Have you checked the price of eggs lately? At my local Aldi, a dozen eggs is now going for $5.98. It’s mind-boggling. I still remember not too long ago buying eggs at the same store for 50 cents a dozen. Back then, it honestly felt like I was getting away with something—like those prices couldn’t possibly last. And, well, they didn’t.
Now, there’s a lot more to this than just inflation or supply chain issues. For example, here’s an interesting connection (or non-connection, depending on how you look at it). Did you know flu vaccines are commonly cultured in chicken eggs? The FDA, in fact, was supposed to hold a meeting this week to decide on flu shot formulations for next season, where experts analyze projections and data from the prior year to figure out which flu strains are likely to cause the most trouble. This kind of decision has to happen well in advance because the selected virus strains are grown in fertilized chicken eggs. The process allows the viruses to multiply and produce enough material to turn into vaccines that, ideally, protect us all when flu season rolls around.
Now, to be clear, I’m not trying to draw a direct line between egg prices and flu vaccine production—it’s not some tangled conspiracy. But still, it’s hard not to pause and take notice of how all these things seem to be spinning together. You have soaring egg prices, flu shots being prepped in those very same eggs, and the absolute chaos caused by bird flu. It sometimes feels like we’re living in a mad science experiment.
Here’s what we do know for sure, though. Bird flu is wreaking havoc. It’s devastating bird populations, spilling over into certain mammals, and putting humans on edge. It’s also making eggs—a staple protein source that has been affordable for as long as I can remember—harder for many people to justify buying. That’s the frustrating irony. Eggs have always been one of the most accessible, low-cost sources of protein out there, and now they’re a luxury item for some households.
And then there’s what this means for vaccine production. If bird flu keeps disrupting poultry farming, we’re not just talking about pricier breakfasts. We’re talking about potential challenges in producing enough flu vaccines to meet demand in the years to come. It’s the bird flu hitting us from all sides—not just in our grocery budgets but in public health, too.
There’s no neat bow to wrap on this situation, but it’s worth paying attention to. Eggs are suddenly more than just that affordable staple for scrambled breakfasts or baking cookies. Right now, they’re at the crossroads of food security, public health, and even global challenges like disease outbreaks. It just goes to show, sometimes the simplest things—like a carton of eggs—can start to feel pretty complicated. Anyhow, there's very little to shell-abrate right now. I haven't cracked a smile or felt like yolking ever since I first saw this news. I am not saying I'm chicken but I am pretty clucking nervous right now. (Yes, when in doubt, I make absolutely terrible puns. We are Def-Pun 2 right now.
February 21- (Night 33) My husband bought us some pizzas. Mine was supposed to be pepperoni and cheese and calabrian pepper which sounded AMAZING. I was picturing that the pizza would have visible peppers on top that could be removed in case of extreme spiciness. They were apparently incorporated into the sauce and they were FIRE hot but intensely delicious. I topped my pizza slices with a squiggle of balsamic vinegar glaze and went to TOWN on them.
I woke up at approximately 2 am in absolute gastric agony. I am the last adult woman in my line with a functioning gall bladder and I really thought for a few minutes, "This is it. This is my gall bladder dying. I have to wake DH and have him take me to the ER. Goodbye pizza and burgers, adios cheesy nachos. GOOD BYE CRUEL WORLD. But then I started burping and as I burped I felt better. I felt pretty gross, to be sure, but the intense pain was subsiding. I can only imagine this is how Charley and Uncle Joe felt, coming down from the Fizzy Lifting Drink.
February 22 - (Night 34) We went over to the in-laws for our monthly dinner delivery. We visit my husband's mom and dad and bring all the stuff to make dinner. We choose a different country every month to "visit" by preparing a special dish from that culture. February was Spain so we made paella. One of the children that lives at my in-laws has a seafood allergy, so we had to forgo the traditional shrimp and mussels, so all we had was chicken thighs and chorizo. I did find real arborio rice and saffron, so at least that part was correct. I also used tomatoes from my garden and parsley as well. It was a big hit, everyone liked the meal, the kids even had seconds. Next month will be Ireland in honor of St. Patrick's Day.
February 23 - (Night 35) Sunday, Sunday, Sunday. We took our younger kid to Disney and ate at Tony's Townsquare, the restaurant from Lady and the Tramp and the famous spaghetti and meatballs scene. It was great, lovely meal, really garlicy garlic bread and the spaghetti and meatballs were pretty good. The best part was they seated us where we could watch the parade from our table. So nice!
February 24 - (Night 36) Monday - I had my older daughter bake off every potato we had left in the house for a future night. They were starting to sprout, so they needed to be used up immediately. Meanwhile, I was taking the younger kid from one rehearsal to the next back to back and flying across town, as you do sometimes. That meant dinner on the road, so the kid got a strawberry matcha drink and a turkey pesto sammy from Starbucks. I made do with a protein box and a vanilla latte.
February 25 - Tuesday - (Night 37) More rehearsals! I took the baked potatoes from the previous night and turned them into mashed potatoes with lots of cheese and butter. I made a simple cottage pie filling with ground beef, onions, celery, corn, and green beans and topped it off with the taters. The cottage pie baked off while I picked the kid up from school, and that was dinner Tuesday.
February 26 - (Night 38) Wednesday, two rehearsals back-to-back and a 2 hour volleyball practice. Dinner on the road again. I had a cheese plate at a local taproom while waiting at rehearsal numero dos and the kid got Taco Bell from rehearsal 2 on the way to volleyball practice. Husband and other daughter finished off the cottage pie. Why is it cottage pie and not shepherd's pie you ask? No lamb. Beef = cottage pie.
February 27 - Thursday. (Night 39)ONLY ONE REHEARSAL which meant I could cook another night. I defrosted 4 chicken thighs and made some homemade dressing/stuffing. I bake off bread scraps on low heat and make my own stuffing mix all year round, so I can easily make dressing when I want. Stuffing to me, is stuffed inside something, usually a turkey or a chicken, whereas "dressing" is baked off separately in a pan. This nuance may not be the same in your area, please tell your diary about it, and don't tell me. I am tired of people telling me I am wrong, when in actuality, I am just different. Ok. So I sauteéd carrots, celery (from the garden) and onion and added that to the bread mixture, then added chicken broth, butter and seasonings to the mix. I browned my seasoned thighs on all sides in an oven-safe skillet. I added a bag of frozen sliced potatoes and cut green beans to the chicken (once browned). I poured in a cup of prepared chicken gravy and topped the chicken and most of the surrounding vegetables with the dressing I had made. Then I baked everything at 350ºF for about 40 minutes. It was basically a one pot meal, and was totally delicious.
February 28 - Friday - (Night 40) Tomorrow we have no plans for dinner except for staying in because we have a 7 am call time for the volleyball tournament the very next day. Maybe we will do pizza again, except I will not order the extra spicy pizza and I will take a Zantac first.
1, 421 nights left.
#KeepGoing
No comments:
Post a Comment