The price of eggs

[mattl]

I am doing some much needed closet cleaning, well one of 14 or 15 that need to be gone through.  Anyway part of the issue is that my mother was an inveterate recipe and article clipper, There are 10's of thousands of clippings from the mid '40s to early '90s plus a lot of asssorted magazines in little used closets and spaces.  Anyway found a newspaper clipping from 1959, on the  back side of a recipe was a store add.  One of the items listed was eggs $.30

 

I found that a bit shocking since as of late I've been buying eggs at Kroger for $.49.  Pulled up an inflation calc and it turns out .49 today was .06 in 1959.  So there is one thing that is cheaper today then back then.

 

Tossed out a bunch of Sphere magazines from the mid '70s, published by Betty Crocker, guess they did not have much of a run. Tossed a bunch of Family Circle, Ladies Home Journal, Mcalls and on and on.  Did keep the BHG as I have pretty much a complete set from 1946 to 2010, no idea what I will do with them though.

 

[supersuds]

I have a problem of sorts collecting old magazines. It’s very relaxing to read them at bedtime, when it’s important to get offline so your brain can produce melatonin (or something like that.) But they do pile up and get in the way.

Eggs are amazingly cheap now. It’s hard to see how anyone makes money in that business.

 

[rickr]

I buy farm fresh eggs at the local farmers market. They are $3.00 per dozen, and worth it. The .99 cent eggs are priced that way because of the cruel way the laying hens are treated. There is a huge difference in taste, and colour in the eggs as well.

 

[sudsmaster]

Eggs around here are generally at least $3/dozen. Sometimes they go on sale for $2/dozen. Rarely for $.99/dozen. It's ok, they are still relatively cheap. And I do love eggs; lately mostly hard-boiled in a Chefmate automatic steamer contraption. Over easy with a side works too. Lately been doing low carb diet so eggs are good. Hash browns are out.

 

Eggs may be more expensive in California due to recent laws (I think!) that stipulate minimum increased space per chicken. I think.

 

I have some friends who keep chickens, and I've thought of doing that as well. I saw a fun little chicken coop at a local home improvement store last week. On sale, normally $250, cut to $180.  But for that price I could probably buy a whole year's worth of eggs. LOL. But there doesn't seem to be anything too complicated about  it, I could probably build one myself if I had the plans.

 

 

 

[mattl]

I've tried various eggs did not find the difference too be that much better to warrant the extra cost.  been trying to eat more eggs to get my cholesterol up, my brother's is 75, mine 90, ideally we should be at about 125.  guess we have some genetic abnormality.

 

One of my cousins works for Herbrucks, one of the largest egg producers.  She indicated the cheap eggs come from the same cage free hens the higher priced one do.  This is the result of the pressure to eliminate "caged" hens.  The free range eggs are different, but they don't do them as far as I know.

 

Along with the $.49 eggs, milk has been $1.49/gal, but has crept up close to $2.

 

[mikael3]

I pay up for eggs and milk both. I don’t trust cheap eggs—what are they doing that allows them to sell the eggs for less than the cost of the carton?  It’s actually disturbing.  I buy expensive milk because I like the taste—Amish, grass-fed, non-homogenized, low-temperature vat-pasteurized milk.  That’s a lot of words to say, “what I used to drink as a kid.”

 

[toploader55]

I don't trust any food that is cheap. It is cheap for a reason. Ever think what is in a 2 for $5 sandwich ? Box of Chicken Pulp with fries for $3-4 bucks ?

If Freshly Ground Hamburg averages around $3.50 - $4.00 a lb, and you see fast food selling 2 for 3 dollars, think about the quality of the roll let alone the meat.

 

[tomturbomatic]

If you have a library, senior citizens center or related place, please check with them to see if they might be interested in these old magazines, either for resale in the library's shop, generally run by a "friends of the library organization," if they have one, or for reading materials in a seniors' center. Also, please check with local thrift stores to see if they accept back issues of magazines. I don't know why they would not.

 

[mattl]

I "trust" the cheap eggs.  My cousin is a microbiologist at the egg producer and is a stickler on all things done on the production line.

 

[daveamkrayoguy]

With my AMKrayo Mr. Happy Sausage Link!

Cheap eggs..., EGG-spensive varities..., what IS best to go with?

Me, I agree, don't spend more on these things that are fragile, break easily, promote cholesterol, have to have the date watched on, to me, hard to boil, but for making, baking, of course what I never tire of eating, and even eat on a daily basis, and have a record-thousand different ways to make and enjoy!

And how I'd always wanted to try BLUE ones of, (even for $7.99, a throw!) did:

-- Dave

 

[bradfordwhite]

a couple weeks back found a half doz. for 50 cents at walmart.

Was looking to make ice cream but never used them.

I'll probably scramble them and add some ham or bacon pieces, green pepper, diced tomato, some cheese., and oregano, hopefully before the go bad.

