Are Eggs Considered Dairy?

As one of the animal products most of the world consumes, some people are under the impression that eggs are dairy. However, dairy is not simply defined as an animal product that does not require the slaughtering of that animal. The Merriam-Webster definition of "dairy" is "milk from a cow or other domestic animal (such as a goat)."

So, no, eggs are not considered dairy. They do fall under the umbrella term of "animal product," which is any meat, such as pork and beef, secretion, such as milk or honey, or byproduct, such as bones or hides. While the popularity surge of plant-based products similar to milk, such as vegan alternatives for heavy cream or oat milk (which isn't always gluten free), has made the FDA rethink their classification of "milk," that does not change what is and isn't considered dairy. To be dairy, a product must use the lactose-rich liquid originating in a mammal's mammary gland — milk. Chickens are birds, not mammals, so they are physically incapable of producing milk and therefore can never be raised for dairy products.

This is an especially important distinction for those with food allergies. People with lactose intolerance should feel no fear of eating eggs, and people with egg allergies shouldn't abstain from dairy products. Eggs simply are not dairy. But how did this misconception arise? The explanation may be as simple as grocery store layout efficiency.

Grocery store layouts are a matter of efficiency. Produce must be grouped together so that they don't have to install separate sprinkler systems, frozen items must be stocked in the same freezers to maximize space, and refrigerated products share the same shelves because the FDA recommends keeping them at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below.

Many grocery stores group eggs and dairy together, as these are products people regularly need, and they have similar storage requirements. This may be responsible for some people's confusion since items in close proximity together are typically the same "type" of item. However, just like a frozen pizza stored next to bags of carrots is not a vegetable, this in no way impacts any sort of classification for either eggs or dairy.

If you know how to read the shelf layout in grocery stores, you may still have your suspicions. After all, stores place their bright, shiny fruits and veggies at the front so that you feel they offer quality products, but still make you walk past aisles of chips and candy before getting to the meat in the hopes you'll make an impulse purchase. However, the cost savings and convenience of stocking eggs and dairy together outweigh the potential profits of making you wander all over the store for every last ingredient.