While the cost of food is on the decline, breakfast lovers continue to reel from their dented wallets as the price of eggs and orange juice remain up.
Inflation has not been kind to the egg aficionados with prices as high as $7.37 for a dozen in states like California as recently as December and there are currently no signs of reprieve. Elsewhere, prices are cheaper than those in the Golden State but still expensive relative to the area. In December, the average U.S. price of eggs was $4.25
Supply chain disruptions have been identified as at least one of the issues causing prices to remain high but the avian bird flu has really wreaked havoc on the poultry industry. Right now, the market is experiencing the worst cases of bird flu and as a result more than 44 million egg-laying hens have died.
The issue is compounded when chickens that are at risk of contracting bird flu are euthanized in an effort to mitigate the spread. The New York Times reported that the depopulating of healthy birds on top of those that have succumbed to illness has slashed the nation's egg supply by more than 7 percent.
With egg demand peaking in December, customers could see a dropoff in price in the coming months.
While your scrambled eggs might cost a little less in the future, if you want to wash them down with some OJ, it will cost you.
Florida is currently experiencing its smallest citrus crop since the 1936-1937 season and it all started in early 2022. A January deep freeze in the sunshine state stunted growth of fruits, then Hurricane Ian bombarded the state and it was hit with another major hurricane in Nicole two months later in November.
The biggest culprit in the rise in cost of Florida oranges is the ongoing citrus tree disease. The disease, which causes leaves and fruit to drop prematurely, is typically spread via major rain events like hurricanes or through insects.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture anticipates around 20 million boxes of oranges to be produced this year, which is a 51 percent drop off from 2022.
Chicago schools opened their doors again following a dispute between the teachers union and the city over as the omicron variant continues to surge, but the safety issues they fought over weren't just limited to the Windy City. Dr. Bayo Curry-Winchell, family medicine and urgent care doctor, joined Cheddar in discussing concerns of parents, teachers, and students as schools try to operate amid COVID and noted what she's been observing as the number of infections among children rises. "I am seeing them contract the illness from so many different aspects," she said. "It could be from a fellow classmate. It could be from a parent. All of those things really play in the effect of transmission as well as contracting the illness."
One startup is working to reverse climate change one seed at a time. Terraformation is a global forest accelerator that provides tools, training, financing, and business support to help scale forest restoration projects worldwide. Forests naturally absorb carbon and Terraformation says that reforestation is a safe, low-cost, and scalable solution to the climate crisis. Yee Lee, VP of growth at Terraformation, joins Cheddar Climate to discuss.
Tony Horton, fitness guru and creator of the famous P90X workout joins Cheddar News to discuss how people can stay focused and maintain fitness in the new year.
Meet Corrine Tan, American Girl’s 2022 Girl of the Year. Corrine is the first doll of Chinese descent from the company, debuting in response to a rise in hate crimes against the Asian American community. Jamie Cygielman, president and general manager of American Girl, spoke to Cheddar about the long development of the character. "As the pandemic began we started to see a lot of anti-Asian sentiment across the country," she said. "We sort of blended all of these stories together to create Corinne, an outline for Corinne, and then partnered with the wonderful author Wendy Shang to help tell that story to our fans." Cygielman also touched on linking up with AAPI Youth Rising, donating $25,000 for education efforts.
Janet Phan, founder of Thriving Elements and author of 'Boldly You,' joins Cheddar News to discuss the importance of being a mentor and how her organization is helping the next generation of STEM leaders.
Daniel Freedman, co-CEO of Burnalong, joins Cheddar News to talk about how Burnalong is helping companies support its staff and prevent workplace burnout.
Dave Epstein, meteorologist and contributor to The Boston Globe, joins Cheddar News to discuss the arctic blast hitting the Midwest and Northeastern area.
Decorated skier Lindsey Vonn did not hold back when touching on mental health in "Rise," her new memoir. "My mental health is definitely part of my story," she said. "Now I'm just thankful that this conversation is so much more talked about — Simone Biles, Naomi Osaka, Kevin Love, Michael Phelps, all have been outspoken about it." She noted that she felt happy that readers, particularly kids, get to see a vulnerable side to her in the book. The gold medalist also went on to note what she's most looking forward to watching in the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.
With Martin Luther King Jr. Day fast approaching, Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C. 6th District), the House Majority Whip, talked about the importance of honoring the iconic civil rights activist. "As we consider the life and celebrate the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., let's think about who and what we are as a country, and whether or not we're going to give up on the ideals of this country or continue to press forward," he said. Clyburn also discussed the push for new voting legislation, the For the People Act and the John Lewis Act, as well as the fate of the Senate filibuster.
