We've seen the memes about how expensive eggs have become of late. Supply chain issues, grocery store greed. You don't care why the price is going up; you just want the price increases to stop and maybe, perhaps go down in price.
You could say eggs are eggs-pensive. (ha ha)
I don't buy eggs that often. Then again, the price of the eggs I buy isn't being jacked up by supply chain issues and grocery store greed.
I buy my eggs at farmers markets: local, great quality eggs not affected by supply chain issues. Hens that are treated well and lay beautiful eggs. The price I generally pay may be shocking to some readers: $6-$7 per dozen. The price of a single egg — at $6/dozen — is 50¢ per egg.
If you buy grocery store eggs, you never thought about paying 50¢ per egg. Your argument before the huge price increases could be that people were idiotic to pay 50¢ per egg. They might pay $6 for a fancy coffee drink yet $6 is too much for a dozen eggs.
Simplifying dinner could start from breaking a couple of eggs
Is the cost of fresh produce worth the price?
Years ago, I wrote for Marketing News about a politician complaining about the cost of breakfast cereal. This was so long ago that Chuck Schumer (D-NY) was a representative in Congress before becoming a senator and the current Senate majority leader.
I joked about the Roseanne TV show suggestion of buying generic cereal and putting it into the brand name box. I broke down the cost of a 1 oz. serving to show the relative insignificant cost of a bowl of cereal.
An individual egg supplies fat and protein that is versatile and boosts nutrition whether the egg is a supporting player or the star of the dish. Good quality eggs are worth 50¢ per egg to you and the farmer.
Egg prices are up 60%. That’s absurd. People are paying up upwards of $6 and $7 for a dozen eggs.
— Robert Reich (@RBReich) January 20, 2023
Why? Corporate greed.
Cal-Maine, the largest egg producer in the US, is raking record profits — $198 million in its latest quarter.
That’s a 65% increase from a year ago.
I have a vegan friend who posts a lot of vegan information on Facebook. She would gladly offer that you don't have to use chicken eggs as in the above examples. Avocadoes are a lot more expensive than bananas, if price is your primary objective.
Some of these methods require more time, such as the flaxseed and chia seed. If you live in a snowy, cold climate, a substitute can help if traveling to the store is uncertain. Flaxseed (4:1) and chia seed (3:1) are good Omega-3 sources.
You can still eat eggs and use these suggestions. My friend wants people to ideally go vegan while I suggest that omnivores come up with a nice balance. Baking is a great way to use a substitute while still having scrambled eggs. If you wonder why the blog is named BalanceofFood, this is part of our philosophy.
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BalanceofFood.com farmers market coverage
Food inflation is a real factor in the United States and all over the world. Some products can be bought purely on cost while other products are worth more by paying more. Eggs would certainly qualify in the latter category. If you have a choice between paying $7.25 for a dozen regular eggs at a grocery store vs. $6 for local, better-grown farmers eggs, the latter choice is the ideal one on multiple levels.
meme credit: @carnivorecabal/Instagram/Gizmodo
Twitter capture: @RBReich
photo credit: Nana's Recipe Picks/Facebook
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