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The Real Cost Of Eating Chicken Eggs
May 5, 2025
As bird flu spreads across species and around the world, the cost of chicken eggs is soaring. Prices are predicted to keep rising as millions of chickens are being killed by farmers to try and control the spread on factory farms. But it doesn’t have to be this way. We can prevent another possible pandemic, eat healthier, save animals, and protect our precious earth by switching to plant-based alternatives. Here’s what you need to know.
What is Bird Flu?
According to the Government of Canada website, Avian influenza (AI), which is more commonly known as “bird flu”, is caused by the Type “A” influenza virus. It leads to a contagious viral infection that affects many species of birds including wild birds, birds kept as companion animals, and domestic birds such as chickens and turkeys that are destined to become “food”.
Although bird flu has been spreading in North America since late 2021, recently it has become more serious and alarming. In January, the first human death from bird flu in the US was reported and in Canada, the first human case of bird flu infected a teenager in British Columbia at the end of last year.
According to the U.S. Centers For Disease Control and Prevention, “Infected birds shed avian influenza viruses through their saliva, mucous and feces. Other animals infected with avian influenza viruses may have virus present in respiratory secretions, different organs, blood, or in other body fluids, including animal milk. Human infections with avian influenza viruses can happen when the virus gets into a person’s eyes, nose or mouth, or is inhaled.”
PETA states that people who eat chicken flesh and eggs could be at risk.
Millions Of Chickens Killed
Save Money, Chickens, And Your Health
Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, endorsers of the Plant Based Treaty, state that “the fat and cholesterol found in eggs can harm heart health and lead to diabetes, as well as prostate and colorectal cancers.” They explain that based on a study, eating one or more eggs daily can increase your risk of diabetes by 60%. Another study published in Circulation in 2022 shows eating one egg a day increases your risk of dying from heart disease.
Many people have switched from eating chicken eggs to vegan eggs and alternatives due to the health issues associated with eggs as well as the extreme cruelty of the egg industry. Hens (adult female chickens) exploited for their eggs face a lifetime of misery on chicken farms – from having their beaks cut off (debeaking) to being crammed into battery cages in dark dreary sheds where they can’t even stretch their wings. Male chicks don’t have it any better as they are considered profitless by the egg industry since they don’t lay eggs. They are killed shortly after birth by being gassed, ground up alive in macerators, or left to suffocate in garbage bags.
The good news? It’s easy to swap out eggs in baked goods for vegan options and it won’t affect the taste or appearance of your homemade muffins or cakes. Some of my favorite swaps that are readily available at grocery stores and are cheaper than eggs are mashed bananas, applesauce, and ground flax or chia seeds mixed with water.
If you are craving an eggy meal, look no further than Just Egg’s no cholesterol, non-GMO eggs made entirely from plants with a similar protein content to chicken eggs. They can be whipped into delicious fluffy omelettes, scrambled, heated up in the toaster for a sandwich, or enjoyed in a tasty breakfast burrito loaded with veggies. No chickens were harmed, and there is certainly no bird flu!
“We separated the egg from the bird to end the unsustainable mass production of one of the world’s most common foods. Because the industrialized egg system sucks for our bodies, for the earth and, let’s be honest, it’s not a party for the birds either.” – Just Egg
An eggless burrito made using JustEgg (Photo: JustEgg)
Plant Based Treaty Los Angeles held a plant-based induction cooktop demo with the LA Neighborhood Council Sustainability Alliance. Attendees were so excited to try Eat Just eggs made from plants and see how easy it is to prepare! Special thanks to City Campaigner Joey Gaber for facilitating this demo with City Campaigner Sam Lau.
Made with mung means, their website states they are the only egg in the United States to receive the industry-leading Clean label Project Certification testing for antibiotics, mycotoxins, and purity. These sustainable eggs are in demand thanks in part to mounting chicken egg prices and the limits many grocery stores are putting on egg cartons.
In an interview with Green Queen, co-founder and CEO of Eat Just, (the company behind Just Egg), Josh Tetrick tells them the company is “seeing increases in sales like we didn’t see in the past”.
Green Queen’s interview with Tetrick reports, “We have some of the largest chains in the country reaching out to us – on the foodservice side, the convenience store side – saying they don’t know when this is going to end, and they want to bring in something that’s more reliable and more permanent, i.e., what we’re doing,” says Tetrick.
Do you want to grab a bite of Just Egg? Click here to download your Just Egg coupon for $1 off.
Plant Based Treaty Los Angeles team and LA Neighbourhood Council Sustainability Alliance.
Take Action With Menu And Diet Change
Plant Based Treaty teams from 26 countries and 85 cities participated in the 100 Café’s Campaign
With the spread of bird flu, now is the perfect time for restaurants, schools, hospitals, senior care homes, early childhood education centers, and other institutions to swap out chicken eggs for Just Egg on their menus. Many restaurants and schools are already serving Just Egg and interested restaurants can send them a message online for more information.
We hold the power at the grocery store. You can start with an egg swap but it doesn’t have to end there! Instead of supporting the dairy industry by buying cheese, yogurt, ice cream, and milk from animals, try delicious plant-based alternatives made with coconut, cashew, almond, rice, or soy. Instead of supporting the fishing industry try vegan seafood products like Gardein f’sh filets, and Beyond Meat is a great replacement for cow, pig, turkey, or lamb burgers – so animals can live their lives in peace, free from harm.
Animal agriculture is not only cruel to animals, but a major contributor to the climate crisis. We must take action on food systems, including the egg industry, that are responsible for biodiversity loss, deforestation, species extinction, water depletion, soil degradation and ocean dead zones. Holding the egg industry accountable will not only help stop the spread of bird flu and save millions of chickens, but lead us to a kinder world.
If you would like to support the work of Animal Save Movement and Plant Based Treaty chapters, please consider a small monthly donation. The best part is, one generous donor has agreed to match all our fundraising efforts until the end of 2025. That means for every $1 you give, we receive $2.
Miriam Porter is an award-winning writer who writes about veganism, social justice issues, and eco-travel. Miriam currently lives in Toronto with her son Noah and many rescued furry friends. She is a passionate animal rights activist and speaks up for those whose voices cannot be heard.
