With information coming in concerning the ongoing fowl flu, the Hotline has gotten a ton of questions on egg and poultry security, budgeting, and alternate options—so we need to minimize by the noise to offer some solutions.

Why are eggs so costly?

We’re within the midst of a significant outbreak of H5N1 fowl flu, and it has hit poultry farms arduous. To date, it is killed tens of millions of birds throughout the nation, and farmers have culled whole flocks, leading to an egg scarcity in lots of areas.

This, mixed with the worth of eggs already being on a precipitous climb because the begin of 2024, means some shops are charging $12 or extra for a carton of eggs, whereas others are limiting prospects to purchasing only one or 2 cartons.

Are eggs and poultry suitable for eating proper now?

The quick reply is sure. The USDA has reported that the probability of eggs or poultry contaminated with the fowl flu coming into the market is extraordinarily low. Moreover should you cook dinner them to 165º, you’ll be killing off any micro organism, anyway. Sadly, this implies no soft-boiled or over-easy eggs (apologies to my runny yolk lovers).

What can I take advantage of instead of eggs?

For baking, you need to use the liquid from chickpeas, aka aquafaba, to imitate egg whites (one can accommodates the equal of three to 4 egg whites). And, Annie simply made a useful video concerning the energy of chia eggs. Instead of an egg wash on baked items, go for heavy cream or milk as an alternative.

For savory dishes, add mashed potatoes, silken tofu, or different starches as a binder. When frying, swap in mayo as a substitute for the egg step of dredging.

What ought to I cook dinner as an alternative of hen?

We simply put out a listing of our 20+ favourite weeknight dinners with out hen or eggs.

When will poultry merchandise be reasonably priced once more?

That is sadly not tremendous clear as a result of the fowl flu outbreak is constant to develop, and grocery costs usually don’t appear to be leveling off any time quickly. We’ll preserve you posted by the Hotline for any growing eggs information in addition to solutions to all cooking, internet hosting, cleansing, and consuming questions.

Have extra meals security questions? Ask away on our Hotline web page or drop us a line at 1 (877)-52-HOTLINE