggs, I do still consume them, however I now pay alot more attention to the products that I purchase and try to do so as ethically as possible. 

I chose to find a local organic farm that let their chicken's run around free range and I visit the farm regularly to stock up on eggs. As I have a child, it's also a great activity to take her along so she can see the animals and learn about life on a farm. The eggs cost just 25 cents each (€) so are very affordable and my family can rest with a clear conscious knowing that the money we pay for those eggs is being used to pay for the organic vegetables that are fed to the chickens who are running around in a natural environment and living a happy life. 

At some point the hens will stop laying eggs and at some point, they may be slaughtered. It doesn't happen to all egg laying chickens, it is a choice made by the farmer. But the important point is that the chickens are not suffering whilst they are here and they are living the life that a chicken was designed to live. 

Most supermarkets stock eggs that come from caged hens or barn hens. A caged hen will spend its whole life in a cage until it stops laying and then it is slaughtered. A barn hen is free from a cage but will likely never see sunshine and will suffer the same fate. And they are fed the cheapest grain available. These hens that live without light and eat bad food then get eaten and digested in the bodies of humans. Did someone mention cancer?

Organic and free-range eggs in supermarkets are usually too expensive to rationalise as being affordable. My advice is to cut out the supermarket giants and go straight to the farmer. It's a beautiful experience and a little less weight on your conscience goes a long way too.

So why then do I choose to buy egg-free mayonnaise? It's because I don't know anything about the eggs that are used in standard mayonnaise but I could almost guarantee that the eggs come from caged hens because caged hens are the cheapest way of keeping hens. With cages, the farmer can stack the caged hens in shelf by shelf all around his barn. And I choose not to support this lifestyle for the hens.

So, there you have it; Eggs with Egg-free Mayonnaise. It's a bizarre combination but an ethical one. Always be aware of the choices that you are making when buying products. We vote with our money and your vote counts!