My kids love eggs.

My (almost) two year old will vacuum up a plate of scrambled eggs in a matter of minutes. On those days when we're all tired and just can't face preparing and cooking a huge meal, it's eggs on toast or scrambled eggs.

The good thing is - they are healthy (pheww, don't feel like a bad parent for skimping on the meat and three veg once in a while). My eldest had a a very short lived reaction to eggs as a baby. They gave him a mild rash around his mouth.

From my own research I have found that egg allergy or intolerance is the one of the most common food allergies which affects about 1-2% of preschool age children. It is usually due to allergy (IgE) antibodies against egg proteins.

Many infants and young children will grow out of their egg allergy. Approximately 2 out of 3 will grow out of their allergy by 5-10 years of age. Those children who have had milder allergic reactions with only skin reactions are more likely to outgrow their allergy than children with more severe reactions.

If you would like more information on egg allergy you can visit the Kid's Health section of the Westmead Children's Hospital website which is a fabulous resource for parents, with a wide variety of fact sheets covering children's health topics. Just a note - don't rely on my word or a website when it comes to medical situations - always seek advice from a health professional.

My son was one of those children who outgrew his intolerance. Thank goodness because, amongst other things, eggs are in (most) cakes, biscuits and other yummy things! But they are also fantastic on there own.

Some nutritional facts about eggs:

- Two average eggs provide two thirds of the day's requirements for selenium, around one third of the day's requirements for vitamin B12, iodine, pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), riboflavin, vitamin A and vitamin E and 20-25% of the day's requirements for protein, folate, iron and phosphorus.

- Eggs also provide  zinc, are one of the only food sources of vitamin D and are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, particularly the long chain DHA and DPA.

So with the kids heading back to school I won't be able to whip up eggs on toast for lunch and I am not sure they will win many friends with a stinky boiled egg in their lunch box. The Australian Egg Coorporation has come up with a super yummy Carrot and Muesli Muffin recipe which makes a perfect lunch box treat.

As well as being lower in saturated fat and sugar* than an average muffin, these lunch box goodies contain nutritious eggs and are also high in fibre thanks to their wholegrain ingredients - wholegrain flour, muesli and carrots, which help kids maintain a healthy digestive system.

In fact one serving will provide your child with**:

- 17% RDI for dietary fibre

- 17% RDI for iron

- 17% RDI for protein

These muffins in your children's lunch box means you know exactly what they're eating and they're also less likely to eat other not-so-healthy snacks. You can download the recipe here.

For more inspiring egg ideas you can visit www.eggs.com.au

* Daily intake and recommended dietary intakes for labelling puposes.

**One carrot and muesli muffin is 28% lower in saturated fat and 34% lower in sugar compared to a commercial style muffin (NUTTAB 2010)