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Build an Eggless Backup Plan Before You Need One
Eggs are one of those ingredients we tend to take for granted.
We fry them for breakfast, put them into cakes and biscuits, use them in meatloaf, rissoles, pancakes, muffins, quiches and all sorts of everyday meals. They are so useful that when eggs suddenly become expensive, hard to find, or disappear from the supermarket shelves altogether, it can feel as though half the menu has disappeared with them.
But it hasn't.
There are plenty of good, economical foods we can make without using a single egg.
And that's why I think every Cheapskates household should have an eggless backup plan.
Not because we need to rush out and buy six dozen eggs.
Not because we need to panic about shortages.
Simply because being able to switch ingredients and recipes gives us choices.
That's what preparedness is really about.
We fry them for breakfast, put them into cakes and biscuits, use them in meatloaf, rissoles, pancakes, muffins, quiches and all sorts of everyday meals. They are so useful that when eggs suddenly become expensive, hard to find, or disappear from the supermarket shelves altogether, it can feel as though half the menu has disappeared with them.
But it hasn't.
There are plenty of good, economical foods we can make without using a single egg.
And that's why I think every Cheapskates household should have an eggless backup plan.
Not because we need to rush out and buy six dozen eggs.
Not because we need to panic about shortages.
Simply because being able to switch ingredients and recipes gives us choices.
That's what preparedness is really about.
Preparedness Doesn't Always Mean Stockpiling
When we talk about building a prepared household, it's easy to immediately think about storing more.
More tins.
More flour.
More meat in the freezer.
More toilet paper.
And yes, sensible reserves are valuable.
But there is another form of preparedness that costs very little:
knowing what to do when something isn't available.
If eggs become expensive, we use fewer eggs.
If they are unavailable, we cook meals that don't need them.
If butter becomes expensive, we have recipes that use oil.
If fresh milk is difficult to find, we know how to use powdered milk.
If meat prices shoot up, we have lentils, beans and meat-stretching meals ready to go.
That ability to substitute, adapt and carry on is incredibly valuable.
So rather than waiting until eggs are $10 or $12 a dozen and wondering what on earth we're going to cook, let's build our alternatives now.
Here are ten economical egg-free recipes and meal ideas worth having in your Cheapskates repertoire.
More tins.
More flour.
More meat in the freezer.
More toilet paper.
And yes, sensible reserves are valuable.
But there is another form of preparedness that costs very little:
knowing what to do when something isn't available.
If eggs become expensive, we use fewer eggs.
If they are unavailable, we cook meals that don't need them.
If butter becomes expensive, we have recipes that use oil.
If fresh milk is difficult to find, we know how to use powdered milk.
If meat prices shoot up, we have lentils, beans and meat-stretching meals ready to go.
That ability to substitute, adapt and carry on is incredibly valuable.
So rather than waiting until eggs are $10 or $12 a dozen and wondering what on earth we're going to cook, let's build our alternatives now.
Here are ten economical egg-free recipes and meal ideas worth having in your Cheapskates repertoire.
1. Eggless Pancakes
Pancakes don't actually need eggs to be delicious.
A simple batter made from:
Add cinnamon, vanilla or mashed banana if you have them.
Serve with jam, golden syrup, stewed fruit or a little cinnamon sugar.
Keep on hand: flour, powdered milk, sugar, oil and golden syrup.
This is also a very handy breakfast when the fridge is looking decidedly bare.
A simple batter made from:
- self-raising flour
- milk or made-up powdered milk
- a little sugar
- a little oil or melted butter
Add cinnamon, vanilla or mashed banana if you have them.
Serve with jam, golden syrup, stewed fruit or a little cinnamon sugar.
Keep on hand: flour, powdered milk, sugar, oil and golden syrup.
This is also a very handy breakfast when the fridge is looking decidedly bare.
2. Porridge With Fruit and Cinnamon
Porridge has always been one of the best budget breakfasts.
Rolled oats are inexpensive, filling, easy to store and incredibly versatile.
Cook them with water, milk or powdered milk and add whatever you have:
Keep on hand: rolled oats, powdered milk, dried fruit, cinnamon and brown sugar.
