A marshmallow brand is selling $2 Easter dye kits in response to egg-spensive prices

Record-high egg prices are probably forcing some people (or bunnies) to search for less-expensive alternatives this Easter. How about marshmallows? After all, the white coating makes it easy to dye, and priced around $2 a bag, the fluffy treats are more cost-efficient than their hard-shelled lookalikes. The idea of pastel-colored marshmallows prompted Kraft Heinz-owned Jet-Puffed to release a color-dying kit just in time for next Sunday’s holiday.

The first-of-its-kind “Dip and Decorate Dozen” kit is a “festive, mess-free twist on egg decorating,” Jet-Puffed said in a press release. For just $1.99, the kit contains six colors with miniature tongs for dipping and decorating pens for designs.



It also includes a 24-ounce bag of extra large marshmallows, which are about the same size as jumbo-sized eggs. The kits are for sale exclusively on Walmart’s website and will be restocked daily. Jet-Puffed explained that the kit was created in response to soaring egg prices, forcing parents to “search for creative and budget-friendly alternatives to keep the time-honored tradition alive without breaking the bank.

” Retail egg prices hit another high last week, with the average price for a dozen Grade A large eggs rising 5.6% to a record of $6.23, government data shows.

Prices are about 60% higher compared to a year ago, per the Consumer Price Index. But the egg market might be on the upswing. Wholesale egg prices have dropped to about $3 a dozen , the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently reported.

That’s because outbreaks of the avian flu, which killed 30 million egg-laying birds this year, have largely been contained. However, it can take weeks for wholesale prices to appear on grocery store shelves, according to the USDA. Also, the price drop is partly because of consumers buying fewer eggs.

“Demand from egg products manufacturers is mostly light as many have been able to take advantage of a sluggish carton market to build supplies,” the agency’s report said. CNN’s Vanessa Yurkevich contributed to this report..