The best time to try egg substitutes is now
Post-COVID, egg prices get higher and Dollar Tree stops selling them
The following post was originally published on March 20, 2023. The recipes for egg substitutes have been updated.
It’s not your imagination. Grocery store receipts have continued to look a little different (read: higher) post-COVID. That includes egg prices, which have risen since the fall of 2022. Consumers did get a short break with Grade A eggs costing $4.21 for a dozen in February versus $4.82 in January, but the prices still don’t mirror pre-COVID rates.
The egg pricing isn’t all about COVID-19 though. There was also recent news about an ongoing bird flu outbreak that cost the government approximately $661 million. Vegans (and some vegetarians) cringed at the news of more than 58 million birds being slaughtered while omnivores understood it was intended to limit the spread of the virus. Regardless of what a consumer’s views are on slaughterhouses, from a cooking standpoint, all groups may be able to meet in the middle.
Recommended Read: “What do vegetarians eat? Visit vegan food festivals to find out ~ My 18-year transition from omnivore to ‘accidental vegetarian’”
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With low-priced retailers throwing in the towel on selling eggs, this is as good of a time as any for consumers to consider egg substitutes. Online and brick-and-mortar prices for plant-based eggs are now in the same price range as traditional eggs.
Recommended Read: “Whether 22 days or two, veganism continues to make an impact ~ Celebs pique the interest of African-American aspiring vegans and vegetarians”
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Some of the more popular egg substitute brands include:
For shoppers who don’t need eggs as the main course but instead to blend other ingredients, here are some plant-friendly ideas if egg prices are just too high to afford. The following eight items are about half the price, have a longer shelf life and can arguably blend just as well. There are some caveats though.
Egg replacement ideas
Applesauce (unsweetened, 1/4 cup)
Arrowroot powder (1 tablespoon) + 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil + 1/4 cup of water
Banana (mashed, one)
Chia seeds (1 tablespoon) + 3 tablespoons of water
Ener-G egg replacer (1-1/2 teaspoons) + 2 tablespoons of warm water
Flaxseeds (1 tablespoon, ground) + 3 tablespoons of warm water
Tofu (silken) (1/4 cup equals one egg)
Yogurt (1/2 cup of plain yogurt)
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So what are the downsides of using any of these items? For vegans and vegetarians who don’t much care for eggs, some of the egg substitute brands may taste a little too close to eggs for their comfort. For lactose-intolerant consumers, yogurt (or buttermilk, another option) may be out of the question. For consumers who aren’t interested in a sweeter taste of their food (assuming it’s not a cake or other desserts), bananas and applesauce may stand out too much. And while chia seeds and flaxseeds take slightly longer to blend than the other items mentioned above, aesthetically, the little seeds will be visible in the food.
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However, because Dollar Tree cannot afford to sell eggs at a flat rate of $1.25 (or even the $3 and $5 shelf items at other dollar-value stores), consumers may find themselves looking for alternate options that will be financially more beneficial for them until Dollar Tree stores start selling eggs again.
Did you enjoy this post? You’re also welcome to check out my Substack columns “Black Girl In a Doggone World,” “BlackTechLogy,” “Homegrown Tales,” “I Do See Color,” “One Black Woman’s Vote” and “Window Shopping” too. Subscribe to this newsletter for the monthly post on the third Thursday. Thanks for reading!