Here’s Why Egg Prices Are Rising + Where to Still Find Cheap Eggs!
Shocked at the recent rising egg prices? You aren’t alone!
Ever think you’d pay more for a carton of eggs than a gallon of gas? 🍳
If you’ve visited the grocery store recently, you may have noticed that egg prices are up – way up. The new average cost of a dozen eggs is around $4.25 according to this chart from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, though anecdotal data from readers sure makes it seem much higher.
(Image taken from this Hip2Save Facebook post from a reader in Georgia)
According to a recent article, egg prices in Houston have more than doubled and according to some readers and team members, the doubling has happened overnight in some cases. In California, consumers are paying around $7.37 a dozen. 😱 And experts predict consumers will have to wait at least 3 to 6 months before prices reverse.
What is causing the increase in egg prices?
So if last November the average price for a dozen eggs was $1.72, why are prices just a year later more than double, triple, or even quadruple that amount?
The price of eggs is being driven up due to a lack of supply, which is unfortunately due to the deadliest outbreak ever of avian flu. 💔 Over 50 million birds died as a result of the outbreak, most of them were egg-producing hens.
On top of the tragedy, prices continue to be impacted by inflation. Energy, transportation, and feed continue to be impacted by higher prices and that gets passed on to you – the customer.
Are there any ways to save on eggs?
So far, it seems that Sam’s and Costco have good prices but their supply may vary. Other readers have mentioned Kroger, Winco, and Trader Joe’s as having the lowest prices near them.
If you do see a good deal on eggs and want to stock up you can hard boil your eggs to make them last up to an extra week, or you can freeze eggs to make them last up to a year (though they won’t be as fresh after 4 months).
Here are a few prices we’ve seen at our local stores (Walmart & Costco are winning in our area)…
Walmart Great Value Eggs 6-Count – $3.13
Walmart Great Value Eggs 18-Count – $7.87
Walmart Great Value Eggs 36-Count – $16.02 or $5.34 per dozen
Walmart Great Value Eggs 60-Count – $19.98 or $4 per dozen
Target Good & Gather Dozen Eggs – $5.29
Target Good & Gather Eggs 18-Count – $7.69
Sam’s Club Sun Up Farms Eggs 180-Count – $67.06 or $4.48 per dozen
Sam’s Club Sunny Meadow Eggs 36-Count – $13.56 or $4.52 per dozen
Costco Kirkland Eggs 24-Count – $8.29 or $4.15 per dozen
Here’s what Hip2Save readers had to say about egg prices near them:
“$4.99 for 2 dozen at our Costco in Tallahassee, Florida. They were fully stocked.” – Allisa, Hip2Save reader
“Just left Costco in Los Angeles. $5.99 for 2 dozen.” – Deanne, Hip2Save reader
“Lowest I’ve seen is Kroger for $3.55. I’m in Ohio.” – Sarah, Hip2save reader
“$2.99 at Trader Joe’s is the lowest I’ve seen.” – Brittany, Hip2Save reader
“Winco in my neighborhood had them for 75¢ a dozen. I stocked up.” – Jacob-Kiki, Hip2Save reader
Another option for saving on the price of eggs is to buy from a local farm near you which may be able to offer you a good deal. Also, if you have friends or family that are homesteaders, they may be willing to sell you some eggs.
Some Hip2Save readers even have chicken coops of their own. You can find a chicken coop for under $200 on Wayfair. The good news is if you’re able to free-range your chickens, you can save on high-priced feed made from corn. Owning chickens is not a decision to make lightly though as you’ll be responsible for caring for your pets.
If you’re intrigued and wondering whether this avenue may be right for your family, you can try renting a coop and chickens. Companies like Rent The Chicken provide these services. This may not save you money but the experience may be worth it.
Here’s what HIp2Save readers had to say about their chicken coops:
“We get eggs from our chickens. We sell them for $2-3 a dozen. Check with your local homesteaders! We often have 5-6 dozen in the fridge, and our girls haven’t slowed laying, despite the bitter cold!” – Andrea, Hip2Save reader
“Feeling grateful for my chickens these days, the price of groceries, in general, is crazy!” – Jennifer, Hip2Save reader
“We’re a family of 7, soon to be 8, so I can’t imagine a life without our chickens.” – Catherine, Hip2Save reader
If you know of a good way to save on eggs, share them with your fellow Hip readers in the comments below.
Don’t miss our tips for how to save on groceries!