And if everyone in the family likes something different, set the toppings out and let them make their own combination.
Rolled oats are inexpensive, filling, easy to store and incredibly versatile.
Cook them with water, milk or powdered milk and add whatever you have:
- sultanas
- chopped dried apricots
- stewed apples
- sliced banana
- cinnamon
- brown sugar
- honey
- golden syrup
Keep on hand: rolled oats, powdered milk, dried fruit, cinnamon and brown sugar.
And if everyone in the family likes something different, set the toppings out and let them make their own combination.
3. Homemade Muesli or Overnight Oats
Another easy egg-free breakfast is homemade muesli.
Start with rolled oats and add whatever is economical:
Or turn the mixture into overnight oats by soaking it in milk in the fridge.
No cooking, no eggs and no expensive breakfast cereal required.
Keep on hand: oats, dried fruit, coconut, powdered milk and whatever seeds or nuts fit your grocery budget.
Start with rolled oats and add whatever is economical:
- sultanas
- chopped dried fruit
- sunflower seeds
- coconut
- chopped nuts
- powdered milk
Or turn the mixture into overnight oats by soaking it in milk in the fridge.
No cooking, no eggs and no expensive breakfast cereal required.
Keep on hand: oats, dried fruit, coconut, powdered milk and whatever seeds or nuts fit your grocery budget.
4. Fruity Tea Cake
This has become one of my favourite examples of how little we really need to bake something delicious.
Our Fruity Tea Cake uses just three basic ingredients:
2 cups cold tea
2 cups mixed dried fruit
2 cups self-raising flour
That's it.
No eggs.
No butter.
And it makes a lovely moist fruit cake that can be sliced for morning tea, afternoon tea or lunchboxes.
You can also use fruit juice or flavoured milk instead of the tea for different versions.
This is exactly the sort of recipe I want tucked away in my recipe collection when everyday baking ingredients become expensive.
Keep on hand: self-raising flour, dried fruit and tea.
Three very ordinary pantry ingredients suddenly become cake.
That's Cheapskating.
Our Fruity Tea Cake uses just three basic ingredients:
2 cups cold tea
2 cups mixed dried fruit
2 cups self-raising flour
That's it.
No eggs.
No butter.
And it makes a lovely moist fruit cake that can be sliced for morning tea, afternoon tea or lunchboxes.
You can also use fruit juice or flavoured milk instead of the tea for different versions.
This is exactly the sort of recipe I want tucked away in my recipe collection when everyday baking ingredients become expensive.
Keep on hand: self-raising flour, dried fruit and tea.
Three very ordinary pantry ingredients suddenly become cake.
That's Cheapskating.
5. Eggless Chocolate Cake
Every household needs an emergency chocolate cake.
And fortunately, some of the easiest chocolate cakes don't contain eggs at all.
A basic eggless chocolate cake can be made from:
Don't worry — the finished cake doesn't taste like vinegar.
This style of cake has been around for generations and is sometimes called a Depression Cake or Wacky Cake because it was designed for times when eggs, butter and milk were difficult or expensive to obtain.
Rather appropriate, really.
Keep on hand: flour, cocoa, sugar, bicarbonate of soda, vinegar and oil.
And fortunately, some of the easiest chocolate cakes don't contain eggs at all.
A basic eggless chocolate cake can be made from:
- flour
- sugar
- cocoa
- bicarbonate of soda
- vinegar
- oil
- water
- vanilla
Don't worry — the finished cake doesn't taste like vinegar.
This style of cake has been around for generations and is sometimes called a Depression Cake or Wacky Cake because it was designed for times when eggs, butter and milk were difficult or expensive to obtain.
Rather appropriate, really.
Keep on hand: flour, cocoa, sugar, bicarbonate of soda, vinegar and oil.
6. Eggless Jam Drop Biscuits
Biscuits don't always need eggs either.
A basic economical biscuit dough can be made with flour, sugar and butter or margarine, with a splash of milk if needed to bring the mixture together.
Roll into balls, make a little indentation in the centre and add a small spoonful of jam.
