Chickens are curious, highly intelligent, and social animals. Between their love of play and braininess, they have a lot in common with dogs and can even do basic arithmetic. Yet sadly, chickens used in egg production face some of the worst abuses in animal agriculture. From the moment they hatch, their lives are rife with cruelty, confinement, and subjugation.

Due to selective breeding, today’s commercial hens lay an unnaturally large number of eggs—around 285 per year compared to the 10-15 per year they would naturally lay. This takes a devastating toll on their bodies, causing pain and joint issues that persist until the hens are killed, as soon as their production declines. Survivors of the egg industry, hens at Farm Sanctuary receive care to suppress egg-laying and reduce their discomfort. 

In concentrated egg-production factories, millions of hens are confined to wire cages so small they can’t even stretch their wings. Conditions are often not much better in cage-free facilities. Caged or not, egg-laying hens are subjected to painful procedures like debeaking and denied outdoor access, instead confined to windowless, overcrowded sheds. When a cage-free egg farm in New Jersey caught fire in 2020, nearly 300,000 birds died tragically, unable to escape. Farm Sanctuary resident Phoenix was one of the lucky ones who survived and found refuge.

Chickens, like all animals, deserve far better than the cruelty imposed on them by animal agriculture. Not only is replacing eggs with vegan alternatives a powerful way to stand up for hens like Phoenix, but it also benefits your health and the environment.

Commercial egg-production facilities—like all animal factories—produce large concentrations of manure that contaminates groundwater. Deceptively marketed as a humane alternative, cage-free farms actually have an even worse environmental impact. Conditions in egg farms also endanger workers, who breathe in ammonia and risk injury from engaging in fast, repetitive motions day in and day out.

High in dietary cholesterol and saturated fat, eggs can increase the risk of developing heart disease and diabetes. They can also expose consumers to salmonella, a type of bacteria that causes illness and sometimes death. As recently as July, a salmonella outbreak from eggs put 26 people in 17 U.S. states in the hospital.

Once you learn the truth about the egg industry, it becomes clear that there is no sunny side. That’s why we’re sharing info to support you in ditching eggs and replacing them with delicious and nutritious vegan alternatives.

With these six tips for replacing eggs in your diet, you’ll never be left scrambling.

1. Use tofu in place of scrambled eggs. Firm tofu makes for an excellent alternative to eggs in a breakfast scramble. The key to using tofu is to drain as much of the water out as possible using a tofu press. Nutritional yeast will give your tofu a nutty flavor, and turmeric will add some nice coloring. Enjoy your tofu scramble in a burrito or on a plate alongside veggie sausages. Scroll to the end for a delicious tofu scramble recipe from Farm Sanctuary President & Co-founder, Gene Baur.

2. Opt for fried eggs in your omelets and breakfast sandwiches. Enjoy a hearty, satisfying breakfast without egg on your face by choosing a kind and healthy alternative like firm tofu, chickpea flour, or a commercial vegan egg like Just Egg. Add some meat-free ham or sausage, your favorite veggies, and vegan cheese shreds or slices to level up your omelets and breakfast sandwiches.

3. Mix up a flavorful eggless salad. Yes, tofu works for egg salads too! Mix in vegan mayo and nutritional yeast for a nutty, cheesy flavor. Then, add the secret ingredient that will give your dish a pungent, sulfuric smell and flavor that mimics eggs: black salt. A little goes a long way for a delicious, plant-based egg salad—in a sandwich, atop a bed of greens, or enjoyed on its own.

4. Cook your quiche without the cruelty. When baking a savory recipe like a quiche or frittata, eggs can be replaced with instant mashed potato mix, Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer mixed with water, or what’s known as a “flax egg” (1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons of water).

5. Swap out eggs in cakes and cookies. Many traditional dessert recipes call for eggs, either for binding, leavening, or adding moisture. But healthier alternatives that don’t exploit animals can serve all of these purposes. Cakes, cookies, pies, and pancakes can be made without eggs by using a mashed banana or a flax egg instead.

6. Make meringue with chickpea water. Next time you use a can of chickpeas, don’t pour out the starchy water. Believe it or not, this liquid—known as aquafaba (Latin for “bean water”)—can replace egg whites in lemon meringue pies, meringue cookies, and even homemade marshmallows.

With these six tips, you can confidently crack open a new world of flavors and cooking tricks without using eggs. Your breakfasts, main dishes, and desserts will not only continue to satisfy your taste buds, but they will also benefit chickens, the planet we share with them, and your health. Before you know it, you’ll be an egg-free expert, amassing a slate of delicious recipes that can’t be beat.