As parents across America celebrateEaster,soaring egg priceshave made way for an unlikely hero to emerge in the supermarket aisles.
Egg prices sent some parents into panic as their Easter egg hunts were about to be costly or sparse, but some creative parents floated out the idea of dyeing potatoes instead.
One TikTok user, Julia Pacheco, shared the hack and demonstrated how they approached dyeing potatoes for the holiday.
'With egg prices the way they are this year, we are dyeing potatoes,' the user said. 'These are way cheaper to make.'
'They look so similar to normal dyed eggs,' she added.
The dyed potatoes were made by the user in a similar fashion to dyeing eggs, she peeled the spuds and dipped them in dye.
Another plant-based user, plantbasedonabudget, promoted the change in tradition, not only as a vegan option, but also as a way to dodge high egg prices.
'I know its tough to change traditions but they're cheaper, they don't break and they won't stink up your yard if you miss one,' she said.
Egg prices sent some parents into panic as their Easter egg hunts were about to be costly or sparse, but some creative parents floated out the idea of dyeing potatoes instead. Pictured: Eggs for sale at a grocery store in Los Angeles, California
'With egg prices the way they are this year, we are dyeing potatoes,' TikTok user Julia Pacheco said. 'These are way cheaper to make'
The dyed potatoes were made by the user in a similar fashion to dyeing eggs, she peeled the spuds and dipped them in dye, while others opted to paint the potatoes
Other creative parents opted for dyeing marshmallows instead while many social media users painted the potatoes for a fun Easter activity.
The Craft Patch posted on Facebook and shared a link to a recipe for dyeing potatoes, the user wrote: 'Skip those expensive eggs and dye potatoes for Easter instead!'
But the creative swap hasn't been sold to everyone, as comments on the blogger's hack had many suggesting to toss the tradition as a whole.
'How about skip the eggs completely,' one comment said.
Another wrote: 'Or just use plastic eggs and fill them with goodies.'
'We've used and reused plastic eggs in our family for years. We didn't want to waste good food, even when it was cheap.'
'Price of potatoes is pretty high these days. I vote for rocks,' another quipped.
However, the idea was a creative and fun alternative for some who were looking to escape the high prices of eggs.
One comment on Facebook said:'Kids don't care what they're hunting for. Fun is fun!'
'I know its tough to change traditions but they're cheaper, they don't break and they won't stink up your yard if you miss one,' another TikTok user said
'Oh absolutely I will not be spending $8 a dozen at Easter for eggs to dye. Great idea,' one user said.
'Kids don't care what they're hunting for. Fun is fun!'
'My kids are egg allergic, and this is fantastic. Thank you so much,' one wrote.
Another said: 'Well, since I can't even stand the smell of hard boiled eggs.... works for me!'
Sky-high egg prices have also been blamed on inflation and the outbreak of avian flu since 2022, which has become the deadliest in American history with over 150 million birds killed.
Emily Metz, chief executive of the American Egg Board, an industry marketing firm, told WSJ that many egg producers have struggled to repopulate their flocks because even young birds, or pullets, are killed by the flu.
'Farmers know people are frustrated and they are frustrated too by the situation,' Metz said.
'They know they are not able to put on the volume of eggs that people want.'
Sky-high egg prices have also been blamed on inflation and the outbreak of avian flu since 2022, which has become the deadliest in American history with over 150 million birds killed
Egg prices in the US had not seen such a spike since the last bird flu outbreak in 2015, which accounted accounted for roughly two-thirds of the total increase in food costs in January,
As prices of a dozen eggs hit double figures in many places across America, the industry and authorities have recently taken steps to bring costs down.
Last month, the Agriculture Department said it plans to invest up to $1 billion to address the price of eggs, including $500 million to improve biosecurity.
Farmer advocacy organization Farm Action has also urged lawmakers and enforcement agencies to investigate a potential egg pricing conspiracy.
In February, the group penned a letter to the Federal Trade Commission alleging that egg producers were purposefully slowing the repopulation of egg-laying hen flocks to restrict the supply and maintain record high prices.
Egg producers also recently lost a lawsuit that alleged they limited the supply of eggs to keep prices high, as a federal jury in Chicago ruled late in 2023 that Cal-Maine, Rose Acre Farms, United Egg Producers and U.S. Egg Marketers restricted egg supplies between 2004 and 2008.
They found the suppliers limited their produce through early slaughters and restricting the populations of their henhouses.
It comes after egg prices hit record highs last month, and they sat at over the record low of $2.04 per dozen that was recorded in August 2023.
Egg prices in the US had not seen such a spike since the last bird flu outbreak in 2015, which accounted accounted for roughly two-thirds of the total increase in food costs in January, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
