This diet involves excluding egg and all manufactured foods containing egg and egg derivatives. Please check the label of all manufactured foods before you buy them and avoid the following:
- Egg/fresh egg (including all birds eggs)
- Egg proteins (albumin, ovalbumin, globulin, ovoglobulin, livetin, ovomucin, vitellin, ovovitellin)
- Dried egg
- Frozen egg
- Egg powder
- Pasteurised egg
- Egg albumin
- Egg lecithin E322
- Egg yolk
- Egg white
Since December 2014 food labelling laws required all ingredients containing egg to be highlighted on the ingredients list. This may be in bold, underlined, or in italics.
Products which state ‘may contain egg’ or ‘may contain traces of egg’ are not covered by food labelling laws and it is not possible to know for certain whether they contain egg or not. Discuss with your doctor or dietitian whether your child can include these in their diet.
| Food type |
Suitable foods |
Unsuitable foods Read food labels carefully, check all ingredients |
|---|---|---|
| Food type Dairy and eggs |
Suitable foods Milk, cream, cheese, yoghurt, margarine, butter, lard, oil Egg replacers – see below |
Unsuitable foods Read food labels carefully, check all ingredients All scrambled, boiled, poached, fried eggs Omelette scotch egg, egg in batter Quiches |
| Food type Desserts |
Suitable foods Jelly Egg free ice cream, sorbet and ice lollies (check ingredients labels) Egg free custard powder (e.g. ‘Birds’) |
Unsuitable foods Read food labels carefully, check all ingredients Egg custard Desserts containing egg e.g. pancakes, bread and butter pudding, custard tarts, meringues, sweet waffles, sponge fingers, trifle, choux pastry, éclairs, soufflé, custard tarts, crème caramel, mousse doughnuts, pies Royal icing, fondant icing, marzipan Some rice pudding |
|
Food type
Meat, Fish, chicken and alternatives |
Suitable foods All meat, fish and chicken prepared and cooked without egg Tofu, lentils and other pulses (e.g. red kidney beans, chickpeas, butter beans, cannelloni beans) |
Unsuitable foods Read food labels carefully, check all ingredients Processed meat, fish or poultry products which contain egg derivatives e.g. pre-packed ham, chicken Some meat, fish or poultry in batter, crumbs or sauce Some battered meat/fish Some brands of sausages and tinned meat Quorn products Some vegetable burgers and vegetarian products Some soya products e.g. mince, burgers, sausages, nuggets Pate |
|
Food type
Cereals, flour and products |
Suitable foods All varieties of flour, cornflour, arrowroot, baking powder, egg free pasta (check ingredients lists), rice, sago, semolina, tapioca, spaghetti, rice noodles Most breads, rice cakes and rye crispbreads ( check ingredients labels) Homemade biscuits and puddings using egg free ingredients (suitable egg replacers can be used – see below) Most shop bought biscuits such as digestives, rich tea, cream crackers, water biscuits Breakfast cereals |
Unsuitable foods Read food labels carefully, check all ingredients Pasta dishes with sauces containing egg such as carbonara Yorkshire pudding, pancakes Egg noodles, egg pasta, eggy bread, egg fried rice, croissants, brioche, buns Some pastry (avoid those brushed with egg glazing), sweet and savoury flans Biscuits, cakes, sponge, cake mixes and puddings made with egg containing ingredients American style cookies |
| Food type Nuts |
Suitable foods All nuts (whole nuts not suitable for children under five years). Nut butters |
Unsuitable foods Read food labels carefully, check all ingredients |
|
Food type
Fruit and Vegetables |
Suitable foods All fresh, frozen, tinned or dried fruits All fresh, frozen, tinned or dried vegetables Fruit in jelly Fruit juices |
Unsuitable foods Read food labels carefully, check all ingredients Potato salad, vegetable salad, coleslaw (containing mayonnaise) Fruit tarts or flans |
| Food type Snacks |
