Why TikTok's Viral 'Mini Egg' Hack Might Not Be A Good Idea
From baked feta pasta to nature's cereal, and questionable combos like watermelon with mustard and pickles with cotton candy, TikTok is home to food trends that take the expression, "you can't knock it until you try it," to a whole other level. When TikTok user Alexandra Bewicke, who goes by @ThatFalzonFamily on the app, posted a video demonstrating how she makes mini eggs for her toddler, other TikTok moms were eager to try out the trend for themselves.
Mini eggs caught on not only because they're cute and toddler-sized, but also because they're easy to make and convenient as can be, especially for busy moms. Though their appearance looks a lot like the gastronomic art of tiny food, there's no need to go to a gourmet food store to buy a quail egg or any special ingredients. All it takes is a single chicken egg.
As instructed by Bewicke, simply leave an egg in the freezer overnight, peel it the next morning, and cut it into slices as you would a hard-boiled egg. Fry up the frozen slices in a pan, and the result looks exactly like mini sunny-side up eggs, aka perfect finger food for a toddler.
Mini eggs aren't as cute and harmless as they look
Making mini eggs might be a fun way to make breakfast visually exciting for your little ones, but according to registered dietician Sarah Krieger, it's one of the worst ways to serve eggs to a toddler (via Fox News). Freezing eggs then putting them on direct heat presents a health risk because they don't cook evenly and therefore don't reach a temperature safe for consumption. "There are certain categories of people who should not have undercooked eggs because of the risk of salmonella poisoning," Krieger reminded parents. That applies to toddlers.
If parents want to serve eggs to young children, it's important that they cook them all the way through. "The best way is to take a temperature check," Krieger said. "Around 150 degrees for the yolk to be 100% cooked, and it's a little bit less for the white."
The trend, however, is safe for non-toddlers — well, as safe as eating a sunny-side up egg can be for anyone. Eggs are both versatile and tasty for children and adults alike, but even if they're in miniature form, the salmonella risk is just as prevalent. For that reason alone, experts warn against hopping on this TikTok trend.