Consumers Eat Less Meat In Recession

[Roon]

WICHITA, Kan. -- As the recession deepens, people are eating less beef, pork and poultry, leading to the biggest per capita decline in meat consumption since 1982, an industry analyst told the Kansas Livestock Association.
http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/18207302/detail.ht...

[Crazy Dave]

1. Actually...

Since I've lost my business which was my job I've been doing the grocery shopping and have bought more poultry than the wife used to. You'd be surprised how cheap it is on sale compared to the other options.

I've become quite the house-husband here lately.

[Marrah_G]

2. We've changed how we are eating

Lots more potatoes, carrots and onions. Add in whatever meat is on sale and its a fairly balanced meal.

last night was a pot roast cooked in the crock pot for 24 hours. add a couple onions, a bag of carrots and a couple pounds of potatoes and you have a meal for 2-3 nights.

Also when it comes to meat I don't buy a number of different kinds each week. Instead I buy a weeks worth of whatever kind has the best sale this week. This way the freezer always has a variety and I am not paying high prices for it.

I also suggest getting an old cookbook from a used bookstore. I found the meals in them are simpler and use more common ingredients. Nothing to fancy or expensive. They also explain alot cooking techniques we have forgotten in this time of ready made everything.

[BlooInBloo]

6. Good tips all.

[terip64]

3. I know I have bought less

I try to buy only grass fed beef because it is all I really trust but it is outrageously expensive. Luckily, I get raw milk and have a source for grass fed hamburger which I can make a lot of ways.

Eggs are the best choice out there for a cheap food source. I don't believe that they are bad for us at all and at $4.00 a doz for the organic, free range type, (which is cheap if you think of how many meals you are getting out of a dozen eggs) they are a great, delicious alternate for supper. If you stick to oatmeal for breakfast you can really use eggs to save money.

Helps that I have been poor before. I know how to save money. Just wish I hadn't forgotten so thoroughly when I had plenty. I'm not always the sharpest tool in the shed.

[fasttense]

4. We've switched to wild game.

We own a good piece of land with plenty of rabbits and deer. Except for the cost of the bullet (we bought the shot gun long ago) and some time to clean and hunt, it's free.

[terip64]

7. Do you ever get turkeys? My farmer tells me that they are amazing.

[DonEBrook]

12. Same here. No "mystery meat" on our table.

[gollygee]

5. Depression-era and WWII-era cookbooks are very popular among collectors

I have friends who collect old cookbooks and those are favorites these days, and the friends tell me it's because cookbooks from the 30s and 40s are all about how to stretch what meat you have.

[RebelOne]

8. Not a problem for me. I'm a vegetarian. n/t

[LiberalEsto]

9. Delicious black bean curry

We've gone meatless during the past year. Here's an easy bean recipe that's quick to make.


1 can black beans, drained
1 can diced tomatoes
Chopped green peppers (we use frozen red-yellow-green pepper strips)
1-2 tbsp cooking oil
1 clove garlic, minced
curry powder
cumin seed
crushed red pepper flakes
salt to taste
cooked rice

Heat the oil and add the peppers, stir-frying until they're nearly done. Add the garlic and cook for a minute.
Then add the beans and the diced tomatoes in their liquid. Stir in seasonings to taste. I'd start with 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, a teaspoon of curry powder and a dash of red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, turn down the heat and simmer for 5 or more minutes.
Serve over cooked rice.
It's good with a spoonful of plain low-fat yogurt on top. Or grate some cucumber, squeeze out the excess liquid, and mix it with some plain yogurt to make a raita -- a cooling side dish popular in Indian cooking.

[MadinMo]

13. That sounds really good.

We'll try it at our house.

I make a similar dish with lentils and rice. Lentils cook up pretty fast so you don't have to do the pre-soak and then long cooking like with dried beans.

Our 15 year old daughter was vegetarian for a couple of years and we began experimenting with different meatless dishes. She has since fallen for a boy who is not vegetarian and she's gone back to eating meat. But we still rely on some meatless meals every week. It's definitely easier on the pocketbook.

[tabbycat31]

10. I all but gave up red meat

I now only eat it on occasion (as a treat). When I use ground meat, I now exclusively use turkey instead of beef.

I also try to eat meatless at least twice a week. Not to mention that I've lost 15 lbs since I lost my job.

[Lars39]

11. I bought stew meat to cook in the crock pot.

Chopped fine, it's going to be stretched into at least 4 pots of soup.