Eggs are an versatile, nutrient-rich and essential ingredient in many of our favorite dishes and baked goods. From cakes to cookies, omelets to quiches, eggs provide moisture, binding agents, and flavor. Unfortunately, egg prices have been steadily rising over the past few years due to a number of factors, including a limited supply of chickens and increased demand from around the world.
If you’re looking for ways to cut costs without skimping on your favorite recipes, there are plenty of alternatives that provide similar texture and nutrition without breaking the bank! Let’s take a look at why egg prices have risen so much and some creative solutions you can use to replace them.
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Why Are Egg Prices So High?
Before we dive into the best egg substitutes for baking, let’s take a look at why egg prices have risen so much lately. It all comes down to supply and demand. In 2020, avian influenza (AI) outbreaks led to reduced chicken populations in many countries around the world. This led to a decrease in the availability of eggs and consequently drove up the price of eggs worldwide.
This is also due to inflation and rising grocery prices worldwide. The cost of raw ingredients, from flour to sugar and eggs, is constantly going up due to the increasing costs of production and transport. This makes egg substitutes even more important for bakers who want to stick to their budget without sacrificing flavor or texture in their recipes.
Reasons Why People Substitute Eggs In Recipes
Eggs are a nutrient-rich food, but there may be other reasons besides the high cost of why you want to find alternatives for them. Some individuals have egg allergies, making them unable to consume recipes that contain eggs. Others may follow vegan or vegetarian diets that do not include animal products in their meals. Whatever your reason is for finding an egg substitute, the good news is that there are plenty of options available!
Best Egg Substitutes
The good news is there are plenty of substitutes that can be used instead of eggs when baking. Here are the three most popular options:
Banana
For each egg required in a recipe, use 1/4 cup mashed banana instead. The banana will add sweetness and moisture without affecting flavor too much. Keep in mind that if you use banana as an egg substitute you may need more leavening agents like baking powder or baking soda depending on the recipe’s other ingredients.
Applesauce
Use 1/4 cup applesauce for each egg needed in your recipe; it will also add sweetness but won’t affect the overall flavor too much. You may need more leavening agents when using applesauce as well since it doesn’t contain as much protein as eggs do which helps with rising during cooking or baking processes.
Yogurt
Plain yogurt is an excellent substitute for one whole egg; just use 1/4 cup per egg needed in your recipe—this will add moisture and richness without affecting taste too much either! Again, you may need additional leaveners depending on what else is included in your recipe so keep this in mind when using yogurt as an egg replacement!
Egg Substitutes for Baking
Baking is one area where eggs are often essential ingredients, so finding an affordable alternative can be tricky. Fortunately, there are plenty of great options out there that can provide similar results without breaking the bank. For example, mashed bananas or applesauce work well as binders in cakes or muffins while silken tofu is perfect for adding moisture and body to brownies or cookies. You could also try using ground flaxseeds mixed with water as an egg replacer, which also adds additional nutrition to your baked goods!
Egg Substitutes for Cooking
If you’re looking for something more savory than sweet, there are still plenty of great egg substitutes out there that can add flavor and texture to your dishes without costing too much money. Chickpea flour is a great option here; when mixed with water it creates a thick paste that can be used in omelets or frittatas instead of eggs. You could also try using mashed potatoes or cooked quinoa if you’re looking for something heartier than chickpea flour. Plus, both quinoa and potatoes offer additional nutrition benefits compared to eggs!
Creative Egg Substitutes
In addition to the most popular egg substitutes, there are many more options for bakers on a budget. Here are some other creative solutions:
- Aquafaba – Aquafaba is the liquid from canned chickpeas or beans which has proteins and starches that can act as binding agents in recipes like meringues or marshmallow-like fluff. Use 3 tablespoons of aquafaba for each egg needed in your recipe.
- Flax Seed Meal – For each egg, mix 1 tablespoon ground flax seed meal with 3 tablespoons of water and let it sit for a few minutes before adding to your batter or mixture. Flaxseed meal is high in healthy fats but also contains binding agents like starches and proteins.
- Arrowroot Powder – Arrowroot powder is a great substitute for eggs because it mimics the texture of eggs without adding any flavor. To replace one egg, mix 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder with 3 tablespoons of water and let sit for a few minutes before adding to your recipe.
All Egg Substitute Options
To rehash all of the above egg substitute options plus add some additional egg alternatives, here are all of them in alphabetical order as well as what measurement you should use as substitution for one egg. Please note that you may need to add water to some options as noted.
- Applesauce – 1/4 cup
- Agar Agar – 1 TBsp + 1 TBsp water
- Aquafaba – Three tablespoons
- Arrowroot Powder – One tablespoon + 3 tablespoons water
- Avocado – 1/4 cup
- Bananas – 1/4 cup mashed
- Buttermilk = 1/4 cup
- Carbonated Water – 1/4 cup
- Chia Seed – One tablespoon + 3 tablespoons water
- Chickpea Flour + Oil – 2 TBsp + 1 tsp oil + 2 TBsp water
- Commercial Egg Replacer – One teaspoon + 2 TBsp water
- Cornstarch – 2 tablespoons + 2 tablespoons water
- Flax Seed Meal – One tablespoon + 3 tablespoons water
- Gelatin – 1 TBsp dissolved in 1 TBsp cold water + 2 TBsp boiling water
- Flour – 3 tablespoons + 3 tablespoons water
- Lemon Juice + Baking Soda – 2 TBsp lemon juice + 1 tsp baking soda
- Milk – 1/4 cup
- Mashed Potatoes – Two tablespoons
- Nut Butter – Three tablespoons
- Oil + Baking Powder -1 tsp vegetable oil + 2 tsp baking powder + 2 TBsp water
- Peanut Butter – 3 tablespoons
- Prune – 1/4 cup pureed
- Pumpkin – 1/4 cup
- Quinoa
- Silken Tofu – 1/4 cup pureed
- Sour Cream – 1/4 cup
- Soy Lecithin – One tablespoon
- Soy Protein Powder – 1 TBsp + 3 TBsp water
- Sweet Potatoes – 1/4 cup pureed
- Vinegar + Baking Soda – 1 TBsp vinegar + 1 tsp baking soda
- Yogurt – 1/4 cup (plain flavor)
Conclusion
If you’re looking for ways to cut costs without sacrificing quality when it comes to baking, try using one of these alternative ingredients instead of eggs! Luckily there are several egg substitutes out there that work just as well (and sometimes even better!) than eggs without costing too much money. Whether you’re baking sweet treats or cooking up savory dishes, these alternatives will help keep your grocery budget under control while still providing delicious meals everyone will love!
