If you're the type of consumer who stands in front of an array of choices at the grocery store and wonders about making the best choice for your family, it's possible that you may have thought about which egg to buy. There are so many choices besides medium, large and jumbo: you have to decide between white or brown, organic or free-range, Omega-3 eggs or pastured eggs.

So, does it matter? Yes and no. There is no difference between a white egg and brown, except which hen was laying it: different breeds of hens produce different colors of eggs. But the rest of it? Yes, of course it matters - but it also requires knowing something about the farm and how they produced the egg.

For eggs to be certified organic, the grains fed to hens must be certified organic, free of conventional pesticides, fertilizers, growth hormones and antibiotics, plus the birds must have organically-raised bedding and have access to the outdoors, including fresh air and exercise. Free-range eggs means that hens can move about freely, and either live outdoors or have access to the outdoors, although there are no regulated standards for this access or their diet or supplements. Omega-3 eggs are eggs produced by hens whose food is supplemented with flax seed or fish oils.

The color of the yolk gives an indication of what the hen ate before she laid the egg. A hen fed a mostly wheat diet will have a pale yellow yolk, and a grain-fed diet high in corn or alfalfa will produce a darker yellow yolk, but a pastured hen who truly has access to forage outdoors will have a deep orange-yellow yolk in her egg.

So what do these differences really tell us? In many ways, getting to the bottom of it only makes things more confusing, because producers can comply with standards by adhering to the very loosest interpretation of the definitions. Take "access to the outdoors" for example. For some producers, compliance with that standard means having a small open window or door where the confined birds could conceivably get outside, although chances are small that it actually happen, or that the access to which the birds are allowed is anything more than a concrete pad.

There is one more category of eggs which is the gold standard for egg quality – pastured eggs. Hens on pasture have access to the outdoors to scratch and peck for food either as their complete diet or as a supplement to some grains depending on the time of year. There are plenty of studies that show that pastured eggs have a higher nutrition level and lower fat and cholesterol levels than eggs from grain-fed hens. Compared to conventional supermarket eggs, pastured eggs contain more Omega-3 fatty acids, higher Vitamin E and A, folic acid, B-12 and even more Vitamin D. (If you're interested in reading the studies, visit www.eatwild.com for links and references.)

So how do you find a good egg? First, find a local source, preferably a farm with small production who can ensure the quality of egg that you're looking for. Local food co-ops carry a variety of choices of for organic and truly free-range eggs from local egg producers who vary in the size of their facilities, including Larry Schultz and Harmony Valley. To find organic, pastured eggs, you have to search a little harder. I visit the Traditional Foods Warehouse to find one of my favorite local sources for eggs - Alvin Schlangen Family Farms. A visit to their site will tell you all about the way the Schlangen family raises their hens plus sources to find their eggs, including local co-ops and home delivery.

Local farmers markets are another great place to get fresh, local, pastured eggs – including duck and goose eggs – direct from the farmer. No mysteries there - you can ask the farmer all about how their hens are raised. Chances are the farmer will be more than happy to give you the answer.

As with most things food-related, there is one clear way to tell the difference: taste. An organic, pastured egg will taste far better than a watery, pale supermarket egg. An egg yolk is supposed to be orange, not pale yellow, and Mother Nature's guide to how things are supposed to look is a pretty good bet for how things are supposed to be in the world. In this case, it's humanely-raised birds who have a daily routine to do what they love best - scratch and peck outside, looking for their food.