Families do Easter potato hunts as rising egg prices forces tradition change

10 April 2023 , 20:30

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Potatoes can make a good canvas for Easter creativity, and are a tastier and cheaper alternative to eggs (Image: abc7)

Families across the US are shaking up their Easter traditions and ditching the traditional egg hunt for something a little more unusual - a potato hunt.

The rising price of eggs has caused many to switch things up this year, and they've discovered that potatoes make for an egg-cellent replacement.

Potatoes USA, an organization that promotes the consumption of American potatoes, has been pushing the idea of the potato hunt, which they say is not only cheaper but also tastier and less fragile than an egg.

The organization has even suggested using food colouring or paint to decorate the potatoes, just as you would with an egg.

But the fun doesn't stop there, as families can also get creative and carve designs into the inside of a potato to create a potato stamp, which can be used to make Easter-themed art on paper.

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Eggs prices have surged and families are using potatoes instead for the Easter tradition (Getty Images)

The cost of eggs has skyrocketed in recent months, with the average selling price doubling from last year.

And with the cost of chocolate also on the rise due to inflation, families are feeling the pinch this Easter.

But the potato hunt isn't just a cost-saving measure. It's also a fun way to shake things up and try something new.

Families are reporting that their kids are having just as much fun searching for colourful potatoes as they would have had to search for eggs.

The price of eggs has been affected by supply chain disruptions and labour shortages, which have contributed to an overall increase in food costs.

The price of chocolate has also increased, leaving households struggling with the Easter holidays (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Egg production has also been impacted by an outbreak of avian flu, which led to the loss of over 50 million birds in the US in 2022, according to data released by the US Department of Agriculture.

The avian flu virus can be spread through various means, including contact with wild birds and contaminated equipment.

As a result of these challenges, the price of eggs has risen sharply, with some states seeing prices nearly tripled in the last year.

Egg producers have had to raise prices in response to increased operational costs, including labour and transportation, as well as the cost of preventing avian flu.

The situation has improved somewhat since the outbreak, with wholesale egg prices falling by over 50% since December 2022, according to reports.

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However, experts warn that the virus could resurge in the spring when wild birds migrate across the U.S.

Vassia Barba