I’m a Reluctant Carnivore
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I grew up eating everything. I mean everything. I’m from Appalachia, and we ate squirrels, bullfrogs and crawdads. I moved to rural Idaho where we had the usual farm animals, made them into family pets, then we ate them, too. I like the taste of meat, for the most part. Especially charred on the grill (exactly how I’m not supposed to eat it.)
So why am I flirting with vegetarianism?
I’m really concerned about the huge factory farms, and what they do to the soil, the air, and the water. I’m concerned about the hormones and antibiotics and the genetic tinkering they’re doing. I’m concerned about the inhumane slaughter, and the use of downer (sickly) animals in our food chain.
But there are chemicals in my plant food, too, and genetic tinkering being done with my produce items. So I’d have to go organic, and if I stayed with meat/dairy, buy grass fed and free range, etc.
I joined the local co-op (which is opening soon) because I’m hoping to be smarter about my food choices. Where are other smart and healthy sources of good food, in the Idaho Falls area? What are the pros and cons of vegetarianism, in general?
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Comments
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0 Thanks for your comment! And yes, eating your pets causes quite the traumatic dichotomy, especially when they taste good.
And I didn’t even mention vegan, which is the no dairy or eggs or seafood kind of vegetarianism. I tried that once and couldn’t make it more than two weeks. The reason I thought of it just now is that the protein supplements tend to use whey, which is a byproduct of dairy farming. I suppose there could be free range, organic or grassfed sources for whey…
I have friends who stay away from beef because of mad cow disease. I’m not so worried about that right now as other issues, but it’s certainly in the back of my mind (better than being IN my mind, okay, another bad joke).
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0 0 Pick up a copy of “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” by Michael Pollan and your eating habbits will be forever changed. I recently noticed a bumper sticker that had a humorous message I thought you would enjoy and related to this subject. It read: “I’m a vegetarian not because I love animals but because I hate vegetables.”
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0 0 Yeah, I like that bumper sticker! Thanks for mentioning that book. I think I’ve heard of it, I’ll have to check it out.
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0 0 For those of you who don’t know…I heard from a cow rancher, that mad-cow is not as much controlled, as most would think. According to him, the USDA has very little recources, to cover even a 1/4 of what they need to inspect. He mentioned that, a powder they put on their hides, is very toxic and seeps into the hide, which of course ends up in the meat. This is used by most ranchers, to apparently kill worms, mites and such. Also he points out, that most of the feed they use in feedlots, are made with animal. In other words, Cow’s STILL eat cow’s, chickens eat chickens, pigs eat pigs, and so on. GROSSSS! He also said, that feedlot cows, are given corn feed, with the germ taken out, and with the stalks shredded, which is unnatural, as cows should be feed grain, and that the cows stomachs, cant break the corn down well, and eventually they will die because of it. Wow! I use to be an avid supporter of eating meat. Not any longer. I won’t even touch the stuff now. Maybe some kind of wild range meat, like venison, would be OK. Sad too, that my cats are probably eating cat’s. Some of this may be in error, as I didn’t get all the deep details, but did get the basic jist of it.
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0 0 I’ve heard and seen all the horror stories over the years. That kind of thing still won’t keep me from buying massive qty’s of beef, chicken, pork and other types of meat. I’m a grillin machine and I can’t be stopped. Muhhhhaaahhhaaaa 
But seriously, as long as you cook your food thoroughly you shouldn’t have any problems. (at least I’ve never had any problems) Although I have been buying mostly “organic” meats, chicken, etc for the past 15 years or so. (when I can that is) And I always purchase organic milk, eggs, butter and some of my produce.
I don’t think all these hormones and antibiotics can be good for our children and their early stages of development. It’s also been noted that these hormones in our food is what’s caused children these days to reach puberty at much earlier ages. Along with a whole host of other health related problems.
There need to be tighter regulations when it comes to the food that is sold to us. But until that time comes, I’ll continue to pay 30-50% more for “organic” foods if only for my own health and peace of mind.
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0 0 Nemesis,
You can always purchase meat from producers who use humane raising habits (the co-op will include such producers), this could help you with your moral issues, but here’s another thing to conisder. Meat causes huge sacrifices to the land - it takes a lot out of our all ready over-stressed planet to feed a cow. So, moderation is important..
