With egg prices sky-high, try these egg alternatives (2024)

The cost of eggs at grocerystores has soared to its highest in more than a decade.

In December 2022, the priceof eggs was up 60% over the previous year, according to the Consumer Price Index.

The increase follows a huge holiday demand, rising production costs for farmers, and one of the deadliestoutbreaks of bird flu in history, which isaffecting production from coast to coast.

The virus claimed some 44 million laying hens last year, severely reducing the number of eggs available. It's unclear when prices may come down. So, in the meantime, it may be more cost-effective to cook with egg substitutes.

Egg substitutes

When baking, there are several items you might already have in your home to replace eggs. Unsweetened apple sauce, pumpkin or avocado puree, or mushed-up bananas can all be used instead of eggs. A quarter of a cup of each substitute is roughly equivalent toone egg.

For replacingeggs in meals, there are several substitutes on the market. Plant alternatives, such as Just Eggs, cook similarly to an egg, and won't look out of place on your breakfast plate.

You can also forgo egg-centric breakfasts altogether, and cook things like breakfast tacos or sandwiches with tofu, seitan, or potatoes instead. A little creativity goes a long way.

Reporting by USA Today's Amanda Pérez Pintado was used in this article.

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