I have owned my own chickens for years and interestingly while egg prices in the stores have gone up, the price of feed near me has not
So glad to hear that you haven’t experienced rising cost on the chicken feed, selover6! I have a friend that has chickens as well and they have mentioned that it has gone up near them by about $10! It really is interesting on how the cost of items can vary by location. ❤️
I found buying/using more eggs is a bit cheaper! When its 8 for 18 or 13$ for 30 we opt for the 30 here in central Colorado! We just passed a law on the first that all colorado eggs must be free-range so thats hitting us twice as hard.
Thanks for sharing about the egg cost in your area, Casey! Glad you’ve been able to save by buying larger quantities! 💕
Last time I saw experts’ prediction on price drop, was 3 to 6 months ago. Now is another 3 to 6 months.
Hoping we might see a price drop or some great deals on eggs soon, Winnie! 🥚🤞❤️
If you ever saw the living conditions of chickens that are not free range or even better pasture raised then you would never want to buy cheap eggs. Its horrible how they are treated. Chickens die and are left to rot while the other chickens just walk on them because there is no where to go. They are jammed up in a very small confined area. No daylight. So kudos to Colorado. I will gladly pay the higher price for pasture raised chickens that produce the best eggs.
Exactly. Chickens feel pain and they are put through horrendous conditions and have horrible lives, most never seeing the light of day. Buying cheap eggs means you are feeding into a system of animal abuse.
Paid $2.79 a dozen yesterday for large eggs at Meijer which is the regular price.
Awesome! Thanks for letting us know the price at your grocery store, Tracy! 🤗🥚
It’s over $5 a dozen here in Minnesota.
Thanks for sharing the price in your area, Emily! ❤️
Our Costco in Coon Rapids, MN is $6 for 2 dozen.
I paid $15.99 for 5 dozen at Costco yesterday (in MiChigan).
Thanks for the price update in Michigan, Klp! Good to know! 🥚💓
Another way to save is by making substitutions for eggs when you’re cooking. If you’re baking a cake for example, 1 egg can be swapped out for 2 tablespoons of corn starch. (Applesauce, banana and carbonated water are also great substitutes.)
Great idea, Kimberly! Thanks for sharing these helpful suggestions and tips about swapping out eggs! I’ve had to do this a few times in the past, but forgot about them! We sure appreciate it! 💖
Try Aldi. They always have great prices on dairy and eggs.
Thanks for sharing your recommendation, JanetVB! Good to know where you’ve spotted egg deals at! 🙌💓
They used to but not any more. They are $4.39 a dozen for large eggs here which is more expensive that Kroger, Walmart Target and Meijer,
I have had good luck finding eggs at a nice price at Walgreen’s. Ours has a Kroger Express grocery section and they go half price frequently.
SWEET! Thanks for sharing that suggestion, Kellie! I never thought to personally look at Walgreens for eggs! I’ll be sure to keep my eyes out there! 🤗💕
Why does it show 19 comments but I am not able to see any of them?
So sorry for the issues! We are checking into this with the H2S app and working on an update to help fix this! You might try to delete and re-install it, to see if that helps! If you’re still having trouble, you might copy and paste the link to this post – https://hip2save.com/news/rising-egg-prices/, into your mobile browser to view the comments. Hoping this helps! ❤️
Thanks for this! I just paid $5 for a dozen near Charlotte NC last night. I will need to check out Costco to see if they are any cheaper. Breakfast has always been a cheap dinner for us…the cost of eggs changes that.
You’re welcome, Carrie! Hoping you’re able to spot them in your Costco store! 🤞❤️
Yes! Houston has been crazy although they have come down a bit. Kroger has them cheapest that I’ve seen, and I felt glad to be back after a trip to Midway, Utah where I paid almost $9 for 18!
Thanks for sharing where you’ve spotted the best price at near you, stefaniecoll! Good to hear that they seem to be coming down a bit in price there! 🤗💓
Natural Grocer’s (a health food store) has free range eggs for $2.99 a dozen if you are a member (which is free to do).
Thanks for that tip, Sue! 🙌
Eggs keep 4 to 6 weeks past the date on the carton so stock if you see a sale. Ingles in the SE is still putting them on sale from time to time and they give raincheck if they are out. Cartons of liquid egg whites still seem to be reasonable and 1/4 cup can be subbed for a whole egg. Or add some to beaten eggs to extend them for scrambled eggs. You can freeze whole cartons so stock up if you see a sale.
Thanks a bunch for the helpful suggestions on how to stretch egg purchases, Lana! I’ll have to remember these! I do have eggs on my grocery list!
Everybody’s all like, “My eggs are $xx” and I’m still over here flabbergasted over the idea that you can RENT A CHICKEN. 😱🤣🤯
LOL! That tip took me by surprise too! 🤣 I bet my kids would love the experience.
