This Egg Shortage Spreading Across America Is Already Making Us Hangry
The news is somehow flying a bit under the radar, but heads up: The worst bird flu epidemic in U.S. history is happening right now. According to Reuters, the virus has been detected in 21 states.
And while the virus can’t infect humans (and let’s hope that fact doesn’t change, warns The New Yorker—ack), it’s currently affecting us in a different kind of upsetting way: Namely, it’s impacting our diets.
So far, about 35 million of America’s more than 300 million egg-laying birds have had to be killed because of the epidemic, reports CNN Money. Yep, that’s more than 10 percent.
It’s an issue for egg suppliers, as well as the restaurants and stores that sell egg products. Right now, CNN Money says the bulk of the eggs affected are “breaker†eggs—a.k.a. the ones used for liquids and powders that help make, say, your breakfast sandwich. Food chain Whataburger announced that it’s limiting its breakfast hours (and, now, its egg hours) because of the shortage:
Already missing the 11pm-11am breakfast hours! #whataburger #eggshortage
A photo posted by Yliana (@yli_ali) on Jun 9, 2015 at 10:24pm PDT
RELATED: 5 Signs You Should Be Eating More Protein
Companies that use breaker egg could be turning to grocery store cartons to make up the difference, according to CNN Money, and—cha-ching—that’s how the price of supermarket eggs goes up. The latest forecast from the U.S. Department of Agriculture projected the price of Grade A large eggs in New York to be $1.60 to $1.66 per dozen; that’s up from $1.30 to $1.36 in May. The report even says that prices could rise to $1.73 to $1.87 in the fourth quarter of 2015.
It’s not just restaurants that are reacting in big ways to the shortage. H-E-B, a supermarket chain based in Texas, is rationing its egg supply:
The struggle is real. #eggpocalypse #eggshortage
A photo posted by Matthew Posey (@poseyatx) on Jun 6, 2015 at 8:10am PDT
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Have you started noticing your local egg prices jumping? There are plenty of other ways to get your morning protein fix. Learn nine tasty ways to add protein to your bowl of oatmeal, and check out five foods that have more protein than an egg anyway.