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.
Topics
Sunrise Memphis Ryan Trimm CashSaver Rick James Memphis Health Department Subscriber OnlyAre you enjoying your subscription?
Your subscription gives you unlimited access to all of The Daily Memphian’s news, written by nearly 40 local journalists and more than 20 regular freelancers. We work around the clock to cover the issues that impact your life and our community.
You can help us reach more Memphians.
As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, we provide free news access at K-12 schools, public libraries and many community organizations. We also reach tens of thousands of people through our podcasts, and through our radio and television partnerships – all completely free to everyone who cares about Memphis.
When you subscribe, you get full access to our news. But when you donate, you help us reach all Memphians.
Pay it forward. Make a fully tax-deductible donation to The Daily Memphian today.
Thank you for reading the local news. Thank you for investing in our community.
Related stories
Mocktails — plus N/A beer and wine — are having a moment
The sober and sober curious movements have made a mark, especially on restaurant and taproom menus.
‘Little bits of beauty’ bestowed at 17 Berkshire
Memphis’ own 17 Berkshire is one of 20 bakeries nationwide to be recognized this year by the James Beard Awards.
Tiny restaurant allows couple to offer personal touch
When chef Drew Bryan at Blue Honey Bistro heard he was a James Beard awards semifinalist, he texted back one, disbelieving word: “Ha!”
Want to comment on our stories or respond to others? Join the conversation by subscribing now. Only paid subscribers can add their thoughts or upvote/downvote comments. Our commenting policy can be viewed here.