When times are tough, eggs can help.

Eggs have long been a reasonably priced, high-quality protein food.  The last of USDA’s studies comparing the cost of different protein sources rated eggs and ready-to-cook turkey as two of the best protein buys*.  In fact, the price of eggs at retail has hardly changed since 1979.  Then, a dozen Large eggs retailed for $0.845 on average across the country.  In 2001, the average retail price for Large eggs was $0.9293 per dozen – a mere 8.43 cents-per-dozen increase over 22 years.  While other food prices have skyrocketed, egg producers have used highly efficient production and management techniques to keep production high and costs low.

At these prices, Large eggs average less than 8 cents each – quite a bargain since eggs are nutrient-dense and provide a wealth of uses with only the shell for waste.  Because a dozen Large eggs weigh 24 ounces, or 1 1/2 pounds, it’s easy to figure their cost per pound and compare them with other protein foods.  The price per pound of Large eggs is 2/3 their price per dozen.  For example, if Large eggs are selling for $1.20 a dozen, they’re 80¢ a pound or at $1.00 a dozen, they’re 66.5¢ per pound.  That’s quite a bargain for the highest quality protein next to mother’s milk.

Another plus is that eggs go very well with other foods to make a nutritious meal.  It’s easy to combine eggs with grains, fruits, vegetables and milk foods that are seasonably low priced or on sale.  For menu planning, 1 egg = 1 ounce of lean meat.

It’s not necessary to buy any special equipment to cook eggs either.  For most egg dishes, the main items you’ll need are probably already on hand. 

While most egg dishes are economical, the following recipes are especially inexpensive.