Shoppers across the country are noticing something strange at the checkout: the egg case, once the cheapest protein in the store, is quietly getting expensive again.
A dozen large Grade A eggs that cost around $2 in early 2025 is now flirting with $4 or more in many cities, according to recent retail surveys.
In some parts of California and the Northeast, cartons are topping $6.
The culprit is a familiar one for anyone who lived through 2022 and 2023.
Avian flu is back in commercial flocks, and when a single hen tests positive, the entire barn has to be culled.
That means millions of birds gone from the supply chain in a matter of days.
Fewer hens laying means fewer eggs on shelves, and stores respond the only way they know how: higher prices and purchase limits.
What makes this round trickier is the timing.
Egg demand spikes every spring because of Easter baking and holiday brunches, right when supply is already tight.
Some grocery chains have started posting two-carton limits again, a sight most shoppers hoped they'd left behind.
Warehouse clubs like Costco and Sam's Club are seeing faster turnover, and discounters such as Aldi and Lidl are struggling to keep their cheaper store-brand cartons in stock.
If you're staring down a $5 carton and wondering what to do, here's the practical playbook.
First, check unit prices, not just the sticker.
A carton of 18 eggs at $6 is a better deal per egg than a dozen at $4.25.
Second, don't overlook liquid eggs or egg whites in a carton, which have stayed more stable in price than shell eggs.
Third, if you bake a lot, egg replacers made from flax or applesauce work fine in muffins and quick breads, even if they won't help you make an omelet.
Diners, bakeries, and breakfast spots that held the line on menu prices last year are now facing the same wholesale increases.
Some have already added surcharges on egg dishes, a tactic that drew complaints during the last outbreak.
If you see a 50-cent "egg adjustment" on your receipt this spring, you'll know why.
There's some good news buried in the bad.
Egg prices tend to fall fast once outbreaks are contained, because flocks can be rebuilt and restocked within a few months.
The USDA has not projected a return to record 2023 highs, and wholesale prices have already shown signs of leveling off in some regions.
That doesn't help you this weekend, but it does mean this is likely a bump, not a new normal.
For now, the smartest move is the boring one: buy the size and brand that gives you the lowest cost per egg, freeze what you won't use soon, and don't panic-buy six cartons you can't finish.
Hoarding makes shortages worse and drives prices up for everyone, including you next week.
The real lesson here isn't about eggs at all.
It's that a single virus in a single barn can ripple all the way to your breakfast table within days, and the American food supply has very little slack when things go wrong.
Final Thoughts
A little flexibility in what you cook, and where you shop, goes a long way when the shelves get thin.