Suitable foods Most crisps, puffed wheat and corn snacks, prawn crackers, oatcakes (check ingredients labels) Plain sweet and salted popcorn, plain pretzels Homemade hummus, guacamole Olives Some cereal bars and dried fruit bars |
Unsuitable foods Read food labels carefully, check all ingredients Manufactured dips e.g. cheese and chive, sour cream Scotch eggs |
|
Food type
Preserves and confectionary |
Suitable foods Sugar, glucose, jam, honey, syrup, treacle, marmalade Boiled sweets, lollies, pastilles, gums, jelly tots, peppermints, soft mints, chewy fruit sweets Chocolate |
Unsuitable foods Read food labels carefully, check all ingredients Lemon curd Some marshmallows Peppermint creams, Mars bars, Milky Way, Topic, Snickers, Crème Eggs, Wagon Wheels, soft-centred sweets and chocolate |
|
Food type
Soups, sauces and gravies |
Suitable foods Home-made soups, sauces and gravies made using egg-free ingredients Some tomato ketchups, brown sauces, pickles, chutneys, mustard Egg free mayonnaise eg Hellmans Vegan Mayo, supermarket own branded ‘free from’ products |
Unsuitable foods Read food labels carefully, check all ingredients Some soups, broths, bouillions, sauces, gravies made with egg, and egg derivatives e.g. pesto, cook in sauces, curry sauces, marinades, cream sauces, gravy granules (check ingredients labels) Mayonnaise, salad cream, horseradish sauce, tartare sauce, hollandaise sauce |
Please note: All branded products are egg free at the time of printing. However, ingredients may change over time therefore please continue to check the label even if you have eaten the food many times before. This is not an exhaustive list so please do look in your local supermarkets for additional suitable products. Detailed information on manufactured products can be obtained from the customer services department of most supermarkets.
Can I use egg replacers?
Egg replacers are made from raising agents such as corn starch, potato starch or tapioca starch. They have no nutritional value, but they can be useful for baking e.g. cakes. Both whole egg replacers and egg white replacers are available and they can generally be obtained from health food stores, large supermarkets, pharmacies or directly from the manufacturer. .
- Crackd The No-Egg Egg ( Available from Asda, tesco and Online)
- OGGS Aquafaba Egg Alternative ( Available from Asda, tesco, waitrose and Online)
- Orgran No-egg (whole) replacer (available from Asda, Tesco, Holland & Barrett and online retailers)
- Orgran Vegan Easy Egg (available from Ocado, Asda or online retailers), can be used for scrambled eggs, quiches, omelettes and frittata
- Free and Easy Egg replacer (available from Ocado, Asda or online retailers)
Other home-prepared egg replacement ideas for baking:
- Use ¼ cup of unsweetened apple sauce/puree in place of 1 egg (suitable for most baking recipes)
- Use ¼ cup of mashed banana (from approximately ½ banana) instead of 1 egg when baking cakes/pancakes
- Combine 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseeds with 3 tablespoons of water – use in place of 1 egg
- Whisk together 2 tablespoons of water, 1 teaspoon of oil (e.g. vegetable oil) and 2 teaspoon of baking powder. Use in place of 1 egg; works well for baked goods/cookies
Who can I contact for further information?
Dietitian
Contact number:
Department of Nutrition and Dietetics
Box 119
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Addenbrooke’s Hospital
Hills Road
Cambridge
CB2 OQQ
Telephone: 01223 216655
We are smoke-free
Smoking is not allowed anywhere on the hospital campus. For advice and support in quitting, contact your GP or the free NHS stop smoking helpline on 0800 169 0 169.
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Contact us
Cambridge University Hospitals
NHS Foundation Trust
Hills Road, Cambridge
CB2 0QQ
Telephone +44 (0)1223 245151
https://www.cuh.nhs.uk/contact-us/contact-enquiries/