Table Talk: What eggs-actly is going on?
Theprice of eggs has gone up due to the nationwide bird-flu epidemic. (Robert F. Bukaty/AP file)
Jennifer Chandler
A cookbook author and former restaurateur, Jennifer Chandler has been writing about food and dining for more than 25 years. In her role as the food and restaurant writer for The Daily Memphian, she covers food news, provides readers an inside look into their favorite restaurants and offers suggestions for what to order at eateries across the Memphis area.
Chandler’s stories and recipes have been featured in national publications such as Real Simple, HGTV Magazine and Woman’s World. She’s also appeared on a number of national broadcast cooking segments including Food Network’s “Dinner: Impossible” and Ducks Unlimited TV. She also hosts a radio show “The Weekly Dish” on Memphis’s NPR station WKNO-FM.
She is the author of four cookbooks: “The Southern Pantry Cookbook,” “Simply Salads,” “Simply Suppers,” and “Simply Grilling.” While she boasts a degree from Le Cordon Bleu, this Memphis native is about making real food accessible for real families.
Are eggs part of your regular order at Waffle House? Be ready to pay a little extra.
On Wednesday, Feb. 5, the national chain announced a 50-cent surcharge — per each egg ordered — in response to the soaring cost of eggs due to the nationwide bird-flu epidemic.
I, myself, have been curious about what is going on with eggs.
On my last two visits to Whole Foods, the egg section has been almost wiped out. The only options are pasture-raised and organic eggs. The grocery chain has also limited the number of egg cartons each customer can buy at a time.
“We are currently experiencing difficulty sourcing eggs that meet our strict animal welfare standards. For now, we’re limiting purchases to three cartons per customer,” said the sign on the case this past weekend.
“Fresh food is always impacted by weather and natural disasters. With issues caused by the recent freezes in Georgia, there is recovery,” grocery store owner Rick James poses said. “With the bird flu, however, there is no immediate recovery in sight.” (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian file)
Rick James, the owner of the CashSaver grocery chain, High Point Grocery and South Point Grocery, said the impact of bird flu on egg-laying chickens has been devastating.
According to the CDC, more than 153 million chickens have been infected with bird flu since January 2022.
“Eggland’s Best has stopped shipping eggs altogether,” James said.
There is some bright news.
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