This Easter weekend, it’s not the ham or perfectly coifed lamb cake busting your budget—it’s the eggs. With a dozen eggs hitting a record $6.23 last month, kids either need to get their designs right on the first try or be cool with cheaper alternatives.
Potatoes, marshmallows, and fake eggs (made of plastic) have emerged as viable substitutes, sparking a viral dyeing trend, the Associated Press reported. But be careful: One tester pointed out that the price of a food-coloring kit and a bag of mini potatoes (~$10) can actually cost more than the price of a dozen eggs and an egg-dyeing kit (~$7).
- A dozen plastic eggs costs just $2.49 at Michaels. The craft store said sales for the product are up 20% compared to last year.
- Kraft Heinz-owned Jet-Puffed also started selling a $1.99 “Dip and Decorate Dozen” kit for dyeing giant marshmallows this year.
Maybe push Easter back a few months? Wholesale egg prices fell to just $3 a dozen a few weeks ago, according to a USDA report. But it can take awhile for those prices to translate to the refrigerated aisles.
This report was originally published by Morning Brew.