It might be time to ditch the dozen with egg-free breakfast tacos.

The price of a carton of eggs reaches record highs, pushing for eggless solutions.

Left to right: Black Bean Taco, Papas a la Mexicana Taco and Pinto Bean and Potato Taco (Credit: Tanya Velázquez)

By Tanya Velázquez

As the sole provider for her five children, Sylvia Lopez buys three 18-packs of eggs for her family every two weeks. She tries to give each of her kids two to three eggs when she cooks breakfast, but the eggs run out fast and it has become quite costly.

Though Lopez hasn’t said bye to breakfast tacos just yet.

She has discovered new morning meals after the average price of a 12-pack of eggs reached a record-breaking high of around $4.82 this year — more than triple the average price of eggs two years ago.

“I have done chorizo and potatoes, bacon tacos, bean and barbacoa and bean and cheese,” Lopez said. “I didn’t even realize for a while that we were eating eggless tacos.”

In the United States, many families like Lopez’s have turned to more creative cooking styles as the cost of eggs placed too high of a burden on their bank accounts. The record-high egg prices are the result of the avian influenza outbreak beginning in February 2022 and continuing into this year, which has decimated the population of egg-laying hens by more than 43 million.

Managing more than 25,000 chickens on Cedar Ridge Egg Farm in Pickton, Texas, Sam Miller said the bird flu happens every season, but it has lasted longer this time than in previous years.

A new wave of the disease may soon strike again, which will leave yet another egg shortage and increased prices, Miller said.

“They’re just now getting it under somewhat of control and when we have migratory birds going back, they’re going to spread it again,” Miller said.

Traditional breakfast meats are a go-to alternative for many people who want to avoid the high cost of eggs, however, these meats can be equally as taxing for your wallet and are not the healthiest choice.

“Both bacon and chorizo you could categorize as less healthy protein options than eggs because they have a higher amount of saturated fat and a lower amount of that polyunsaturated fat and they also have a higher amount of dietary cholesterol,” said Michele Hockett Cooper, an assistant professor of nutritional sciences at the University of Texas at Austin.

Credit: Tanya Velázquez

Nutrient-rich plants like beans and potatoes, on the other hand, are more cost-efficient and health-friendly.

“The skins of potatoes are a source of fiber, source of potassium and vitamin C, so they can be a great substitute to put into a breakfast taco to bulk it up if you’re not going to have eggs,” Cooper said.

For around $3, you can buy a five-pound bag of Russet potatoes — with roughly 15 potatoes per bag — while a dozen of eggs is worth approximately $4 dollars. Though the price difference may seem small, a single potato can make two breakfast tacos while a single egg makes only one. This means an entire five-pound sack of russet potatoes can make 18 tacos more than a dozen eggs, for nearly a dollar less.

A standard, 15-ounce can of pinto or black beans can make up to eight breakfast tacos for approximately half of the price of dozen eggs and are abundantly nutritious.

“Pinto/ black beans are fantastic. They are a great source of plant protein,” said Cooper. “They also are really high in fiber, and they have some vitamins and minerals that are beneficial for health as well.”

Here are three recipes that will remind your tastebuds of Tex-Mex tradition while evading the high cost of 12-count egg cartons.

Papas a la Mexicana Tacos

(4 servings)

Ingredients:

● 1 large potato

● 1 small tomato

● ½ white onion

● 1 serrano pepper

● 1 tbsp of butter

● Pinch of salt

● Garlic salt, onion power and pepper to taste

● 4 corn tortillas

Directions:

1. Rinse and dry the potato with a paper towel before dicing it into small pieces.
2. Dice the tomato and white onion.
3. Dice and take out the seeds of the serrano pepper or leave the seed in if you want a kick of spice.
4. Cook the potatoes in butter and add a pinch of salt. Cook until they are soft or golden brown.
5. In a separate pan, sear the onions, tomato and serrano pepper together until they are soft, then add the vegetables to the potatoes.
6. Add garlic salt, onion power and pepper to taste.
7. Heat up your tortillas on a cast iron skillet.
8. Add the mix to your tortillas.

Black Bean Tacos (4 servings)

Ingredients:

● ½ 15 oz. can of black beans

● 15 oz. can of whole kernel corn

● ½ of a bell pepper

● ½ of a white onion

● 1 lime

● 2 tbsp of queso fresco

● Garlic salt, onion powder and pepper to taste

● 4 corn tortillas

1. Heat up the beans in a small pot on medium heat.
2. Dice the bell pepper and onion.
3. Sear the corn, bell peppers and onion in a medium pan.
4. Add garlic salt, onion powder and pepper to taste.
5. Add the beans and vegetable mix to your tortillas.
6. Top off the taco with queso fresco and lime juice to your liking.

Pinto Bean and Potato Tacos

(4 servings)

Ingredients:

● 1 large potato

● ½ 15 oz can of refried pinto beans

● Mexican-style shredded cheese

● Garlic salt, onion power and pepper to taste

● 4 corn tortillas

1. Rinse and dry the potato with a paper towel before dicing it.
2. Cook the diced potatoes in butter and add a pinch of salt. Cook until they are soft or golden brown.
3. Add garlic salt, onion powder pepper to taste.
4. In a small pot, heat up half of a can of refried pinto beans.
5. Combine the beans and potatoes in your tortillas.
6. Top off with the shredded cheese.

Add a twist to any of these tacos by adding your ripest avocado or your spiciest salsa.