The Great Egg Dilemma

Why are eggs so expensive?

(Photo C/O CookForYourLife.org)

By Lillian La Salle
Culture Writer

While researching this article I had almost ten tabs open all about eggs, their substitutes, and what caused this period of inflation in the Bay Area supermarkets. Numerous people gave me questioning looks as I enthusiastically explained all about the glorious egg and the amazing ways we could replace it in our meals on a daily basis. I found numerous recipes and lots of egg substitute products that may help students avoid the outrageously priced eggs that leave customers going, “You must be yolking!”. Forgive the egg pun, but that will frequently be happening in this quick read. 

You may be wondering why egg prices have almost doubled at your local Bay Area grocery store this past month, and the answer may surprise you. The CBS News article, “Egg prices have soared 60% in a year. Here's why,” explains the key reason for the egg shortage. The avian bird flu claimed almost 58 million birds as of January 6, and the lag time of egg laying flocks to get enough resources into the egg supply chain has greatly affected prices in the Bay Area as well as across the nation. According to the same CBS News article, January egg prices saw a 60% increase, and the KRON 4 news article “Are more people turning to plant-based eggs amidst egg price surge?” reports some stores in the Bay Area saw egg prices rise as high as $8.99. 

But the egg inflation continues, and it will not be over easy - I mean easily. People all across the nation and the Bay Area are scrambling to find a savory substitute for the well-loved egg. 

After researching egg substitutes for baking, I found Well+Good had a great list of options for all your egg needs. Some of the best baking substitutes were 2 tbsp chia seeds (you can find this in the dining hall in the mornings), ¼ cup of tofu, ¼ cup buttermilk, ¼ cup applesauce, ¼ cup bananas, and a special product called Bob’s Egg Replacer.

Sold at Safeway, Bob’s Egg Replacer is perfect for baking and cooking, with 34 eggs for $7.50 as opposed to the current perishable choice at Safeway coming up on $4.99 a dozen. This breaks down to the egg replacement costing 22 cents an “egg” and the perishable eggs at 41 cents. Using perishable eggs during this period of egg-flation is not all it's cracked up to be if they are double the price of the powdered replacement eggs. 

For scrambled egg replacements: tofu is a strong front runner, with its ability to cook similarly to regular scrambled eggs. Of course, lots of seasoning is required to make it have the delicious flavor of the typical egg. Personally, I will cook 4-6 ounces of tofu until it's golden brown and add in one regular egg and mix it all together with a few tasteful pinches of salt. That way, I use only one egg to give the tofu an eggy flavor, and the scramble replicates a meal of 4 eggs. 
Now if eggs are not available to you at all, fear not. The vegan food experimentalists at Plant Based on a Budget have discovered for the rest of us that a special Indian spice, Kala Namak, tastes similar to hard boiled eggs due to its sulfuric components. Mixing this with paprika, onion powder, red pepper, and salt can give your tofu scramble an eggcellent kick. 

Another option for the goodness of an egg scramble without the actual eggs is a powder egg substitute. Judee’s Scrambled Egg Mix, sold for $23 on Amazon, gives you the ease of having 44 eggs in your fridge without using up all the space 44 eggs would need. This is a bit more expensive than the normal eggs but is a great substitute if you are on a vegan diet. Priced at 52 cents per serving of “egg”, the Judee’s Egg Mix is 11 cents more than a regular egg, but you wouldn't have to worry about space in your fridge or having the powder spoil.

Sources:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/eggs-prices-2022-chicken-bird-flu-inflation-cpi/
https://www.kron4.com/news/bay-area/are-more-people-turning-to-plant-based-eggs-amidst-egg-price-surge/#:~:text=The%20latest%20data%20shows%20the,rea
https://www.wellandgood.com/best-egg-substitutes/
https://plantbasedonabudget.com/egg-flavor-seasoning/#:~:text=Luckily%20for%20me%20