With egg prices soaring, how to find affordable cartons or alternatives

Chickens might never fly high, but the price of their eggs sure has.

Egg prices have reached a near-record high at supermarkets across the country as bird flu continues to disrupt egg supply and demand, leaving consumers to pay noticeably more for the crucial ingredient.

At the end of January, the wholesale price for large white eggs delivered to warehouses in the Midwest was $7.03 per dozen, with some shoppers in the Twin Cities noticing prices as high as $8 per dozen in stores. Some stores have put restrictions on how many cartons of eggs a shopper can buy. And experts estimate prices will continue to increase by 20.3% in 2025.

Even Southern diner chain Waffle House is feeling the pressure, passing a 50-cent-per-egg surcharge on to customers.

An imbalance between supply and demand is primarily driving spikes in poultry product prices. Egg supplies remain tight thanks to a rise in the number of commercial and backyard flocks bird flu has affected. Previous price spikes occurred in 2015 and 2022, again related to bird flu outbreaks. But prices have risen more in the past year (up about $1.63 from December 2023 to December 2024) than they did in the year leading up to the 2015 peak (99 cents from September 2014 to September 2015).

As long as bird flu continues infecting chickens, uncertainty around the supply and cost of eggs will remain, according to Chris James, owner of Fresh Earth Farms in Hastings.

"When you have something in nature that basically destroys full flocks of hens, I think you're going to have a hard time finding a way to get the prices back down," James said.

Luckily, there are options for people who want to try to stretch their dollars:

Buy a CSA share

With grocery store prices continuing to spike, shopping locally can prove beneficial, more affordable and reliable.

Community-supported agriculture, or CSA, is a system that connects consumers with local farmers and allows them to essentially buy a share of a farm's harvest in advance. In return, farmers regularly deliver crops to shareholders or pickup locations.

Fresh Earth Farms, a farm share serving the Twin Cities since 2003, offers shares of one dozen certified organic eggs from free-range chickens delivered every two weeks for $60 for 19 weeks. That equals about $6.67 per dozen.

The Good Acre, a nonprofit food hub in the Twin Cities, specifically works with immigrant farmers and farmers of color to offer seasonal community farm shares sourced from 75 local farmers. Egg shares include 15 dozen eggs, with partners receiving one dozen every other week, for $90, or about $6 per dozen.

The benefit of purchasing community-supported agriculture shares is the fixed price, whereas grocery store prices fluctuate, according to Karin Davey, farm share manager of the Good Acre. This is because these programs are sourcing from smaller-scale farms, which decreases the risk of bird flu outbreaks within their flocks, Davey said.

Check out a co-op

Another way to support local farmers and find affordable egg options is by shopping locally at a co-op.

The Twin Cities offers a range of co-ops offering deals on local produce, organic products and, of course, eggs.

In a co-operative, community members purchase stock in exchange for ownership. The profits belong to the community of owners who generally reinvest back into the store, said Natalia Mendez, director of marketing and communications at Seward Community Co-op.

Co-ops often work with small-scale farmers and local producers who might have higher costs because of sustainable farming practices, fair wages and environmentally friendly operations, said Leah Oliver, Mississippi Market Co-op marketing director. However, this is not always the case.

"Our egg prices are very competitive with other grocery stores," Oliver said.

Mississippi Market carries a variety of eggs from local farmers at a range of costs. Their two most popular brands are Larry Schultz Organic Farm and Farmers Hen House, both from local farmers. Schultz Organic Farm large eggs are $4.99 a dozen, or $0.40 each, while Farmers Hen House eggs are $6.29 a dozen.

Customers can also purchase individual eggs at co-ops, which can save money for those who don't need a full carton or half-dozen.

Beyond the stable pricing and organic appeal, shopping locally means supporting farmers and allowing them to stay in business.

Buy direct

Several farms sell eggs directly to consumers at farmers markets, stores and stands.

