These are of the plastic or cardboard variety, but Easter is less than six weeks away. And afterward, many families will have actual colored, hard-boiled eggs to spare.

Eggs have sometimes been perceived as a forbidden food, but the American Dietetic Association says recent research indicates that one egg yolk a day is OK for healthy people. That's as long as their cholesterol intake doesn't top 300 milligrams a day, the association says.

One egg yolk has about 215 milligrams of cholesterol, while egg whites are cholesterol-free.

As for the benefits for eggs, there are several. One egg has just 70 calories, but at the same time is a good source of protein, phosphorus and vitamins A, D, B complex. They also supply lutein and zeaxanthin, which may promote healthy vision.

Source: "365 Days of Healthy Eating from the American Dietetic Association."