Eggs are an integral part of a healthy diet. Whether they are eaten on their own as a part of a nutritious breakfast or used as a versatile ingredient for cooking and baking, eggs are a reliable source of protein and are rich in nutrients. However, prices have skyrocketed in the past weeks, making it hard for customers to justify paying upwards of $10 for a dozen eggs. The main culprit behind this meteoric rise in cost has been the rapidly spreading disease known as bird flu, which is running rampant through the poultry industry.
What is Bird Flu?
The primary cause behind this price spike, known as bird flu (also known as avian influenza), is a virus that spreads through direct contact with birds. This disease has had many outbreaks over the past decades, varying in severity. Bird flu has especially decimated these domestic birds as of late. The disease is carried by wild birds who often spread the virus to chicken and turkey. Although there have been reported cases of bird flu in humans, the current public health risk is low according to the CDC.
This virus has been spreading rapidly through large masses of domestic poultry, often wiping out full chicken populations, leading to a major drop in egg production, and higher prices for consumers.
How Does it Affect Customers?
As stated earlier, certain types of eggs have been set at absurd prices, even reaching $10 per dozen. The average price for eggs has surged dramatically, as the average dozen has risen from $2.54 in January 2024 up to $4.95 in January 2025 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
These lofty prices set due to the recent outbreak of bird flu are extremely hard for customers to stomach. Whether they are used at home or at a restaurant, eggs are frequently used in baking and cooking due to their ability to bind ingredients together. Waffle House, a popular breakfast chain, has implemented a surcharge on all menu items using eggs, increasing the price by 50 cents per egg used. Between its whooping 2,015 locations and 300 million eggs served each year, this temporary surcharge will affect its customers tremendously.
This rise in price will also affect at-home cooking and baking as well. Brendan Conroy, a freshman, remarks on the increasing prices, “I always make eggs every morning, and this bird flu bringing up prices may prevent me from doing that.”
How Does It Affect Hingham High School?
This issue of rising prices for eggs has directly affected Hingham High School through the means of the Family and Consumer Science department. Many of their more complex recipes include eggs of some sort. The soaring prices are not the only issue when it comes to creating these dishes including eggs but simply obtaining them has proven difficult for many. Many supermarkets have carried out limits on how many cartons can be purchased per customer. Orlando Vittorini, a freshman currently enrolled in Family and Consumer Science for his second semester, explains, “I have been looking forward to learning how to make fried eggs and egg drop ramen, but I am not sure if that is possible due to the rising egg prices.”
If you would like to learn about the latest updates on bird flu and its current situation, check out this link below:
