Eggs -- Don't Wait!

 I'm making a scary prediction: 

Eggs are going to be very difficult to find, come the holidays. As in Christmas. 

And if you're a baker, you're going to be really sorry if you don't stock up now. 

Want these? You'll need eggs. (Betty Crocker)

This was reinforced by a shopping trip a few weeks ago to Safeway in Castle Rock, CO. I went in to grab some eggs...and only a few dozen of the most expensive organic brands were left. 

The rest of the (very large) display was EMPTY.

There were more eggs when I stopped in a few days ago...but the cheapest large eggs were $3.86 a dozen. 

A friend went into King Soopers today, and could find no large eggs at all -- only a few medium sized dozens. And they were $3.68 a carton.

Could it be shipping issues? Flocks decimated because of bird flu? The middleman's desire to squeeze more bucks out of shoppers? A general sit-down chicken strike? I have no idea. 

         I still miss our chickens...

The Brick loves eggs in any form for breakfast. He hasn't griped, but I've been cutting down on henfruit gradually over the past few months. I've been mixing hashbrowns with onion, veggies, bacon (a slice or two, chopped thin) and ham chunks -- but with only one or two eggs mixed in. A sprinkle of cheese, and the Brick isn't missing a thing. (You should try the Poorman's breakfast, too. Delicious.)

BUT -- baking needs eggs. During the Depression, you could get by with one eggshell of water substituted for one egg... but you still needed that one egg.  Amy Dacyczyn of the Tightwad Gazette will also use one tablespoon of soy flour, instead of an egg. I read about substituting psyssilium husks and flax seed, as well -- go here to find out more. 

And what do people do for Christmas? Bake cookies and cakes. Which need eggs. The average cookie recipe takes at least two -- the average cake recipe can use up to seven. 

So, if you don't have dried egg powder in your pantry (which you should), it may come up to mid-December. The demand will be strong. And you'll be out of luck. 

Could this issue be just in Colorado? I would like to say so -- but have heard from other bloggers about egg prices skyrocketing in many parts of the country. And that's not even worrying about availability.

What if I'm wrong? 

Eggs can last up to four weeks in the refrigerator. If you buy them from a farmer, they can even be stored on the counter for a week or two. (We saw eggs out on the shelves while we were visiting Ireland -- 'unwiped,' I was told.) You can even freeze them, if needed.

Don't wait. Buy your eggs NOW.