Eco-eating 201: Eat Less Meat

I used to shop at big grocery stores on a regular basis. Back in those days, I never hesitated about filling my cart up with their food. My motto was, the cheaper the better. And a sale would always determine how I "voted." But one day a couple years back, I was perusing the different displays in my nearby grocery when all at once it hit me: this is really creepy. I was looking closely at the way food was labeled. The eggs were "farm fresh." The meat was "Rancher's Reserve." Everything seemed to come with a generic explanation of where it came from and how it was produced without actual specifics. And I couldn't shake the suspicion that I was being misled by the promise of "fresh," "natural" and "real."

In my previous post, I talked about using your money to vote for seasonal fruits, vegetables and nuts in order to balance your diet and keep your habits within a close circumference of your home. But knowing something is in season doesn't necessarily mean it's from nearby. Even if you are shopping in the organic section and you suspect that you are making "greener" choices, it's impossible to tell where you food hails from because in most grocery stores, nothing is labeled!

The same is true when it comes to animal products like meat, eggs and dairy. Following my grocery store epiphany, I began the process of finding alternatives to my then status quo lifestyle.

These days I only shop at big grocery stores when I need things like deodorant, sponges, toothpaste or aspirin. For all of my food and many of my other household needs, I shop at farmer's markets, and at a couple of select small groceries in my neighborhood. My favorite store has a deli and butcher counter stocked with fresh ingredients and meats labeled with their point of origin. If I ask the helpful servers behind the counter just exactly how far the farm is where from where I'm standing, they always know the answer. If I ask how old my cow was when she was slaughtered, they know that too. They even know what she ate, why she ate it and more often than not, the name of the guy who fed it to her. 

Clearly, this store buys directly from small farmers, and sources the best meat that they can. When I patronize a place like this, I vote for their continued efforts, and I validate their mission, which is to bring me food that has been produced responsibly, sustainably and respectfully. It's not cheap, but that's okay. Because one of the best things you can do to eat "green" is to eat less, especially (although not particularly) when it comes to meat and animal products. 

I understand that most people do no have access to the amount and kinds of vendors that are present in and around my hometown of San Francisco. I also know that for some, having access does not necessarily promise the ability to shop such establishments. But I definitely don't believe that just because community-based and sustainably focused merchants aren't abundant in many areas, that efforts to eat better should stop.

If being a superstar in the green movement is important to you, then you will take pride in making educated food choices. You will do what you can to look for alternatives to mainstream food outlets and you will gradually change your habits and your appetites. I would love to hear back about your experiences making the shift to eco-eating.