Dyeing and decorating the shells of hard-boiled eggs in bright colors has long been a tradition in the U.S. and is often an activity done by families with children. However, the sky-high prices of eggs this year have forced many people to get creative with the Easter tradition.
Potatoes, marshmallows, and rocks. In recent weeks, ideas and tutorials about how to adapt the Easter tradition to the current egg shortage have popped up on social media and the Internet. One of the most popular suggestions has been dying baby potatoes, which are cheap and easy to find.
Substituting eggshells for potatoes also has some advantages. As USA Today notes, potatoes require less dye to take on a vibrant color. Additionally, if you use food coloring, there’s no harm in cooking up the potato after your Easter egg hunt and turning them into a tasty side.
Potatoes aren’t the only idea rolling around out there, though. Some have also suggested dying and decorating marshmallows, plastic eggs, rocks, and pasta. One food blogger posted a video showing people how to make and decorate peanut butter chocolate eggs. The finished product has garnered more than 64 million views across Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.
Why do we dye eggs for Easter? Dyeing eggs has been popular throughout history for people of different countries. Eggs represent an important symbol in many cultures and are often associated to the creation myths of the universe. They can symbolize life, renewal, and rebirth.
Experts say that Easter became associated with painting eggs in the 13th century. At that time, eggs had become a symbol that represented the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Furthermore, since eating eggs was forbidden during Lent, the four days leading up to Easter, people would decorate eggs to celebrate the end of this period.
The price of eggs. The average price for a carton of eggs in the U.S. was $6.23 in March, an all-time record high. The U.S. has faced a rising egg shortage in recent years, driven primarily by a bird flu outbreak and inflation, the latter of which has driven up the cost of chicken feed, fuel, and labor.
An enduring tradition. It looks like people aren’t letting the high price of eggs get the way of their traditions, even if they have to adapt them. PAAS, an egg-dyeing company that sells Easter kits every year, said it had already sold more 20% more kits than at this time last year, The New York Times reported. PAAS sells more than 10 million kits each year.
The crafts store Michaels also reported that its egg-dyeing kits were selling like hot potatoes. A Michaels representative said that sales of two of its kits are up 20% compared to the same time last year.
Joe Ens, the CEO of Signature Brands, PAAS’ parent company, explained that dyeing eggs for Easter every year is like buying a Christmas tree.
“The experience reminds people of the joyful experiences they had in their own childhoods and people want to keep that alive,” Ens said.
Image | Homo studio | Jason M
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