One benefit of purchasing directly from farmers is the connection made between producer and consumer, which sometimes allows for more personalized pricing, according to Rodrigo Cala, a local farmer and agricultural trainer at Latino Economic Development Center.

"If you sell straight to the customer, you can have the discussion like, 'OK, I don't want to sell my eggs for $8 or $10, but I can sell them for at least $7,'" Cala said. "Some customers, they're going to complain about the price, so you're going to give a better deal to them. It's great. You're going to start building the relationship."

Jesus Carrillo of Carrillo Brothers Farms in Foley said his farm usually faces challenges competing with larger farms because of lower prices. But as larger farms face bird flu infections and raise prices, Carrillo Brothers has not felt the same effect and has maintained stable egg prices at $4.50 per dozen.

"Right now, prices are going up so crazy," Carrillo said. "[Grocery stores] are pretty much charging the same price for eggs, but it's not organic. Ours are organic."

Having a relationship with farmers also allows for customers to learn more about food production, Carrillo said. He advised consumers to ask questions and learn about how farmers are raising the chickens.

Start your own backyard coop

For those who are interested in a more long-term solution for rising egg prices, investing in a backyard chicken coop with neighbors can help minimize costs, but breaking even can be time consuming and difficult.

Hens usually begin laying eggs around six months of age and can continue to lay for five to 10 years, making owning and caring for them a long-term investment.

While chickens themselves are often very affordable, and shoppers can purchase them from local farmers or tractor-supply stores for under $10, feed and chicken coops can be costly. Coop prices range from a do-it-yourself enclosure built for a few hundred dollars to larger, fancier coops priced at more than $1,000. A 50-pound bag of feed costs around $30, with a flock of six running through about a bag a month.

Challenges such as predator attacks, high initial costs and ongoing expenses like feed and bedding can make caring for chickens difficult, said Dustin Hershberger, a Webster, Minn., resident who owned chickens for more than six years.

Despite selling eggs for $5 a dozen, raising chickens wasn't cost-effective for Hershberger.

However, investing in a shared coop with neighbors can help reduce the workload and mitigate costs.

Households must comply with city ordinances to serve as a chicken home base. Permits and restrictions vary by city, but there generally is an initial permit cost and an annual renewal fee.

For example, St. Paul requires residents to obtain a permit for chicken-keeping, with a tier-one permit allowing residents to house up to six hens for an initial $26 and a $16 annual renewal fee. The city also requires an application and site plan.

"If you really want chickens, go for it. They're great, the eggs taste good and they're fun to have around," Hershberger said. "But I don't think it's cheaper."

Explore alternatives

If egg prices are still out of reach, egg alternatives are often a viable option, especially when baking.

Bakers have used egg substitutes for decades, dating to World War II when egg supplies were scarce. As veganism and diets restricting certain animal products have gained popularity, more options have become available.

Flax eggs, made from ground flaxseeds and water, and commercially available egg substitutes like Bob's Red Mill powdered egg are good options for those who would like to avoid using eggs overall, said Mary Galvin, a West St. Paul resident who has used egg substitutes for more than two decades after doctors diagnosed her daughter with an allergy as a baby.

"Eggs are typically, as you know, used in baking a lot, and in some savory dishes as well. But there are lots of ways to get around it," Galvin said.

Commercially available egg substitutes can range from $4 to $10 and are on shelves at a wide range of grocery stores and co-ops. Other affordable options include substituting eggs with other common pantry items, such as applesauce, yogurt, vinegar and baking soda, tofu and chia seeds.

Joining online food advocacy groups and asking for guidance at stores like local co-ops can be extremely helpful when exploring egg alternative uses, according to Galvin.

"There's a number of strategies," Galvin said, "including just finding a recipe that doesn't use eggs, all the way through finding the right substitute for eggs."

Caroline Weier is a University of Minnesota student reporter on assignment for the Minnesota Star Tribune. Her email is caroline.weier@startribune.com.