by Reed Mangels, PhD, RD
You’ve seen the headlines – “Egg Prices Set Another Record,” “U.S. Egg Prices Hit a Record High and Are Likely To Keep Climbing.” Many consumers are visiting multiple stores, trying to find the lowest price for a dozen eggs. My local supermarket is limiting customers to 2 cartons of eggs per visit.
Vegans have always found creative ways to avoid eggs. For example, there are many vegan alternatives to eggs that can be used in baking. We’ve chronicled these in Vegan Journal, on our website, in hand-outs, and on our blog.
Could these alternatives be promoted to non-vegans as a way to save money? I wondered about this, so I decided to compare prices of vegan egg replacers at a large supermarket chain in central California to the price of eggs at the same chain. I used regular, non-sale prices for all items. My informal survey was conducted the week of March 10, 2025. While prices will vary by region, by store, and other factors, there was a clear trend for vegan egg replacers to cost markedly less than eggs.
A dozen large eggs cost $10.99 making the cost of a single egg $0.92.
Some common vegan replacements for one egg for baking cost:
- 1 Tablespoon ground flaxseeds + 3 Tablespoons water $0.08
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch mixed with water $0.09
- 2 Tablespoons water + 1 Tablespoon oil + 2 teaspoons baking powder $0.18 ($0.08 for oil + $0.10 for baking powder)
- 1 Tablespoon Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer + 2 Tablespoons of water $0.19
- ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce $0.20
- 1 Tablespoon chia seeds + 3 Tablespoons water $0.24
- ½ cup puréed or mashed very ripe banana $0.29
- ¼ cup plain vegan yogurt $0.57
- ¼ cup canned pumpkin $0.64
- 3 Tablespoons Just Egg $0.90
- ¼ cup blended silken tofu $1.05
- ¼ cup puréed prunes $1.12
Of the twelve egg replacers, only 2 cost more than an egg. The others cost anywhere from 2 to 84 cents less per egg.
To read more about vegan egg replacers see:
Quick and Easy Ideas for Egg Replacers