You are the verge of creating a fabulous feast only to find the carton of eggs in the refrigerator short by a dozen. What is an amateur chef to do? Try these five subs that will stand in for an egg in a pinch.

Determine what purpose the egg serves in your dish. Is the egg needed to help the dish rise (think cake) or just to moisten and bind ingredients together?

Sweet Subs
1. Banana
OR
2. Applesauce

Use either of these two if the finished product will be sweet (think pancake or muffin) a small banana or ¼ cup applesauce will suffice.

Savory Subs
3. Cornstarch
OR
4. Breadcrumbs or Crackers

Need to replace the egg you intended to use in your favorite meatloaf or casserole? Try either one tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons water or a handful of finely crushed crackers or bread crumbs. Add crumbs or crackers gradually to ensure the mixture remains moist.

Baking Sub
5. Mayonnaise
Add 3 tablespoons mayonnaise for one egg. The mayonnaise substitution will work for baking and does not affect flavor.

If a recipe calls for many eggs, best to choose another dish. Stand-ins work best when only a couple of eggs or less is required.