10 Ways to Use Eggshells
By Sophie Landes
Whether you like your eggs sunny side up, scrambled, or cooked as an omelette, we all know the guilty feeling of whipping up the perfect eggs only to realize that you have no use for the eggshells that remain. However, there is much more to be done with cracked eggshells than simply discarding them into your trash. Below are some (insert number) suggestions on creative uses for eggshells, because repurposing should always come before discarding.
1. Add to your compost
Eggshells are high in calcium, so when added into compost they enhance the overall nutrient count by providing a key component often missing from compost. Full eggshells have difficulty breaking down into compost, but crushing up the eggshells can be easily done in a blender or by using your hands. Liquid compost is made by blending any food scraps including eggshells with water and is great for adding to house plants. Additionally, an eggshell plant fertilizer can be made by combining water and eggshells alone.
2. Make a powdered calcium supplement
Swap out your calcium vitamin in favor of an all natural eggshell powder calcium supplement. The supplement is made by boiling the shells in water for 10 minutes, scooping off any white foam that forms, draining the eggshells until they dry, baking the shells in the oven at 200 degrees, and lastly crushing the eggshells with a coffee grinder. Add it into your daily smoothie!
3. Make a bone broth
Adding eggshells into bone broth both increases the broth’s overall nutritional value and makes productive use out of eggshells. It’s as simple as pouring 2 cups of hot water over 4 eggshells and adding a teaspoon of lemon juice. An easy way to increase bone health naturally!
4. Start seedlings
Empty eggshells can not only be used to plant seedlings, but also after go directly into the ground benefitting your garden by acting as a fertilizer, and pest control. This innovative use of eggshells gets rid of a need for extra seedling starter pots and nourishes the soil.
5. Boil into your coffee
Try adding eggshells to your coffee for a less bitter taste. Alkaline eggshells remove much of the bitterness out of acidic coffee. After trying this technique, I can say that it is an easy way to beneficially get rid of eggshell scraps. And don’t worry, your coffee will still taste normal and not taste like eggshells!
6. Face mask
Finally, the perfect solution to a recipe that calls for egg yolks alone. Making an eggshell face mask requires adding 1 tablespoon of sugar to 1 egg white mixed together with crushed eggshells from 2 eggs. Like a typical face mask, apply to your skin, wait for it to dry, peel, and wash your face with cold water. My skin definitely felt clear and rejuvenated after application of this face mask.
7. Tea lights
Embrace your crafty side by creating tea lights out of eggshells. Begin by boiling eggshells in hot water. After, wait for the eggshells to dry. Then, glue candle wicks to the bottom, melt your wax and pour into the wicked eggshells, let the candle eggshells sit for a few hours, and finally light your candle. Candles are even more serene when they are made from repurposed materials!
8. All Natural Toothpaste
Commercial brand toothpaste is known to have many chemicals including some that may cause oral cancer. Eggshells can be used to create an all natural toothpaste better for the health of your teeth do to its high amounts of calcium along with 27 other important minerals. Eggshells, just like baking soda, are abrasive, which makes them the perfect ingredient for toothpaste. The recipe calls for a quarter cup of ground up eggshells, 2 tablespoons of coconut oil, and 1 tablespoon of baking soda. Combine the ingredients until a smooth consistency is reached and store in a jar.
9. First Aid
Forget about band-aids. Crushed eggshells combined with a few tablespoons of apple cider vinegar can cure irritated skin or bug bites. Once liquified, apply it with a cotton ball. All better!
10. Feed Your Chickens
If you are one of the lucky New Yorkers able to have chickens in your backyard, consider feeding crushed eggshells to your chickens. Once baked, dried, and crushed, these eggshells offer the calcium necessary for your chickens to thrive.
Now that you have creative ideas for how to use eggshell scraps on the mind, consider purchasing a local roots egg share!
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