My wife and I have transitioned into 90 percent vegetarians (meat once maybe twice a week) and when we look at meat we're just stunned by the price of meat. The other day, we noticed two chicken breasts for $10, while the price of sausages are $6! And the grocery store we shop at is the cheapest in the city. As chickens are just fed with chemicals and the costs soar, will we become vegetarians or vegans?
Chicken breasts are pretty pricey in my neck of the woods too, but they're also freakishly huge - there's enough meat to feed like 4-6 people in a pack of two. I have to go to the local farmers market to get regular ones that are 6-8oz in size. The price of chicken wings has shot up too, it almost costs as much to make them yourself as it does to just buy a bucket of buffalo wings already cooked. Problem with me eating meatless is I tend to go toward dishes with cheeses in them, and cheese is just as expensive as meat. A container of parmesan is like $10 around here too.
I don't know. I love meat! I can't imagine not eating it. Seriously. But you're right, it's terribly expensive. I feed a family of 6. It's tough.
We have definately cut back on the type of meats we buy. Instead of chicken breasts or whole chickens, I am buying thighs and drumsticks in larger packages. I separate them out into three or four different dinners. Instead of more expensive beef cuts, it's hamburger. I also buy that in a larger pack and split it up for several dinners before freezing it. I don't think we could go 100% vegetarian or vegan but after my daughter went vegan, we do have several meatless meals now even though she has gone off to college. I think all groceries are going up in price, even the vegetables are getting more expensive.
There are different cuts and qualities of meat. I personally love eating chili, and can get away with using anything from ground meats to beef chuck. I also like using a slow cooker, which means that I can use most cuts of meat that are hard or tough to work with and still end up with delicious meals. I typically buy frozen chicken breast in bulk, shop sales for meats, and only buy steaks if they're on sale. If you're trying to cook great high-quality steaks all the time, it may hurt your wallet. I think cooking and eating vegetables, trying out new recipes and ingredients, and balancing your diet with less meat is both healthier for your body and better for your wallet. If you miss meat, there are a lot of different types of vegetables (such as mushrooms) or beans that you can use instead for a fraction of the price. I know many people who have adopted "Meatless Mondays" - I know that Food Network, Cooking Channel, and a variety of food/cuisine magazines have taken up the idea of "Meatless Mondays," as well.
Ten dollars for two breasts is crazy! The price of meat in my neighborhood is relatively cheap, and so if I ever do become a vegetarian, that won't be the reason.
The price for meat and chicken here isn't definitely as high. I don't think humans will turn into vegetarians at least for many generations.
The price of vegetables keeps going up. You can still buy meat for good value if you shop wisely. I think meat is cheaper than vegetables. Eating a diet solely of vegetables would cost a lot of money and it wouldn't be healthy either.
The price for two chicken breasts is crazy! It's not unheard of, but it is still crazy. That's how much meat was when I lived in Boston around 6 years ago. I say you find an asian market or a hispanic market and check out their butcher counter. You can get a huge pack of legs and thighs for around $3.99 in Los Angeles. Have you thought about shopping outside of your area to find cheaper meat deals?
LOL I recently started eating a lot of raw veggies and fruits and find the price sky rocketing.. buying organic veggies and fruits have sent out food bills spiraling. My husband remarked just yesterday that it might be cheaper to eat meat and eggs instead of vegetables.. He isn't very fond of meat either. LOL Your statement made me laugh.. it is a question of perception.. from which side of the fence you look at things.. The cost of living generally put has gone over the roof.. that is the truth..
I definitely love meat , i dont think i would be able to be a vegetarian. Ten dollars for 2 is alot. My local grocery have deals like 5 packs of meats for 19.99.
I am not sure that we will all become vegetarians in the near future just because of the fact that people love way too much. Therefore this is something that would require a revolution in order to occur.
Well, I personally couldn't do it, I admit that out loud. But since you and your wife have already more or less made this change perhaps you should consider going all the way to become vegetarians. I agree with you that meat prices are getting outrageous. Even Chicken that use to be very economical is going up in price. The news did warn about this happening last summer because of the extreme drought that occurred in the East here in the United States. So, now we are starting to see this increase begin to happen to meat.
I gave up meat several months ago,but the price of meat wasn't the reason. The cost of meat is expensive where I live. It's possible to get meat at cheap prices but the quality of the meat is a big concern to me. Organic fruits and vegetables can be pricey, but I have learned to shop smart.
I think that having a vegetarian or vegan diet can be very healthy, as long as you eat diverse foods, try new things, and get all of the nutrition you need. There are many things that meats can offer, but you can generally find everything in vegetables, too. You just need to know what you're doing. You need to ensure that you're getting all the nutrition you need by mixing up your food, cooking different things, and learning how to use food to your greatest advantage. Similarly, a diet with mainly meat may or may not be healthy, depending on what kind of meats you get, how you cook it, and what else you eat with it. I think whether you have a vegetarian lifestyle or not, the costs of food will be very high if you don't know how to shop smart. You need to know what you're looking for at a grocery store. You need to shop sales and use coupons for foods that are healthy and for foods that you will actually use. Spoilage is a huge concern; make sure that you eat everything that you're buying - otherwise, you're literally throwing money down the trash.
It was quite easy for me to give up meat as I don't really care for it that much and it is more difficult to digest. I've said this so many times already, but eating healthy is not expensive when you shop what's in season and what's on sale. Maddie, it's only cheaper if you live somewhere where the price is cheap. Meat is never cheap unless for some reason there is an over abundance of it, or it needs to be sold quickly. Even if I ate meat, I'd be suspicious of cheap meat. That's the way to go; I've started feeling that way about fish and other seafood.
If not become vegetarians, people may start gravitating towards less expensive cuts of meat - which unfortunately may drive up the costs of those too. I can get a pork ribeye roast at the stores in my neck of the woods for about $5-$6 and make several meals out of it over the course of a few days. Same thing goes for beef, I can get a top round roast pretty cheap and make a beef ragu, italian roast beef sandwiches, and more with it.
I've definitely cut down on the amount of meat I buy, but it's not just because of the price. I'm trying to cut down on the fat in my diet as well. And I can buy lovely cheap vegetables at the markets here, so I do a lot of vegetable-based soups and stews. I still appreciate a nice cut of meat, though, so I can't see me ever becoming totally vegetarian.
In my case I don't think so, since I love to eat meat and chicken. The farthest that I can go is to incorporate veggies in my diet, but there is no way that I'll turn my back on meat.
