What's the Difference? Egg Sizes

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I was at the commissary yesterday, and they were out of the eggs that I usually buy.  I started checking out the other options, and decided that I'm easily confused by egg sizes.  How do I know what the difference in sizes means?  Which is the better value?  I came home, did some research, and here's what I've found:

Photo by:  woodleywonderworks'


  • There are six sizes available:  Jumbo, Extra Large, Large, Medium, Small and Peewee.  Eggs are sized by their weight per dozen.

































EGG SIZE Oz. Per Dozen
Jumbo 30
Extra Large 27
Large 24
Medium 21
Small 18
Peewee 15


  • Most eggs sold in the grocery stores are Extra Large, Large or Medium, with Mediums being less common.

  • Any size egg can be used for scrambling, frying, poaching or hard-boiling.

  • Most recipes are calibrated for large eggs.  You may substitute between sizes as long as the egg isn't a crucial ingredient in a delicate baked good, such as a souffle.  Extra large eggs may be substituted 1-for-1 with large eggs until you reach six large eggs, at which point you would use only five extra large eggs.

  • For a $1.00 dozen of large eggs, the equivalent price of extra large eggs would be $1.12.  If you are looking to purchase the most economical, use that as a guide to check out which prices are better.  In the eggs I buy, the extra large eggs are only 10 cents more per pound, which makes them a better value.  (And I'm buying expensive eggs.)


Well, now I know that it isn't complicated at all.  I'll continue to buy the extra larges as long as they are the most economical, and I won't worry if I have to buy large or medium.  As long as I'm not making something that is very fragile or contains a lot of eggs, the difference in size shouldn't change the results of my recipes.

And now I know!

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