Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

Question

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I travel a lot for work (4 days per week, every week) and so I spend a lot of time in hotels without kitchens and grabbing pre-cooked meals and snacks from wherever I can. Recently I started buying bags of organic peeled hard boiled eggs from Whole Foods. They're relatively inexpensive, super convenient, and eggs are one of my favorite foods. However, they do consistently have something of an off flavor. It's not like they've gone bad - they just taste...off. I think that in the bag they are sitting in some sort of brine or solution that imparts that flavor.

Does anyone know about this? Does anyone else eat (or avoid) pre-cooked/pre-peeled hard boiled eggs? Is there a particular reason? I hate to give up such a convenient source of fat and protein, but I also don't want to consume anything unsafe while trying to eat paleo on the road.

Update I found the brand name and a [fair, in my opinion] review online.

http://www.thekitchn.com/strange-product-born-free-hard-47796

edited Apr 9 2012 at 20:54

asked Apr 9 2012 at 20:20

Sam
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Once you peel an egg, they will start to lose their nutrients and flavor much quicker. Better to keep eggs in the shell and refrigerate them. Egg Boil Pro app: itunes.apple.com/us/app/boil-egg-pro/id544519315 – Andrew Jul 26 at 2:19

Jen · Answer 1 · 2012-04-09 20:25:13Z UTC

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Eggs that have been boiled can last in the fridge up to a week in their shells... if these are pre-peeled, have they had something added to them to preserve them? I think I'd make my own, if I were you, and shell hem in the morning before leaving...

answered Apr 9 2012 at 20:25

Jen
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I used to work at a restaurant that used a lot of hard-boiled eggs. We would pre-peel them and then just keep them in water but after a bit they start to taste I guess too strong for lack of better words. I would just keep them in the shell if I were you and make my own. Like Jen said – Ender Apr 9 2012 at 20:29

Yeah, the problem is that on Mondays I leave the house around 5am and get to the hotel around 7pm. I get to the client's office around 9am, at which point I guess I could put eggs in the pantry refrigerator. I feel a little weird though traveling with eggs and being the guy that stores his eggs in the client's refrigerator. I'm probably a special case and the ideal/target consumer for these eggs, which I admit are a crazy product to be selling at all. Eggs are always best if you can cook them yourselves. – Sam Apr 9 2012 at 20:59

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Im 'that girl' when I travel for business as well. I also carry around a salt grinder and jar of coconut oil. When I travel, I always look for a suite hotel with a kitchen. If that's not possible, most hotels will lend you a mini fridge ( they often have them available for guests medication, etc). At very least they will be able to supply you with ice and you can get a lunch box or collapsable cooler. You can boil eggs in a coffee pot (it just takes patience) and another good option is to take a portable hot plate with you. I've seen these as cheap as $14 at Walmart. – Jen Apr 9 2012 at 23:09

Ha! +1 for boiling an egg in a coffee pot! I do think I will need to find a hotel with a kitchen. There are always tradeoffs - the hotel with the kitchen will be a long drive from the gym, which is right across the street from the hotel with just a mini fridge and coffee pot. Ah, life on the road – Sam Apr 10 2012 at 12:33

Banded Girl · Answer 2 · 2012-04-09 20:49:51Z UTC

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I don't know what kind of preservative they have but I'm assuming there has to be one. Also, I think they taste pretty awful :)

answered Apr 9 2012 at 20:49

Banded Girl
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	Haha. I don't think there's one listed on the label (though I will check tonight and let you know). I think it's just a light salt solution to kill bacteria, but if that's the case then they're getting slightly pickled. I wouldn't say "awful." I'm sticking with "off." – Sam Apr 9 2012 at 20:56
	The package says they're washed with citric acid – Sam Apr 10 2012 at 12:31

Keeperpoo · Answer 3 · 2012-04-09 21:07:11Z UTC

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Do you travel by car? If so, You could buy a little travel refrigerator to keep your eats cool in your car. It just plugs into your cigarette lighter. I think you can find them for less than $50. The one I have has worked great for about 5 yrs now.

answered Apr 9 2012 at 21:07

Keeperpoo
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Unfortunately not. Thanks for the suggestion though – Sam Apr 9 2012 at 21:32

JeJ · Answer 4 · 2012-04-09 23:01:46Z UTC

For catering, we would store hard boiled eggs in water with a pinch of salt, and it does impart an "off" flavour that you describe. There's nothing bad or wrong about it, but I agree that flavour is not optimal. Doesn't mean there's any kind of preservative or weird treatment. If you don't mind the flavour, it is really convenient, but if not you might have to juggle a way to make your own and bring them. At IGA here you can buy those omega-3 eggs hardboiled in the shell in packs of two. I've grabbed those on my way to school on busy days around exams, and they taste just like the ones you hard boil at home because they are not pre-peeled.

Pre-cooked and store-bought hard boiled eggs

4 Answers