With the price of eggs — and plenty of other things — going up, it might be hard to stomach the idea of using them for holiday decorations this Easter.
The average consumer price for a dozen eggs was $6.23 in March as the country continues to grapple with a resurgence of the avian flu, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This year’s average is more than double the 2023 prices.
The sticker shock might be a bit lower in parts of Maine, where egg prices leveled out in March, but grocery prices overall are still climbing.
So, to replace egg decorating, people are getting creative, and one of the popular options is plentiful in Maine: the potato.
Smoother-skinned potatoes can be dyed with food coloring. So can jumbo marshmallows or wooden eggs.
Using paint, others are decorating rocks and egg-shaped stand-ins made from old egg cartons or papier-mache. Plastic eggs can be brightened up with stickers or permanent markers; other decorating kits are in high demand, retailers have told national news outlets.
Simple stuffed eggs are also easy to sew by hand.
Or, to have it both ways, it’s possible to make a small hole in a real egg and remove the contents for use. With some careful handling, the shell can be dyed. This blowing method is used for traditional decorative Ukrainian eggs, which are dyed in layers to create detailed designs.
