Brown eggs cost more than white ones at your store, and the reason has nothing to do with what’s inside

At the grocery store, two cartons of eggs can look nearly identical except for shell color and the price tag. Why does one cost more when breakfast looks the same either way?

At breakfast, a brown egg cracks into the skillet while the grocery receipt sits on the counter with its higher price. Judging the better buy by shell color alone falls short because the carton does not explain the difference. One easy-to-miss detail can make that price gap much less puzzling.

Brown eggs cost more because the hens cost more to feed

Brown eggs often cost more than white eggs because the breeds that lay them are typically larger and need more feed. The higher price does not mean the eggs taste better or contain more nutrients. Shell color reflects the hen that laid the egg, not a difference in quality inside it.

That distinction can be easy to miss at the grocery store, where a higher price may look like a sign of a better product. With eggs, it is worth comparing the carton and the price rather than treating brown shells as a quality label.

The hen’s breed determines shell color

A hen’s breed determines the pigments in its eggshell. Rhode Island Reds and Plymouth Rocks lay brown eggs, while White Leghorns lay white eggs. USDA research food technologist Deana Jones notes that earlobe color can offer a rough clue: red often goes with brown eggs and white with white eggs, but the pattern does not hold for every breed.

That pigment colors the shell; it does not make the egg inside more nutritious or change its taste. The USDA finds no significant difference in nutrient levels between brown-shell and white-shell eggs. As breed determines shell color, color alone is not a useful way to judge an egg’s contents.

Feed costs and local preferences affect the price

Brown-egg layers such as Rhode Island Reds are generally larger-bodied than white-egg layers such as White Leghorns. A larger hen needs more feed to maintain its size, and that cost can reach the retail price. More feed does not make its eggs inherently healthier.

The price difference is not fixed across stores or regions. New England has a long-standing preference for brown eggs, which have been viewed there as a local or fresher choice. Brown eggs are more common in the Northeast, while white eggs are more common in the West, reflecting preferences and the breeds raised for those markets rather than a nutritional advantage.

Prices can also rise for reasons unrelated to shell color. A bird flu outbreak that leads farmers to cull flocks, for example, can affect egg supply more broadly. A higher price for either color therefore does not, by itself, reveal anything about the egg’s quality.

Choose eggs for the carton, not the shell

When brown and white eggs are both available, compare price, freshness and the eggs needed for the recipe. Paying extra for brown shells is a matter of preference, not a way to get a more nutritious egg or a reliably different flavor. Check that eggs are not cracked before buying them, and keep them refrigerated at home.

Shell color does not make raw or undercooked eggs safer. Cook eggs thoroughly, and choose pasteurized eggs for dishes that will be served raw or undercooked, especially when serving children or others at higher risk from foodborne illness. At the store, a sound carton that fits the recipe and the budget is the practical choice.