Bake until lightly golden.
Suddenly you have a tin of homemade biscuits without sacrificing precious eggs.
You could also flavour the dough with:
A basic economical biscuit dough can be made with flour, sugar and butter or margarine, with a splash of milk if needed to bring the mixture together.
Roll into balls, make a little indentation in the centre and add a small spoonful of jam.
Bake until lightly golden.
Suddenly you have a tin of homemade biscuits without sacrificing precious eggs.
You could also flavour the dough with:
- vanilla
- lemon zest
- cinnamon
- coconut
- cocoa
7. Potato Cakes or Vegetable Patties
When we're looking for economical meals, potatoes deserve a place near the top of the list.
Cook and mash potatoes, then mix with leftovers such as:
Shape into patties and cook in a lightly greased frying pan until golden.
Serve with vegetables, salad, baked beans or tomato relish.
They're also a great way to use leftovers that might otherwise disappear into the bin.
Keep on hand: potatoes, flour or cornflour, herbs and a few tinned or frozen vegetables.
Cook and mash potatoes, then mix with leftovers such as:
- grated carrot
- corn
- peas
- chopped herbs
- grated cheese
- leftover cooked vegetables
Shape into patties and cook in a lightly greased frying pan until golden.
Serve with vegetables, salad, baked beans or tomato relish.
They're also a great way to use leftovers that might otherwise disappear into the bin.
Keep on hand: potatoes, flour or cornflour, herbs and a few tinned or frozen vegetables.
8. Lentil Bolognese
One of the easiest ways to prepare for higher food prices is to become comfortable with a few good meatless meals.
Lentil bolognese is cheap, filling and very pantry friendly.
Use:
Add grated carrot, zucchini or other vegetables when they're available.
Serve over pasta and you've got a hearty family meal without eggs or meat.
Keep on hand: lentils, pasta, tinned tomatoes, dried onion, garlic and Italian herbs.
Lentil bolognese is cheap, filling and very pantry friendly.
Use:
- lentils
- tinned tomatoes
- onion
- garlic
- herbs
- pasta
Add grated carrot, zucchini or other vegetables when they're available.
Serve over pasta and you've got a hearty family meal without eggs or meat.
Keep on hand: lentils, pasta, tinned tomatoes, dried onion, garlic and Italian herbs.
9. Bean and Vegetable Nachos
This is another meal that can almost entirely come from the pantry.
Cook together:
Add cheese, sour cream, yoghurt or avocado if you have them, but the basic meal doesn't depend on any of those extras.
It's cheap, filling and very forgiving.
Keep on hand: beans, tinned tomatoes, corn, rice and Mexican-style seasonings.
Cook together:
- kidney beans, black beans or baked beans
- tinned tomatoes
- corn
- onion
- taco seasoning or your own spice mix
Add cheese, sour cream, yoghurt or avocado if you have them, but the basic meal doesn't depend on any of those extras.
It's cheap, filling and very forgiving.
Keep on hand: beans, tinned tomatoes, corn, rice and Mexican-style seasonings.
10. Pasta With Homemade Sauce
Pasta is one of the most useful backup foods we can keep.
There are dozens of egg-free sauces that can turn a packet of pasta into dinner.
Try:
Dinner doesn't always need to be complicated.
Sometimes a packet of pasta, a homemade sauce and some vegetables is exactly what we need.
Keep on hand: pasta, flour, powdered milk, herbs, spices and tinned tomato products.
There are dozens of egg-free sauces that can turn a packet of pasta into dinner.
Try:
- tomato and herb
- garlic and oil
- lentil tomato sauce
- creamy white sauce
- cheese sauce
- curry sauce
- tuna and tomato
- mushroom sauce
Dinner doesn't always need to be complicated.
Sometimes a packet of pasta, a homemade sauce and some vegetables is exactly what we need.
Keep on hand: pasta, flour, powdered milk, herbs, spices and tinned tomato products.
Build Your Eggless Backup Pantry
Have a look at those ten ideas and you'll notice something interesting.
We don't need ten completely different sets of ingredients.
The same inexpensive basics appear again and again.
