The NEW Meat Maifesto

1. Reducing Your Meat Cost--Sometimes to Zero—By Rethinking Protein Sources

I can hear the crashing of shopping carts now, as well as the chorus of “Whaaaat?” Now that I have your attention, I’ll tell, you how to reduce your meat costs and why.

Meat is expensive when compared to other foods we buy. It’s even more expensive when purchased pre-cut, pre-plucked, pre-packaged, and pre-fed with all the hormones, antibiotics, and all the genetic mutations money can buy. So what do we do?

We look to where the animals HAVEN’T been doped up, dressed up, or cut up to excess—the forest, the plains, and the oceans. We look to wild animals. We look to hunters and hunting, as well as fishermen and fishing.

If you already hunt and fish your own meats, then you have reduced your MEAT costs to zero, but still incur equipment and supply bills (the guns, the ammo, the rod and reel, all the tackle, etc.). For those of us who DON’T fish or hunt ourselves, we can purchase meat directly from the hunter or fisherman, or a compliant butcher who can re-sell game meat. The meat is not laden with hormones or antibiotics, has lived a natural ethical life, and runs little risk of being genetically altered for market (as most chickens are—they now have half the feathers of normal chickens).

This meat, if not found in nature and in natural wrapping, is sold by the pound at butcher shops, is minimally packaged (usually freezer paper), and is healthier for you. It also comes with a taste that you may find strange or unappetizing—this is what meat is SUPPOSED to taste like! Our commercial meat has been bred and fed to the point of losing all taste except for those “11 secret herbs and spices” we have to add to make it taste good. When combined with vegetables in a stew or fried, this meat loses some of its strong taste. My recommendation is to just get used to it, or mix it with other meats (ground deer goes really well with ground beef and pork for a hearty and wonderful meat loaf).

Ever have bear roast for Christmas dinner? Give it a try. You may find that bear roast is cheaper per pound than your usual turkey or ham—and certainly healthier.

If you don’t hunt or fish, get to know someone who does, or someone who will sell you the meat from their last trip out. Offer to buy ammo or replace some missing tackle for the hunter or fisherman. Find a way to contribute to the activity cost for some sort of meat discount. Get access to hunting and fishing magazines or clubs and find yourself a meat supplier through contacts or “for sale” ads.

If you happen to live near an agricultural college that raises animals as part of their curriculum, look for a meat sale at the college--since they have no middleman (retailer), the prices are much cheaper, and the animals better cared for. Ask for any grass-fed livestock meat to find out if that's what the college promotes.

You already know about CSAs, farmer's markets, co-ops, private farm meat sales, and health food stores. Continue to think outside the grocery store.

Most Americans eat way more meat than is needed for good health. A nutritionally correct amount for adults is two 3-oz. servings – the size of a small hamburger patty or a deck of cards. Two of those a day is all the meat you need. But consider eggs, avocado, coconut, whey powder, nuts and seeds (especially chia and flax), and nut butters (except peanut butter)—they also count as protein, and are cheaper. Meat is expensive, and all that excess meat costs extra money. It also runs up your health care bills in middle age when it translates into cardiovascular problems.

Rethinking your meat and protein sources can go a long way to reducing your overall food budget and enhancing your health.

A salad, for example, is one place where I choose to combine small portions of fruits with salad greens, grated raw vegetables, a handful of nuts, and maybe some shredded coconut. This can also be done in casseroles, soups, muffins and breads, stir-fry and skillet dishes, etc.