More Reasons to Eat Less Meat
There are more reasons than ever to eat less meat.
The dangerous E. coli
contamination and subsequent nationwide recall of meat products from the XL
Foods meat processing plant has likely given most meat eaters reason to
pause. It brings back memories of the deadly listeriosis outbreak at
Maple Leaf Foods (22 people died) and is another wake-up call that the food
system we take for granted isn’t as safe as we assumed.
These
major public health issues have exposed a few chinks in the armour of our
largely centralized food system, a system where negligence within one enormous
beef processing plant can touch (and has) every community in the country.
The industrialization of food processing has severed the farm-to-table connection and we’re all worse off as a result. Sure, we have an abundance of cheap food but ironically we’re not eating as well and E. coli outbreaks are just one symptom of a system that has gone awry.
If
there’s a silver lining to all of this it’s that our local beef producers are
getting a bit more attention. And they should. There are a number of New
Brunswick farmers who are raising livestock ethically, and sustainably. That
means you can have fairly easy access to grass-fed beef that’s fresher and
better quality (more nutritious too) than factory-farmed beef.
In
Southern NB, look for NB-raised meat at Cochran’s Country Market and Kuinshoeve Meats in Rothesay, and Kredels Corner
Market in Hampton. Contact Murray Bunnett Family Farm (506-756-8261) or Goddard
Farms (506-433-2544) for details on buying their meat directly or visit their
stands at the Kingston Market. You can also search out local
producers online by visiting www.acornorganic.org and www.buylocalnb.ca (Both sites have a
searchable database).
You
will often pay more for quality. Locally-raised meat can be more expensive than regular
grocery store meat from factory farms. But if eating well is important to you,
there are ways to make it fit your grocery budget.
As
author Michael Pollan puts it, “Spend more. Eat less.” Today the average North
American eats twice as much meat as we did fifty years ago. We’re eating about
30% less beef but overall we consume way more than we need. Reduce your portion
size to the recommended amount (2.5 to 3 oz. per serving for an adult) and fill
out your meal with more vegetables and grains.
Choose meatless options more often. Beans and lentils are nutritional powerhouses. They’re cheap too and can be substituted for meat in all sorts of dishes.
Supporting
our local food economy can make us all less vulnerable to crises in the
national food system. And the added benefit, we’ll all eat much better.
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Stay safe and healthy with naturally raised, organic meat products. |
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