Quail: Nutrition Information, Substitutes & More

Where did quail originate from?

Some types of quail are native to North America, while others originated from Africa. Today, quail are found in nature and farmed on every continent except Antarctica. Quail do not migrate and tend to live in one area for their entire life, which can be up to six years. 

How are quail raised?

When you buy quail at the grocery store, they may be from small or large-scale specialty game farms, which raise quail throughout the year. Quail are omnivores which means they eat foods like seeds, berries, and insects. 

Quails lay eggs year-round, and the average quail starts laying at just six weeks old and can produce up to 300 eggs a year. 

When is quail in season?

Quail are raised all year long, so there are always fresh ones in the grocery store. Most states have an official quail season which generally runs from mid-November to early February, so this is when small meat processing plants will be busy with handling quail raised by hobby farmers and small game hunters. This is also a great time to check your local grocery store to buy fresh quail that’s locally raised. 

Since quails are so tiny, when you buy quail, you may want to buy two or three birds for each adult. You can purchase frozen quail year-round in most supermarkets, and fresh quail is typically available during the late fall to early winter. Quail eggs are available fresh or preserved in brine and packaged in glass jars. 

What’s the nutrition content of quail?

Both quail meat and quail eggs are highly nutritious. Quail is rich in vitamin B6, niacin, thiamin, iron, prosperous, selenium, and potassium. One whole quail contains:

• 209 calories
• 13g fat
• 7g protein
• 0g carbohydrates

A single quail egg contains:

• 14 calories
• 1g fat
• 1.2g protein
• 0g carbohydrate

Since it’s likely your meal will contain more than one quail or quail egg, remember to multiply these numbers if you’re counting macros. 

How do you pick quail at the grocery store?

When choosing fresh quail meat, select pieces that are pale pink to light brown for the freshest meat. Avoid any that are dull gray, have an unpleasant smell, or are slimy. 

When buying frozen quail, look for ones in vacuum-sealed packaging since it creates a better seal and keeps the meat as fresh as possible. Also, check the packaging date or sell-by date to select quail that have been packaged most recently. 

If you want to have your groceries delivered, you can easily shop for quail and quail eggs via Instacart. After adding a product to your cart, use the “Instructions” option to notify your Instacart shopper about any preferences or specific directions on how to choose the best products. Shop for quail.

Grab it now on Instacart:

Golden Jumbo Quail Golden Jumbo Quails (4.3 oz)

Realtree Whole Quail (4 ct)

Weis Quality Entree Storage Lids & Containers (25 fl oz)

Joseph's Hot Pickled Quail Eggs (12 oz)

Whole Cornish Game Hens (per lb)

Fresh Quail Eggs (10 ct)

How to store quail

Fresh, or thawed frozen quail, can be stored in the refrigerator for a day. It should stay in its original packaging or be kept in an air-tight food storage container. Cooked quail should be consumed within three days. Store it in the refrigerator in an air-tight bag or storage container. 

To thaw frozen quail, place it in the refrigerator overnight or for several hours. To prevent contamination or food poisoning, quail should never be left out on the counter for more than two hours. 

Quail meat can be frozen, but it should be cooked before freezing. This is because the freezing process leaves the meat with an undesirable texture. Frozen quail will stay good for up to a year, but consume it within two months for optimal taste and texture. 

Quail eggs can stay in a cool room for up to 40 days or be refrigerated for two months. Hard-boiled eggs should be consumed within a week. When you buy pickled quail eggs, they can last up to four months when submerged in the brine and a proper storage container. 

How to tell if quail is bad

When quail meat is a dull gray color or slimy in appearance, this is a sign that it has gone bad. Other signs that quail has gone bad include if it has an unpleasant smell or appears frost burnt.

To tell whether or not quail eggs have gone bad, you can inspect their shells for cracks or holes. If either is present, discard the egg. When cracking open eggs, if you notice any unusual coloring (just like a chicken egg, the yolk is yellow and the white is transparent before cooking) or odor, you should throw it away. 

What can I substitute for quail?

When you need a substitute for quail, you can use cornish game hen. They aren’t as small as quails, so when you buy Cornish game hen, you can buy about half of the number of quails that you’d buy. 

Save time on grocery shopping by ordering online

What would you do with the extra time you’d save by outsourcing your grocery shopping? The process of ordering your groceries through Instacart takes about as much time as you’d spend writing a shopping list. Once you place your order, it will be fulfilled according to your directions. You can choose in-store pick-up in as little as two hours, so your groceries will be bagged and waiting for your arrival. Or choose the home delivery option to have your order delivered right to your front door. Try it now to order fresh quail eggs, fresh vegetables, and anything else you need.

Instacart

Instacart is the leading grocery technology company in North America, partnering with more than 1,400 national, regional, and local retail banners to deliver from more than 80,000 stores across more than 14,000 cities in North America. To read more Instacart posts, you can browse the company blog or search by keyword using the search bar at the top of the page.