 

[bradfordwhite]

As for the books

I hope you find someone to take them.
My experience is with more stuff being e-books and available online, the thrift stores and other places don't want them. They are difficult to sell or even give away.
They are recyclable though.

It used to be you'd go to a thrift store and they'd have lots of books. One really doesn't see that much. And when was the last time you saw a used book store? Those used to be all over the place.

 

[sfh074]

I don't see how ....

they can grow them, collect them, refrigerate them, truck them, stock them ..... and sell them .... for 7 cents an egg.

I wonder what the grower makes after all his bills are paid? Maybe a couple of pennies per egg?

 

[sfh074]

30 cents .....

in 1959 is equal to $2.65 today.

I bet in 1959 you didn't have to worry about the eggs being genetically modified either, so those eggs didn't have to be marked organic! Well, way before the word organic even came into vogue!

The cheapest organic eggs I can find today are $3.80 a dozen. So I would say 30 cents back then ($2.65 in todays dollars) was still not bad for "non-tampered with" eggs back then.

I myself don't find a taste difference between organic marked eggs and eggs unmarked. So I buy the 7 cent eggs and use them in most dishes we prepare. We use a lot of eggs. And I don't feel so guilty tossing out the egg yokes in nearly half of all the eggs we use at that price.

Frankly, I am tired of walking up to the egg aisle (or any other food produce for that matter) and wondering if the eggs un-marked with the new religion word "organic" .... selling for $1 is organic or not. Beside it is a carton of eggs marked organic for nearly 5 bucks. Just because it is unmarked in no way confirms that the contents isn't organic.

I mention this because I read an article not too long ago where a company that produces canned beans sold the same pinto beans under 2 different labels so they covered both the "I don't care" and "got to have only organic" markets. The pinto beans this canner used were certified non-GMO. So the same beans, packaged under 2 different labels, 2 totally different prices! 77 cents vs $1.89 were the noted prices that the author cited for this particular article. [this post was last edited: 11/17/2019-11:06]

 

[combo52]

No One Has Ever Been Harmed By Eating GMO Foods

GMO foods are allowing millions of people worldwide to eat healthy food including nearly every American.

 

99% of everything we eat including 1959 eggs are greatly modified from what eggs were like that were found under a wild chicken 200 hundred years ago.

 

World population numbers need greatly reduce if the human race is to survive, but eating Non GMO foods makes pollution and climate worse for everyone else.

 

John L.

 

[mikael3]

I have no fear of consuming GMO foods.  However, the environmental side effects concern me deeply. 

 

Foremost, many (most?) of the modifications are designed to create strains resistant to pesticide, which then allows massive and indiscriminate pesticide dumps that wreck the surrounding areas.  This has been reported on, but not much.

 

Second, various insect and disease-resistant modifications have proven to be short lived since—no surprise—it takes only about 10 years for the pests to evolve around the GMO design.  All the promise of future unlimited supply must face the same long-term realities of real plants.

 

Third, after the pests and diseases have evolved and essentially become super-bugs, any natural defense in the real environment will be completely ineffective.  This has not gotten a lot of attention, and there are claims that the fears are overblown.  Maybe, but what about 30 years from now when the plants are on their 4th GMO design and the pests are at their 4th level of resistance? 

 

Another point that angers me is the hubris in all of this.  We are constantly reminded that scientists have addressed all the questions and concerns.  As my grandmother said years ago about trans-fats (i.e. margarine), scientists have addressed all the questions and concerns they thought to ask, but they haven’t addressed the ones that they didn’t think to ask.

 

 

 

[mikael3]

Many apologies for participating in the extended off-topic posts. 

 

On topic, it would be a shame not to find a library that’s interested in having them.  But I’m afraid that’s not really feasible. 

 

[bradfordwhite]

lunch


I wrote it and then did it.

3 scrambled eggs, shredded mozzarella cheese, 2 strips pre-cooked bacon, diced green onions, diced tomatoes, oregano, tablespoon of 1%, teaspoon of black pepper, and a little butter on pan so it won't stick... as much.

Has anyone seen the figures on how many chickens are butchered daily in the U.S.?
Nearly 25 MILLION.

That's not per month or year, that's per DAY.  Incredible.  9 BILLION a year.  Frankly, if it were only a fraction of that, it would be stunning to me.  I can't imagine.  It is the most highly farmed meat product.  It far outpaces everything else.

 

There's also an old slide from about 10 years ago about all the meats processed around the world.  I can't even imagine the numbers.  But something had to be done to feed the world's growing population.  Thank-goodness the world populations is slowing.

 

[mattl]

No apologies needed!  That is a one thing I love about this site- it's like talking with friends and one thing leads to another.  I belong to a few moderated sites and the minute the topics stray it get shut down - not here.

 

I learn a lot from stuff that veers off topic and truly enjoy the wealth of knowledge shared. Truth be told I started this topic as sort of jumping off point, and enjoyed reading all the comments on eggs and the rest.

 

[vacerator]

Bab's!

It's 10:30, wher's that egg man? I just know he's not gonna come. I'm hungry Bab's!