A useful little Eggless Backup Pantry could contain:
We don't need ten completely different sets of ingredients.
The same inexpensive basics appear again and again.
A useful little Eggless Backup Pantry could contain:
|
rolled oats
plain flour self-raising flour cornflour sugar cocoa powdered milk cooking oil vinegar bicarbonate of soda pasta |
rice
dried lentils tinned beans tinned tomatoes dried fruit jam herbs spices dried onion garlic powder potatoes |
Most of these foods store well and can be used in ordinary meals, so we're not buying strange "emergency food" that sits untouched for five years.
We're simply making our everyday pantry a little more flexible.
We're simply making our everyday pantry a little more flexible.
Start Practising Before You Need To
This is the important part.
Don't print an eggless recipe, put it in a folder and assume you'll remember it when you need it.
Make it now.
Choose one egg-free breakfast this week.
Make one eggless cake or biscuit recipe.
Add one egg-free dinner to your next meal plan.
Find out which recipes your family actually enjoys.
There is absolutely no point storing ingredients for a recipe everyone hates.
Once you find something that works, add it to your regular recipe rotation.
Then when eggs are expensive or unavailable, you're not suddenly trying to learn a new way of cooking.
You're simply making something you already know.
Don't print an eggless recipe, put it in a folder and assume you'll remember it when you need it.
Make it now.
Choose one egg-free breakfast this week.
Make one eggless cake or biscuit recipe.
Add one egg-free dinner to your next meal plan.
Find out which recipes your family actually enjoys.
There is absolutely no point storing ingredients for a recipe everyone hates.
Once you find something that works, add it to your regular recipe rotation.
Then when eggs are expensive or unavailable, you're not suddenly trying to learn a new way of cooking.
You're simply making something you already know.
Think in Alternatives
This is a habit I'd really like us to develop.
When we're preparing our households, ask:
What will I do if I can't get this?
Not just eggs.
What if fresh milk isn't available?
What if beef becomes too expensive?
What if your favourite breakfast cereal doubles in price?
What if frozen vegetables are temporarily unavailable?
What if the supermarket runs out of bread?
There will almost always be another way.
And the more alternatives we know, the less vulnerable our household becomes to shortages, price rises and supply interruptions.
When we're preparing our households, ask:
What will I do if I can't get this?
Not just eggs.
What if fresh milk isn't available?
What if beef becomes too expensive?
What if your favourite breakfast cereal doubles in price?
What if frozen vegetables are temporarily unavailable?
What if the supermarket runs out of bread?
There will almost always be another way.
And the more alternatives we know, the less vulnerable our household becomes to shortages, price rises and supply interruptions.
You Don't Need Six Dozen Eggs. You Need a Plan.
If eggs are plentiful and affordable, wonderful. Use them and enjoy them.
If they're expensive, stretch them.
And if they're unavailable, cook something else.
That's a much calmer way to prepare than racing around trying to buy everything before everyone else does.
We don't need to panic.
We need skills, recipes, useful pantry staples and a few alternatives.
Preparedness isn't about predicting exactly what will go wrong.
It's about building a household that can adapt when something does.
So sometime this week, choose an eggless recipe and give it a try.
Then choose another.
Before long you'll have your own little collection of breakfasts, cakes, biscuits and meals that don't depend on eggs at all.
And should the day come when eggs are scarce or simply too expensive for the grocery budget?
You'll already know what to make.
Live well. Spend less. Stress less.
If they're expensive, stretch them.
And if they're unavailable, cook something else.
That's a much calmer way to prepare than racing around trying to buy everything before everyone else does.
We don't need to panic.
We need skills, recipes, useful pantry staples and a few alternatives.
Preparedness isn't about predicting exactly what will go wrong.
It's about building a household that can adapt when something does.
So sometime this week, choose an eggless recipe and give it a try.
Then choose another.
Before long you'll have your own little collection of breakfasts, cakes, biscuits and meals that don't depend on eggs at all.
And should the day come when eggs are scarce or simply too expensive for the grocery budget?
You'll already know what to make.
Live well. Spend less. Stress less.
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