CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Rising egg prices are cracking into many wallets, leading some to look for cost-saving hacks for kitchen staples.
The latest Consumer Price Index shows the cost of eggs has risen nearly 60% in a year's time. The average price in the U.S. for a dozen large white eggs hit an all-time high last month at $4.25, impacting households and small businesses alike.
Economists blame the surge in egg prices on the 2022 avian flu, as well as inflation.
Some are sharing a Facebook post, recommending people buy their eggs in bulk to save money and preserve those eggs for weeks to come in the freezer.
The post tells users to crack an egg into each slot of an ice cube tray and freeze. Then, thaw eggs and use them as needed.
This hack claims to preserve eggs for up to a year.
The tactic checks out, according to the USDA's website, which says eggs can be stored for up to one year in the freezer -- but they must be out of the shell.
The agency says whites and yolks can be beaten together and then frozen, or whites and yolks can be frozen separately.
Egg whites tend to freeze better than yolks, while frozen yolks tend to become more syrupy in texture, the USDA says. It recommends freezing four yolks with a pinch of salt and one and a half teaspoons of sugar or corn syrup.
Grocery store Harris Teeter is limiting customers shopping online to three cartons of eggs, in 12- and 18-count. Those limits might not automatically apply to in-person shoppers at stores.