With news coming in about the ongoing bird flu, the Hotline has gotten a ton of questions about egg and poultry safety, budgeting, and alternatives—so we want to cut through the noise to provide some answers.
Why are eggs so expensive?
We are in the midst of a major outbreak of H5N1 bird flu, and it has hit poultry farms hard. So far, it's killed millions of birds across the country, and farmers have culled entire flocks, resulting in an egg shortage in many areas.
This, combined with the price of eggs already being on a precipitous climb since the start of 2024, means some stores are charging $12 or more for a carton of eggs, while others are restricting customers to buying only 1 or 2 cartons.
Are eggs and poultry safe to eat right now?
The short answer is yes. The USDA has reported that the likelihood of eggs or poultry infected with the bird flu entering the market is extremely low. Additionally if you cook them to 165º, you’ll be killing off any bacteria, anyway. Unfortunately, this means no soft-boiled or over-easy eggs (apologies to my runny yolk lovers).
What can I use in place of eggs?
For baking, you can use the liquid from chickpeas, aka aquafaba, to mimic egg whites (one can contains the equivalent of three to four egg whites). And, Annie just made a helpful video about the power of chia eggs. In place of an egg wash on baked goods, go for heavy cream or milk instead.
For savory dishes, add mashed potatoes, silken tofu, or other starches as a binder. When frying, swap in mayo as a replacement for the egg step of dredging.
What should I cook instead of chicken?
We just put out a list of our 20+ favorite weeknight dinners without chicken or eggs.
When will poultry products be affordable again?
This is unfortunately not super clear because the bird flu outbreak is continuing to grow, and grocery prices generally don’t seem to be leveling off any time soon. We’ll keep you posted through the Hotline for any developing eggs news as well as answers to all cooking, hosting, cleaning, and eating questions.
Have more food safety questions? Ask away on our Hotline page or drop us a line at 1 (877)-52-HOTLINE
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