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Drew Barrymore tried recipes made with plant-based egg alternatives on a recent episode of her talk show.
The actor, host, and businessperson grew up vegetarian and frequently advocates for vegan and plant-based foods for health reasons. She has previously said that she is flexitarian.
The Drew Barrymore Show often features lifestyle segments and celebrity guests. In a clip shared on YouTube earlier this month, Barrymore was joined by co-host Ross Mathews, actor Valerie Bertinelli, and the journalist and sustainability advocate Danny Seo, who demonstrated some of the different options for egg-free cooking and baking.
Barrymore tasted a simple omelet recipe made with chickpea flour, and Seo also showcased meringue pieces made with whipped aquafaba. He added that a mix of white vinegar and baking soda, ripe bananas, and ripe avocados can each replace eggs in “really sweet” recipes like muffins, and the group all sampled cookies prepared using applesauce.
“I think that I personally would like to find some egg alternatives,” said Barrymore, and highlighted the currently “astronomical” price of eggs caused by the US bird flu epidemic. At the end of the clip, Seo announced that audience members would each receive a USD $100 grocery gift card from Just Egg, which he described as “another great alternative to eggs.”
Read more: Drew Barrymore Partners With Quorn To Make Plant-Based Meat More Affordable
US egg crisis and the growth of egg alternatives
Demand for egg alternatives is growing rapidly in the US in the midst of high prices and shortages of traditional eggs. Brands such as Just Egg have responded by increasing production, and some have dropped prices to make vegan options more widely accessible.
Josh Tetrick, the CEO of food tech company Eat Just said that January sales of the Just Egg brand grew at five times the rate of the previous year. Fifty-six percent of shoppers have also returned to buy more, representing a three-point increase from 2024, and the company has had large foodservice brands and stores reaching out for something more “reliable.”
The Guardian reported today that more than 50 New York bodegas have rolled out something called the “Bird Flu Bailout” initiative this week, a concept created by Just Egg and Plantega, a plant-based New York deli chain. The initiative encourages New Yorkers to order their usual bacon, egg, and cheese sandwiches with Just Egg, thereby avoiding shortages and high prices.
Read more: Think Free Range Eggs Are Ethical? Investigation Exposes Reality Of ‘Cage-Free’