At our Costco it is $8.99 for 2 dozen Organic Pasture Raised eggs. Which is a good deal for that type of eggs here.
Thanks for sharing! I don’t have a Costco, but I’ll have to check my BJ’s for a similar deal! 👀
Ridiculous inMinnesota, juat paid 23$ for 60 eggs.
We have chickens but they don’t lay in the winter when the temps drop. Also the cost of chicken feed has gone way up so buying chickens is definitely not worth it. My Costco has 24 eggs for $6.49. They are 4.99 for 12 at aldi. Aldi is no longer cheap I find better prices at Kroger since Aldi hiked prices.
The best tasting eggs ever are called “CONSIDER” and Consider Pastures are located in New Hampshire. They are cage-free and take a holistic approach to chicken farming. If you live in Florida, they are only available at WINN-DIXIE.
I sent the company an email and told them how much I liked their eggs, and don’t mind paying more for the quality and taste. They responded back promptly and were pleased with my comments. So I eat less eggs due to the cost, so then when I do eat eggs, I enjoy them immensely!
Kroger has good prices especially when they have coupons for them. I usually get my eggs from a neighbor usually free but am willing to buy them if needed from her. Her chickens are always at our house because my brother feeds them. They follow them all around it is so funny to watch.
Buy eggs from local chicken raisers. This is what I’m doing. Not the grocery store. Also the eggs bought in store have usually been in their possession for quite longer than what you think. Farm fresh eggs is all I have to say
Side note – if you buy local from a farmer, ask for the eggs UNWASHED. The natural film that is on eggs protect them for weeks (months), and can be kept unrefridgerated. We are accustomed to Clean eggs, of course they look pretty, but UNWASHED is the way to go.
https://blog.whiteoakpastures.com/blog/washed-vs-unwashed-eggs#:~:text=The%20difference%20between%20washed%20vs%20unwashed%20eggs&text=Large%20commercial%20egg%20producers%20spray,open%20to%20potential%20new%20bacteria.
So interesting! Thanks for sharing these details, Mary! I never knew that!
Absolutely correct. In other countries all over the world, eggs are just kept out on the shelf at stores and home. Rinsing your eggs off does not remove the barrier, so you can clean off your eggs. However, you need to make sure they are able to dry afterward or they can grow fungus, etc. Do not scrub the eggs either to wash or dry. The natural coating on the egg keeps air out of the egg, which is what causes the egg to go bad. To check if your eggs are good or not, put them in a glass of water. If they float get rid of them. If they don’t, they are good no matter what the date on the package says. You can also coat your eggs in oil to create a barrier and preserve them.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22417448/
I just paid $8.65 for 18 eggs at King Soopers in Colorado!
$9.19 for 18 extra large eggs at Publix in SW Florida
Weird how so many things are happening to our food supply!
$6.48 for 18 pasture raised eggs at my Sam’s in NC! A better deal than buying the cheapest ones at the grocery stores here.
This Easter should be loads of fun
Use plastic eggs for easter egg hunt!
Check with your local egg distributer. My local distributer has a retail store where you can purchase a flat of eggs(2 1/2 doz.) for $8.
Thanks for sharing that helpful tip, Rachel! Good to know! 🙌🥚
I think i will pass on eggs for now 🙁
At my Kroger, the grocery brand is $5 but the free range brown eggs only $4.50! I guess I,l’llhave to buy the good stuff!
In our area it seems like the “budget” stores are getting more demand, the prices are rising, and they’re almost always sold out. So I’m learning to buy eggs in unexpected places. I was shocked this week when our Walmart was sold out of 5.79/dozen eggs and then the same day Whole Foods had full shelves of 3.29/dozen eggs.
What a weird time to be alive.
Just stop buying eggs for a month and the price will fall drastically. I have talked to other people that has big farms and price of feed in Ohio has not gone up very much. The stores you are buying from is just raising the prices because they know you will pay it for the items you love. So just stop buying the item.
I have a question about the suggestion of hard boiling eggs to extent life. Since raw eggs last at least 4 to 6 weeks in the fridge and hard boiled eggs are only good for a week is it best to use any eggs that are about to expire and hard boil them to give them one more week on top of the maximum life of a raw egg?
Yes, that’s a great suggestion, Barbara! Another way to extend their life would be to freeze them. You can find more information about that here.💕
It’s like the tshirt says, they’re “like gold.”
https://www.etsy.com/listing/1402810088/like-gold-chicken-eggs-unisex-softstyle?click_key=9c87d2d12d584e19b66615ab7df3d3642804a39e%3A1402810088&click_sum=6f0fec58&ref=shop_home_active_1