White House Egg Roll Highlights Egg Industry
American presidents and their families have celebrated Easter Monday by hosting an “egg roll” party for over a century. Some historians note that First Lady Dolley Madison originally suggested the idea of a public egg roll. Others tell stories of informal egg-rolling parties at the While House dating back to President Lincoln’s administration. Today, more than 35,000 attendees participate in a number of fun activities.
Eggs are more popular than ever among Americans for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They are on trend with Americans’ appetite for more protein. In fact, egg sales are the highest they’ve ever been, according to Nielsen, growing by $1.4 billion to $7.3 billion in 2015. Easter is an especially important time of year for the egg industry, as the average U.S. household consumed 4 dozen eggs at Easter in 2015, a 5 percent increase over 2014. Price said, among the displays at the White House today, will be a hands-on activity that will trace the production and processing of eggs from farm to plate.