Egg Whites Getting Expensive - Ideas?

itsMcKay

I looooove egg whites! They're extremely nutritionally balanced given my macros and they taste awesome with very little seasoning. I generally do 2 whole eggs and 4 egg whites for breakfast. Or I'll mix one whole egg and 3 whites in with 2 cups chopped veggies (broccoli is my fave) and bake for a low-calorie snack/meal.

But I'm finding that, between my boyfriend and me, we go through about a dozen eggs a day. Plus any baking I might do, by the end of the month, I'm literally spending $60/month just on eggs!

I'd like to keep chickens, and will eventually, but that's even MORE expensive (food, water, dewormer, vitamins, greens, electricity for heat lamps, etc.). I've started buying them in bulk, a few dozen at a time and that's helping some. I'm also getting involved with volunteering at a local co-op that offers produce and stuff for a fraction of the cost - hoping that will help - but, in the meantime, any ideas on how to cut down the cost of eggs without actually using fewer eggs?

I know the answer might just be "nope, that's all you can do" but I don't want to be missing something obvious! Thanks for any help!

LeanButNotMean44

The obvious solution would be to buy the cartons of egg whites AND eggs so you can still have your favorite breakfast.

wilsoncl6

I hooked up with a friend that raised chickens and they always have an excess of eggs that they are trying to get rid of. However, in your case you might look for a wholesaler that sells in bulk or just buy eggbeaters egg whites (or similar product) for your egg whites instead of just buying eggs that you plan on splitting from the yolk.

jasonp_ritzert

Check out this link: http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/egg-whites.html?

From what I've noticed is that sometimes the food is worth the cost, and I find egg whites to be that. From rough number crunching, I think that egg whites give you one of the best bang's for your buck regarding protein. I don't think you are missing anything obvious.

Sean_TheITGuy

Get Chickens. Its cheaper than you think. You don't need heat lamps unless you live north of Alaska. I live in Nova Scotia, Canada. Winter temps get down to about -15'C. As long as they have a draft-free coop to get out of the wind, they'll be fine in the dead of winter well past -15. That's why we humans use their technology in our warmest arctic coats. I have a tank de-icer in their watering bucket (big enough so I only have to fill it once a week) and this uses minimal power, as it only keeps the water warm enough to not freeze. A few degrees above 0.

Food is about $15 a bag, and this lasts about a month for half a dozen hens. I've never dewormed my hens. They get a mess of pumpkin once a year (post Halloween, the markets give them away), and pumpkin seeds are a natural deworming agent. I built a 14x5 two storied coop (metal mesh covering the open bottom floor, ramp to the living space above) out of scrap lumber and chipboard for about $60 (most of that was the metal security mesh).

6 hens, like I have, give you 5-6 eggs a day for about 2 years before they start to slow down, then you can retire them to the soup pot, if you're so inclined. If you really need almonst a dozen eggs a day, I'd suggest 10-14 hens and a 10x10 small shed for your coop, with plenty of roost poles for them to get up off the floor if they want to. The roost pole that's the highest is where they'll sleep. Install a 8-10" wide board under that pole and you'll have easy cleanup, because most of their poop happens while they sleep, and a poop board in place lets you scrape it with a wide scraper right into a bucket for use in the garden.

betrishy

I buy my eggs in the large 2 1/2 dozen packages, seem to save alittle $

itsMcKay

Sean_TheITGuy: This is WONDERFUL information!!! Thank you so much! I will definitely be getting a dozen hens. This information is extremely helpful. I can't thank you enough!

---

To the point of carton whites: I find them to be about twice as expensive as eggs, so I won't be going this route. I always use the extra yolks in baking and other recipes so nothing is going to waste.

Thanks everyone for the responses!

Mr_Knight

NotMyBegonias wrote: »

But I'm finding that, between my boyfriend and me, we go through about a dozen eggs a day. Plus any baking I might do, by the end of the month, I'm literally spending $60/month just on eggs!

A dozen eggs is about 1800 calories. $60/month for 1800 calories/day, including about 150g/day of protein, is damn good value for your food dollar.

ingasmile2

Sean_TheITGuy wrote: »

Get Chickens. Its cheaper than you think. You don't need heat lamps unless you live north of Alaska. I live in Nova Scotia, Canada. Winter temps get down to about -15'C. As long as they have a draft-free coop to get out of the wind, they'll be fine in the dead of winter well past -15. That's why we humans use their technology in our warmest arctic coats. I have a tank de-icer in their watering bucket (big enough so I only have to fill it once a week) and this uses minimal power, as it only keeps the water warm enough to not freeze. A few degrees above 0.

Food is about $15 a bag, and this lasts about a month for half a dozen hens. I've never dewormed my hens. They get a mess of pumpkin once a year (post Halloween, the markets give them away), and pumpkin seeds are a natural deworming agent. I built a 14x5 two storied coop (metal mesh covering the open bottom floor, ramp to the living space above) out of scrap lumber and chipboard for about $60 (most of that was the metal security mesh).

6 hens, like I have, give you 5-6 eggs a day for about 2 years before they start to slow down, then you can retire them to the soup pot, if you're so inclined. If you really need almonst a dozen eggs a day, I'd suggest 10-14 hens and a 10x10 small shed for your coop, with plenty of roost poles for them to get up off the floor if they want to. The roost pole that's the highest is where they'll sleep. Install a 8-10" wide board under that pole and you'll have easy cleanup, because most of their poop happens while they sleep, and a poop board in place lets you scrape it with a wide scraper right into a bucket for use in the garden.

I totally agree! Keeping chickens is great if you are able to. I waited until it hit 20 degrees outside today before I opened the coop, we have a wind chill of 3 today and they are out walking around. I only have a light bulb in their coop which is just a shed converted to a coop for them. My chickens have gotten frost bite on their combs before but it had little affect on the chickens themselves. I also do not deworm or any other meds. Just feed and water.

ahamm002

Mr_Knight wrote: »

NotMyBegonias wrote: »

But I'm finding that, between my boyfriend and me, we go through about a dozen eggs a day. Plus any baking I might do, by the end of the month, I'm literally spending $60/month just on eggs!

A dozen eggs is about 1800 calories. $60/month for 1800 calories/day, including about 150g/day of protein, is damn good value for your food dollar.

I agree, it's very good value!

consideritdonemi

If you get chickens for egg laying, get the right ones. My BF wanted Silkies exclusively. While they look cool/weird, they are a smaller sized bird and not the best egg producers.