 

[toploader55]

#18
WOW.Was that Desperate Living or Pink Flamingos ? I can't remember

 

[petek]

Pink Flamingos

We pay from $1.99 to $2.99 for a dozen eggs.. a little more for browns, and a lot more for organics.Being as I don't eat a lot of meat I usually eat 3 or 4 each morning so they don't last long.

 

[sudsmaster]

Recently at Costco: white, Extra Large, AA grade: $3.79/two dozen.

 

That works out to (let me get out my super computer): $1.90/dz. That's the best regular price for eggs I've found in this area.

 

Occasionally a store like Lucky's, or FoodMax, will have a dozen large eggs on sale for $.99. If I need eggs, I'll get those. But frankly two dozen eggs can last a while in the fridge.

 

As for GMO foods... I also am not particularly GMO-Phobic. However I think there might be some unintended consequences, such as GMO corn altered to make it tolerant of Round-Up. Which means the farmers can spray the corn plants with Round-up to kill the weeds. I suppose no traces of Roundup are to be found ion the mature corn... but...?

 

I believe I've also read some theories that GMO foods can contain allergens that non-GMO foods don't have. Forget where I read that, maybe I imagined it.

 

 

[sudsmaster]

Margarine...

I remember when margarine was promoted as being more healthy than butter because it didn't contain animal fat. Then in the 70's I remember watching Julia Child dish on margarine, stating that she would only use butter (or lard), never margarine. Who knew she was so right about that? Most margarine in those days was loaded with trans fats, which are way more unhealthy than butter ever was.

 

So yeah, science is great as long as it asks the right questions. In the case of margarine, sadly, the right questions were not asked. I wonder how many cases of heart disease were the result of that.

 

 

[toploader55]

GMO...

Like everything in life, it's a choice.

If you choose to eat something that has been created in a lab and that is resistant to the most carcinogenic weedkiller on the planet have at it.

I myself do everything to avoid the grim reaper oncologists. Born in the mid 50's, I can remember produce and food products going bad after a few days or so. Seems strange that you can buy conventional produce and Dairy lasting up to a month without spoilage.

Sorry folks, For me there is really no head scratching on that. Wasn't it Monsanto that coined the motto in the mid 60's... "Better living through chemistry" ?

No Thanks, isn't it sad how we cannot drink tap water in most areas these days ? We now have to filter it, or buy bottled water these days. So glad the government watch dogs are hard at work.

And to get back on topic, I buy Pete and Gerry's Eggs for $6.49 for 18 eggs at BJs as we do not have a Costco on Cape.

 

[mrboilwash]

I`m glad eggs from caged hens have been outlawed in the EU.
Always felt bad when I bought them, but feeling bad doesn`t help those poor creatures and we all know that in the end it`s the cheap price that matters to most consumers.

Eggs are still dirt cheap, a carton of 10 cage free is 1,19 €
Freerange (the hens are free to go outside) is 1,99
The cheapest organic eggs are 2,69 for 10[this post was last edited: 11/18/2019-09:27]

 

[iheartmaytag]

I have paid as little as .46 for dz eggs at Walmart recently.  I gave $1.19 at Dillons last week.  What I prefer is when my neighbor gives me eggs from his chickens.  Now those are the absolute best.

 

[mattl]

I use butter exclusively except for my Christmas kolachy there it's only lard.  that and I've gone back to corn oil from blends and such.  That and olive oil are my basics. 

 

I generally stock up on butter when it's $1.99/lb, 12 lbs will last me 4-6 months.  Lately I have notice a bit of price creep.  Basics, like the eggs in this discussion have gone up to $.79, milk was $1.59 gal now is $2.14 and so on.  I looked at Libby's pumpkin at Kroger's and it was $4 can - sticker shock.  I'll go to Sam's and see what they have it for.  Tried the Aldis version of pumpkin, it was hit and miss - one can was very watery the second seemed OK.  Not worth trying again for the holidays, I'll get Libby's.

 

[mikael3]

I’m gonna sound like one of those crazy people, but I cook my own pumpkins for pies.  I don’t use the canned stuff.  In the autumn, I buy a bunch of little pie pumpkins, quarter them, cut away the seeds and membrane, and bake them <span style="text-decoration: underline;">covered</span> at 350 for 2 hours.  I let them cool in the pan overnight, then I pour off any accumulated water and push the soft pumpkin off of the hard shell.  Then I blitz the pulp in the food processor, and stick the purée into the freezer in 2-cup containers, since 2 cups make a pie.

 

Mini pumpkins are cheap, but the yield is only about 1 c pumpkin purée for each whole pumpkin, so don’t expect a tremendous quantity out of this procedure.  Also, the finished purée is a bit watery, no matter what you do; it still works in recipes, though.

 

[mattl]

I had thought about that, but a bit late to buy pie pumpkins around here. 
Libby's has always been fine, never watery as one of the Aldi cans was, so I'll stick with it.