I was vegetarian for twenty years - I would still be vegetarian had I not developed an autoimmune disease which makes it hard for me to eat vegetarian (I’ve become intolerant to soy). I love the idea of the whole world eating vegetarian but I also know that meat can be a real healthy food when done in moderation and with contemplation and research about where it came from.
I would suggest that if a person eats (for instance) beef four times a week, chicken twice, fish once, maybe take one or two of those beef days or maybe a chicken day and choose a vegetarian meal. Maybe - Angelhair pasta with garlic and olive oil, a side salad and a creamy tomato soup. Maybe - roasted red pepper burgers with melted swiss and some grilled veggies. That way you’re cutting down, improving the world around you, and you can still feel like you’re getting your fill of meat.
I’m a fan of moderation and I am also a fan of not eating strictly vegetarian if to do so doesn’t suit a person, but bringing a bit of consciousness to the whole process - from buying to cooking, to eating can be enlightening, thought-provoking, and healthy.
Peace!
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0 0 It is true that a cow’s digestive system is not designed to process corn and so forth. Grass is the natural food choice for them but people prefer the sweeter taste of corn fed beef in comparison. Also, the cost to feed with corn is by far less. The average lifespan of cattle raised for slaughter purposes has shrunk to 14-16 months due to the amount of steroids they are fed to fatten them up. This equates to a cow gaining roughly 100 pounds per month, which of course is extremely unhealthy and immoral. The ranchers have to operate in this manner to meet consumer demand and stay in business but it is still unacceptable to me. Poultry farms are not much better. The average broiler chicken is confined to a space no larger than an unfolded newspaper for it’s entire lifespan. Egg layers have it even worse. Hens tend to lay more eggs during the last part of their lifespan and when fed inadequate amounts of food. Anyone care to guess how the last month of their life is spent? These animals are also fed growth hormones and steroids but to the point that even if these animals had the choice to leave their pens, their legs would be unable to carry them do to the excessive growth rate. All of these situations are fueled by consumer demand. I enjoy beef, poultry and pork as much as anyone else but I truly believe these practices are terrible. I also believe that the key to improving the situation lies in education. I was appalled more and more with the more I read. I now ration myself to only weekly servings of beef, poultry and pork. I rely more now than ever on wild game, which I hunt and harvest humanely. I also purchase one half of a beef from a rancher that I know raises his cattle in grass fed, sensible settings. I am as guilty as the next when it comes down to my prior eating habits….but I have seen the light.
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0 0 Nemesis; Thank you for the enlightenment. Now if you will excuse me, I am very hungry from what you have said. Some of that stuff sounds sooo good. It’s lunchtime!
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0 0 Once a person gets used to eating real food (not overly processed, partially-hydrolyzed, mechanically-separated, colorized-for-your-enjoyment, nutritionally devoid foodlike substances) I bet most wouldn’t go back. People who say “it’s more expensive to eat healthy” make me laugh because how on EARTH can staying healthier in the first place possibly be more expensive than regualr trips to the dr. for everything from ADD, depression, inflammation (arthritis), heaqdaches, tummy trouble, tooth decay, etc.?
There is also the fact that some of us (me included) never could stand to eat meat because when you walk through the meat department in most grocery stores it freaking stinks like rotten flesh. It IS rotten, it’s always been rotten, it lived a rotten life, was packed full of rottenness all its sad life, and now, even in death, awaiting the bellies of the humans that “raised” it, it is rotten. I could not eat meat because it reminded me of rot. Since locating and partaking of grass fed, hormone free raised beef and chicken, my world has opened up a lot. My relatives who do eat rotten meat notice how much better the burgers we fix taste than theirs, they are slowly coming over to the smart side.
Getting used to eating real food does take work but TRUST ME, once the habit is developed you never have to “watch yourself” to keep from eating low-grade or fast trash - you will be naturally repelled by it. I’m convinced that if people from a hundred years ago got in a time machine and came to our days, they’de freak out at some of the stuff we call “food”.
