Egg prices have finally started to fall

The price of eggs has started to decline, largely due to a significant drop in demand. High prices for the last year and a half have forced many consumers to find alternatives.

A report from the Department of Agriculture found the average price of a dozen eggs is $4.90, down from $8.64 on March 5.

Datasembly, which tracks grocery prices in real-time, reports the egg price decline occurred earlier. It puts the highest price on Feb. 23, with a 1.3% decline by March 2, as illustrated by the graph below.

Source: Datasembly
Egg prices have surged because of a nationwide outbreak of bird flu, which resulted in the deaths of millions of hens. The virus is most severe during the fall and winter months.

The USDA Market Report issued on Friday called underlying trends of egg prices “sharply lower” and consumer demand “light to occasionally moderate.”

The high price of eggs has caused widespread consumer angst because they are a popular source of protein. Dr. Bethany Agusala, assistant professor of internal medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center, says there are other more reasonably-prices foods high in protein.

Protein alternatives

“Eating more meat might seem like the easiest way to step up your protein,” Agusala wrote in a blog post on Newswise. 

“It’s important to remember that the trade-off can be a higher intake of cholesterol and unhealthy fats – and that’s not good for your heart. Mix up your protein sources to get the complete “protein package” – sorry, eating bacon or burgers every day isn’t what we’re talking about here.”

Agusala said consumers should vary their animal proteins with meals based on fish, seafood, and skinless chicken or turkey. She said people often underestimate the amount of protein in plants such as beans, chickpeas, and lentils. 

She added that beans, tofu, and tempeh have more protein than eggs and some meats, and they also provide dietary fiber, which feeds our good gut bacteria, promotes healthy digestion, and can help lower cholesterol.