Happy Meat is our family's name for meat that is organic, free range, grass-fed or wild caught. Basically, the animal had a good life before it landed on our plate.
As Dr. Oz says; 'When it comes to buying [meat and] dairy products you cannot just peel or wash them like you would your produce so it's best to go organic'.
Clean Eating Meat
A few years ago, I was discussing the source of our red meat with a self sufficient farming friend of mine.
All of the meat her family ate was lovingly raised on her farm and then killed (as humanely as possible). I was kind of horrified. I asked her how she could bear to eat these animals that were, in effect, her pets? Some even had names. She asked me how I could even consider eating any animal without being aware of the life it had led before it ended up on our table. I guess that stuck with me.
Be Accountable For The Food You Put On Your Plate
The meat our family eats is raised free range and fed food nature intended it to eat. This is not negotiable for me. If I can't find happy meat and dairy, we wont eat meat until I do. Take the time to do a bit of research as to where you can get the best quality meat and dairy for your family.
Shop with Conscience
Shopping for meat in a supermarket is almost, well ... clinical. Standing in the Meat Aisle freaks me out.
Neatly dressed people buying neatly wrapped portions of selective cuts. It hides the fact that an animal had to die for that beef fillet to get on our plate.
Society and our kids are missing the link between the living farm animal to what's on our dinner plate every night.I believe its important for them to understand this connection. For some reason, pre-clean eating, I thought that this was too messy a talk to have with my children. I never discussed where meat comes from.
Since changing our eating habits, its become important for me to explain to my children how we select our meat, where it comes from and the life it had before landing on our plate.
This little bit of knowledge has had a dramatic effect on their eating choices. I have seen my kids start to appreciate their food more. They dont waste and they are all more open to other food group options, namely grains, fruit and vegetables. All of my children now ask what they are eating when I put food in front of them. This is a big win for me.
Some of my family members choose to avoid meat and I respect that. The rest eat meat that is grass fed, free range and organically raised.
Be selective with the meat and dairy products you buy. Let your children know what they are eating and raise your children to be empathic to the world around them. It all starts with us, the Parents.
A Meal is Still a Meal without Meat
I know that the high protein diets are very popular at the moment, but personally, I just don't like the idea of consuming animal products in massive quantities. Our family eats meat around three/four times a week, sometimes less, sometimes more.
I'm not too sure where that fits in terms of a lot or a little but we used to eat meat daily, so I am happy with the direction we are heading. It took us a while to get our heads accustomed to the idea that a meal is still a meal, even when it doesn't contain meat.
Our family supports the Meatless Monday Initiative not only for the health benefits, but also to help do our bit for the environment. The following information was taken directly from the Meatless Monday website. Please take a look at their website and maybe join us in supporting it.
Do what works for your family, but here are a few reasons why I choose to reduce the amount of meat I feed my family.
Veggie Clean Eating Recipes
9 Reasons to Eat Less Meat
- LOWER CANCER RISK: Hundreds of studies suggest that diets high in fruits and vegetables may reduce cancer risk. Both red and processed meat consumption are associated with colon cancer.
- REDUCE HEART DISEASE: Recent data from a Harvard University study found that replacing saturated fat-rich foods (for example, meat and full fat dairy) with foods that are rich in polyunsaturated fat (for example, vegetable oils, nuts and seeds) reduces the risk of heart disease by 19%
- FIGHT DIABETES: Research suggests that higher consumption of red and processed meat increase the risk of type 2 diabetes.
- CURB OBESITY: People on low-meat or vegetarian diets have significantly lower body weights and body mass indices. A recent study from Imperial College London also found that reducing overall meat consumption can prevent long-term weight gain.
- LIVE LONGER: Red and processed meat consumption is associated with increases in total mortality, cancer mortality and cardiovascular disease mortality.
- IMPROVE YOUR DIET. Consuming beans or peas results in higher intakes of fibre, protein, folate, zinc, iron and magnesium with lower intakes of saturated fat and total fat.
- REDUCE YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization estimates the meat industry generates nearly one-fifth of the man-made greenhouse gas emissions that are accelerating climate change worldwide . . . far more than transportation. And annual worldwide demand for meat continues to grow. Reining in meat consumption once a week can help slow this trend.
- MINIMIZE WATER USAGE. The water needs of livestock are tremendous, far above those of vegetables or grains. An estimated 1,800 to 2,500 gallons of water go into a single pound of beef. Soy tofu produced in California requires 220 gallons of water per pound.
- HELP REDUCE FOSSIL FUEL DEPENDENCE. On average, about 40 calories of fossil fuel energy go into every calorie of feed lot beef in the U.S. Compare this to the 2.2 calories of fossil fuel energy needed to produce one calorie of plant-based protein. Moderating meat consumption is a great way to cut fossil fuel demand.
