To “put all your eggs in one basket” is to risk losing everything all at one time. Example: “My father is a very careful investor; he never puts all of his eggs in one basket.” If you had a certain number of “eggs”, it would be safest to put those eggs in different “baskets” and not “put them all in one basket”. To “put all your eggs in one basket” would be to risk losing all of your “eggs” in case you drop that one “basket”. Example: “The best way to gamble is to only bet small amounts of money and never put all your eggs in one basket.” Example: “We know that you want to become an actor and we support you, but we still want you to graduate from college. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.”

I think this means for example, don’t bet all your money on one stock, or like don’t think of only the good part of what can happen. It can relate to that disaster by people only thinking in dieing without potatoes, while others had positive thoughts and found their own way of going around that problem.

It means that if you put all of your money, assets, or valuables in one place, it is possible to lose them all at the same time. This might happen if you invest your entire savings in a stock or business venture that fails. If you “put all your eggs” in different baskets (i.e. a savings account, retirement fund, varied stock portfolio, real estate, etc.) you will be more likely to be profitable, and if you do lose money in one investment, you’ll still have the rest of your nest egg safe and sound.

It means that it is best to diversify.

In the case of the potato famine it meant that it was best to diversify one’s foodsource or livelihood in case the crops died.