How to Budget for Your Next Grocery Visit Amidst the Egg Shortage

Feb 19, 2025

Whether you’re baking, cooking or looking for budget-friendly protein sources, there are plenty of nutritious egg substitutes that keep flavor and texture intact—without breaking the bank!

Every day consumers are really feeling the pinch from the egg shortage. The USDA has predicted that egg prices will rise another 20%, due to the ongoing outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) also known as the bird flu. This disruption has caused limited egg supply, making accessing this everyday ingredient harder for many of us. It also has forced grocery stores to increase the cost of eggs and restrict how many eggs consumers can purchase during their trip to the grocery store. The good news – you don’t have to empty your pockets to keep cooking. As our Child Nutrition Educator shares, there are plenty of affordable and easy alternatives to eggs that will help you create nourishing, tasty meals without breaking the bank.

COOKING

If you’re preparing savory dishes like meatloaf, breading or casseroles, you can still get the same texture and binding power that eggs provide without needing to buy them. For savory recipes that need a binder, like meatloaf, mashed potatoes work wonders. You can use them in place of eggs to hold everything together. What’s more, sweet potatoes provide moisture and a slightly salty flavor that pairs well with spices. Consider substituting eggs for sweet potatoes when cooking with warm spices – like ginger and turmeric – in savory dishes.

Mashed Potatoes: Use them in place of eggs to help hold everything together!

Sweet Potato: They provide moisture and a slightly sweet flavor.

BAKING

When it comes to baking, there are several egg substitutes that work well in cakes, muffins, cookies, and other baked goods. Applesauce is one of the most common egg substitutes and is perfect for denser baked goods like brownies and cookies. It’s recommended to use ¼ cup of applesauce per egg a recipe calls for. Mashed bananas are also a great substitute and bring a slightly sweeter flavor. When substituting for an egg, use ¼ cup of mashed bananas per egg. Mashed bananas are recommended as a substitute in breads, pancakes and muffins. Do you remember baking soda and vinegar from science projects? This dynamic duo is an awesome combination for making baked goods rise. Simply mix one tablespoon of vinegar (white or apple cider) with one teaspoon of baking soda to replace an egg.

Applesauce: Use ¼ cup of applesauce per egg.

Mashed Bananas: Use ¼ cup of mashed banana per egg.

Baking Soda and Vinegar: Mix 1 Tbsp of vinegar + 1 tsp of baking soda per egg.

PACKING IN THE PROTEIN

Eggs are a great source of protein with six grams of protein in one egg. There are additional, affordable staples to infuse into your diet to pack in the protein. Black beans, a staple in many dishes, are packed with protein and can easily be added to casseroles, salads and soups. A ½ cup of cooked black beans contains nearly 8 grams of protein. Cottage cheese is a powerful food, packed with protein. Just one cup of cottage cheese contains 25 grams of protein! Go nuts. Almonds, pistachios, peanuts and cashews are great sources of protein and can easily add flavor to a variety of meals including salads, breads and oatmeal.

Black Beans: Black beans can be easily added to soups, salads and casseroles.

Cottage Cheese: Cottage cheese is a versatile option to replace eggs in many savory dishes.

Plain Non-Fat Greek Yogurt: Works well in both savory and sweet recipes.

Nuts: Can be added to a variety of meals including salads, muffins and breads.

Chickpeas: Chickpeas (or garbanzo beans) are an affordable way to boost the nutritional value of your dishes.

EGG-LESS RECIPES

Looking to try some delicious egg-less recipes? Skip the hassle of substitutions and check out some of our nutrition team’s favorite recipes that don’t require eggs. Explore more recipes in our Recipe Archive!

Buffalo Cauliflower

Chickpea Cookie Dough

Chicken Stir Fry

Cherry Oat Crumble

Hunger Task Force is Milwaukee’s Free & Local food bank and Wisconsin’s anti-hunger leader. The organization’s core values are Dignity, Justice, Equity, Compassion and Stewardship. Hunger Task Force feeds people today by providing healthy and culturally appropriate food to hungry children, families and seniors in the community absolutely free of charge. Hunger Task Force also works to end future hunger by advocating for strong public policies and nutrition programs at the local, state and federal level.