Does anyone buy it? I've seen it at Costco, and it's definitely more expensive, but after finishing "Fast Food Nation" (and learning far more about slaughterhouses than anyone really ought to know), and reading an article about how Atascadero Unified School District isn't serving beef anymore in school lunches because of nasty stuff going on in the meatpacking industry, I'm about ready to take the plunge.
Truth is we don't eat a whole lot of red meat. I DO buy ground beef to use in soft tacos, spaghetti sauce, and Siga Wat. I'll occasionally make pot roast (as in about twice a year). I don't want to give it up completely, but I WOULD love to support more ethical (and safe) means of beef production.
I was pretty skeptical about the book, expecting it to be a bunch of propaganda, but he documents everything and cites court cases, etc. where the major slaughterhouses WERE found to be at fault. So anyway, does anyone actually buy organic meat, and if so, just how much more expensive is it?
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
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I do. Thankfully we make enough money now to buy organic beef. I buy it because the cows are raised without growth hormones and antibiotics, neither of which IMO are good for those who eat the meat. I try to get grass fed/organic beef as well which has more nutrients than grain fed beef and if you care about the cows, they get to graze naturally. I don't worry as much about chicken, as they are not treated with hormones. Organic definitely is more expensive, but i know that we eat out occasionally and at other people's houses that don't eat organic beef, so I make sure to buy the organic stuff for us to eat at our house. I am part of a natural food co-op and buy in bulk (I was part of one in SLO too) and buy ground beef and steaks frozen in 1# pkgs. I think it comes out to be around $4/lb. We have friends that buy a half a cow a year and freeze it, but we haven't tried that yet. It wouldn't work unless you eat ALOT of beef which we don't (but my husband wishes we did!)
I don't buy it so much for the ethical reasons, more for my own health and the health of my family.
check out eatwild.com for more info
:)
I have some organic grass fed ground beef in my freezer right now, but my mother in law gave it to me, so I didn't have to buy it.
Nutrition is really important to us, espcially since we're feeding a toddler, so we'll probably continue to buy organic beef...but then again, staying on budget is important too, so I'll let you know which one wins out. =)
I buy organic ground beef and organic boneless skinless chicken breast. Everything else is regular. My trick is this: I wait until it is one day from expiration and the grocery store puts it on reduced price and I get it for half price. I get the beef for $2.50 a pound and the chicken for $3 a pound. Then I just take it home and immediately freeze it so that it stays good.
I can't believe that COSTCO has it...
We buy organic beef and chicken. We can get the chicken at the store, but we buy our beef locally from a friend who raises it. It works out well for us - we get it whenever we want and at a decent price (2.50/lb, I think)and it helps the income of our friends.
Did you ever read "the Jungle" by Upton Sinclair? At least with that one you can say that things have changed since his time. In our family we are practically vegetarians since I don't know much about how to cook red meat (with the exception of ground beef). I just started buying frozen fish at Costco to supplement our protein sources but it is really hard to find wild caught fish anymore and the farmed stuff is the stuff with all the mercury. When did cooking become so complicated? It's hard to find a good balance. BTW Spencer's always seems to have a good meat selection from local sources if you are ever on that end of town.
When I buy beef...it's organic! I usually get it from New Frontiers (expensive though) but yay for Costco!!! I'd rather buy expensive beef once in a while then yucky stuff for cheap. Hi Briannna! I read your blog too! :-)
yes, organic beef and chicken. it's priced higher, but i justify if by knowing that at least now we're not ingesting more nasty hormones. if the organic meat and milk and veggies cost more, then we just can't get the yummy junk food as often.
Yes, I think it's good to buy organic meat and we've pretty much switched to organic everything actually, much better tasting and healthy too.
One tip, instead of buying at big chains, after reading books like Fast Food Nation and a few others, we started supporting small business' like farmers and butchers at local markets etc, really great to see fresh, local produce - much better for the environment, small holders, animals and us. Also, over in the UK they have been showing people just how non organic, non free range animals are kept, it's sickening, so now at my local shops they will only do free range and organic, pretty much our whole town stopped buying regular meat.
Here's a link to the show shown across the UK on major cable tv
http://www.channel4.com/food/on-tv/river-cottage/hughs-chicken-run/hugh-s-chicken-run-07-12-18_p_1.html
So great you're making steps in the right direction :)
Kate in England
We are going organic as well. I am also looking into not only organic fruits and veggies, but also into non gmo. It can be organic and still be a gmo.YUK!
Shannon
Shannon, what is "gmo"?
thanks!
Not an organic fan, because so much of it is tasteless. However, the Costco organic ground beef is anything but tasteless. I am going to go out on a limb and say that it makes the nest burgers I have ever eaten.
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