No need for panic buying of eggs
The department of agriculture says there is no need for panic buying of eggs. Photo: Unsplash

Home » EGG replacements: How to cope with SA’s egg crisis

EGG replacements: How to cope with SA’s egg crisis

South Africa is facing an egg shortage. What are you going to do without them? Here’s how to replace the ‘essential’ ingredient for recipes.

No need for panic buying of eggs
The department of agriculture says there is no need for panic buying of eggs. Photo: Unsplash

Prices have gone up, while some locals have said that eggs are becoming harder to find in stores at all. The sudden egg shortage and other poultry products is due to a serious Avian Flu outbreak, which has rendered some of SA chicken products a potential danger.

ALSO READ: ‘Chickens are celibate’: South Africans respond to egg shortage

What are you going to do without them?

Here’s how to replace the ‘essential’ ingredient with others for cooking and baking until the crisis is over.

APPLE SAUCE INSTEAD OF EGGS

If you need an egg for baking purposes, one of the first replacements for it could be apple sauce.

According to Healthline.com, apple sauce (mousse) makes a great replacement for the poultry product in baking. Because they hold ingredients together, the general ‘stiffness’ of apple sauce can be used instead of the more common ingredient.

ALSO READ: Struggling to find EGGS? Here is why

Most cake recipes will be fine with this substitute.

Yes: the apple sauce you can buy as baby food will also work!

EGG YOLK POWDER

For some types of sauces and stews, egg yolks are used to add flavour or achieve specific textures.

While South Africa doesn’t have the best access to poultry products at the moment, yolk powder is still available at most spice shops.

ALSO READ: CRACKING! Egg prices skyrocket

Yolk powder is the dehydrated and powdered product, which can be mixed into recipes the same way the regular ingredient would.

Unfortunately, it’s not going to turn into scrambled anything: it’s best as a baking substitute.

MASHED BANANAS

Also according to Healthline.com, mashed bananas can also be used as a substitute for eggs when you’re baking or making stews. While you also can’t scramble this, it makes a fine substitute for most cake recipes.

ALSO READ: Can cats eat raw eggs?

Thanks to its high nutritional content, bananas are also healthy and useful.

Add a drop of vinegar to the mashed fruit to make sure it doesn’t turn brown, as a special kitchen trick.

VINEGAR AND BAKING SODA

According to MedicalNewsToday.com, vinegar and baking soda can also be used instead of egg for baking and cooking purposes.

The chemical reaction (yes, the bubbling) caused by the mixture helps to aerate recipes, which adds to the ‘fluffiness’ you would usually require eggs for.

South Africa is facing a serious egg shortage this year, according to news reported by The South African website.

Prices have gone up, while some locals have said that eggs are becoming harder to find in stores at all. The sudden shortage of poultry products is due to a serious Avian Flu outbreak, which has rendered some of SA chicken products a potential danger.

ALSO READ: ‘Chickens are celibate’: South Africans respond to egg shortage

What are you going to do without them?

Here’s how to replace the ‘essential’ ingredient with others for cooking and baking until the crisis is over.

APPLE SAUCE INSTEAD OF EGGS

If you need an egg for baking purposes, one of the first replacements for it could be apple sauce.

According to Healthline.com, apple sauce (mousse) makes a great replacement for the poultry product in baking. Because they hold ingredients together, the general ‘stiffness’ of apple sauce can be used instead of the more common ingredient.

ALSO READ: Struggling to find EGGS? Here is why

Most cake recipes will be fine with this substitute.

Yes: the apple sauce you can buy as baby food will also work!

EGG YOLK POWDER

For some types of sauces and stews, egg yolks are used to add flavour or achieve specific textures.

While South Africa doesn’t have the best access to poultry products at the moment, yolk powder is still available at most spice shops.

ALSO READ: CRACKING! Egg prices skyrocket

Yolk powder is the dehydrated and powdered product, which can be mixed into recipes the same way the regular ingredient would.

Unfortunately, it’s not going to turn into scrambled anything: it’s best as a baking substitute.

MASHED BANANAS

Also according to Healthline.com, mashed bananas can also be used as a substitute for eggs when you’re baking or making stews. While you also can’t scramble this, it makes a fine substitute for most cake recipes.

ALSO READ: Can cats eat raw eggs?

Thanks to its high nutritional content, bananas are also healthy and useful.

Add a drop of vinegar to the mashed fruit to make sure it doesn’t turn brown, as a special kitchen trick.

VINEGAR AND BAKING SODA

According to MedicalNewsToday.com, vinegar and baking soda can also be used instead of egg for baking and cooking purposes.

The chemical reaction (yes, the bubbling) caused by the mixture helps to aerate recipes, which adds to the ‘fluffiness’ you would usually require eggs for.