As if grocery shopping for Thanksgiving dinner wasn’t already stressful enough, a new shortage has left shoppers seriously on edge. Across the country, people have begun to notice a shortage of eggs in supermarkets (seems like we just can’t escape egg drama).

On Reddit, there are numerous reports of either soaring egg prices or empty shelves at grocery stores in Chicago, Kansas City, Colorado, and more.

“Noticed that Trader Joe’s was almost completely out of eggs (Chicago) when I went shopping yesterday, assumed it was a pre-Thanksgiving thing,” read one comment on Reddit.

“Damn we’re at $8/dozen in Colorado. I have my own backyard flock though so haven’t had to buy eggs in a year,” another person added.

Once again, avian influenza appears to be the culprit when it comes to the latest egg shortage. In a statement released earlier this month, the Wildlife Management Institute confirmed that the virus has been identified in numerous outbreaks.

“Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5) viruses have been detected in U.S. wild aquatic birds, commercial poultry and backyard or hobbyist flocks beginning in January 2022. As of November 7, 2024, the HPAI A(H5) viruses have been identified in 1,198 outbreaks in 48 states since 2022,” the statement read.

With Thanksgiving around the corner and Christmas in a matter of weeks, experts warn that the avian flu is getting worse.

“From ducks and geese in Hawaii and dairy cows in California to human cases in the U.S. and a severe human infection in Canada, it’s clear that the avian influenza outbreak is getting worse, not better,” Sam Scarpino, PhD, director of AI and life sciences at Northeastern University in Boston, told Fox News Digital.

If you are unable to get your hands on a carton of eggs before you start baking for the holiday, there are a number of egg substitutes you can use. These ingredients range from commonly known swaps like unsweetened apple sauce and mashed bananas to unexpected replacements like aquafaba. Best of luck!

Lettermark

Danielle Harling is an Atlanta-based freelance writer with a love for colorfully designed-spaces, craft cocktails and online window shopping (usually for budget-shattering designer heels). Her past work has appeared on Fodor’s, Forbes, MyDomaine, Architectural Digest and more. 


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