Did you guys hear about the part of LA that is restricting fast food outlets? I’m not agreeing with the choice, but I think it’s interesting that the GOVERNMENT is trying to get people to eat better. How very disappointing to the drug manufacturers which rely on chronically ill customers.
Peace.
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0 0 It hasn’t been restricted yet and personally I don’t see it ever happening. There are thousands upon thousands of fast food restaraunts in the LA area, do you know how many people that would put out of work? It’s just not going to happen imo.
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0 0 It probably won’t happen. But I can say that I’ve been on a bit of a health kick for the past couple of years and once in a blue moon, I CRAVE junk. YUM! Then I feel guilty after eating it. Today I craved greasy french fries and (don’t cringe) a fish sandwich. The fish from a fast food restaurant was awful. The fries on the other hand, well….I had to. 
The interesting thing is that I’ve felt much better since changing some eating habits. Who wrote the book, “We are what we eat”. Was that Adelle Davis?
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0 0 so loud-proud-hippie, where do you buy this grass fed hormone free beef and chicken?
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0 0 My family has switched to healthier foods as well. It wasn’t a choice since a family member was diagnosed with diabetes. After a couple of years of eating less junk and sugar I found I could no longer stand the taste of most fast food or sugary, fat laden sweets. I attempted to eat at MacDonald’s awhile back just to see what it was like after several years. One word - disgusting. I don’t know what they do to their food to make it taste so bad AND be so extremely unhealthy. It’s hard to believe so many people crave this stuff. It’s possible to make good tasting burgers and fries that won’t kill you. That’s why we cook at home more than we eat out.
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0 0 Many of the grocery stores these days have “hormone/antibiotic free, free range or grass fed” beef, pork and chicken. You just have to look for it as it’s usually in a small section. But it’s there. I usually get mine from Fred Meyers, as well as my produce as they’ve got the best produce around outside the farmers market.
Once you make the switch and your body adapts to it, you’ll see and feel a big difference. I can’t stand fast food and I rarely eat out. If I do eat out it’s at Subway for a sandwhich or a nice restaraunt for a steak. I would say probably 28 days out of every month is food I’ve prepared myself at home. It’s cheaper, it tastes much better and it’s better for you.
I think what turns off or makes it hard for most people is they try to make this transition to healthy eating all at once, and that usually won’t work if you’re so used to eating out or eating “processed” food all the time. Like anything start out small and cut out the bad things a little at a time. Before you know it you’ll get the same reaction Cafe mentioned when you go to eat fast food or pre-packaged overly processed foods that have ingredients you can’t pronounce in them. As you progress make a habit of reading every label on every food product you put in your basket. If you don’t know the what the ingredients are, don’t buy it.
Before you know it, if you’re overwieght you’ll start seeing the pounds come off, your blood pressure and your cholesterol levels will drop and you’ll feel amazingly better.
We’ve been programmed to think that we need to rush rush rush to eat our meals and this is why everyone feels that they need to go through the drive through for dinner or pick up a frozen meal from the grocery store. If you think about it, we really don’t need to do that. Once you start cooking your own meals and noticing the difference in taste and how you feel overall, you’ll learn to incorporate the extra time it takes to do this into your day. You’ll see that you really do have the time to slow down and eat the way we were all meant to eat, without all the extra additives, hormones, pesticides and antibiotics thats in so much of our foods.
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0 0 3333,
The Eagle Rock Food Co-op (which opens tomorrow) will have hormone free, antibiotic free, organic (much of it) beef and lamb, plus locally raised free range, hormone and antibiotic free eggs. Still working on chicken and pork.
There is a small selection at Fred Meyers and Jackson Wy has a natural food store which has a pretty decent selection.
Happy Hunting!
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0 0 Just ran across an interesting article. I don’t know how to post a link, so have to put in the address. You might find it interesting — it compares fast food places with sit down restaurants.
http//health.yahoo.com/experts/eatthis/11230/americas-bestand-worstrestaurants/
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0 0 Coop is OPEN! Yeah! They are still selling lifetime memberships for $75 until the official grand opening. Another good book Diet for a New America by John Robbins, I went Vegetarian after the first chapter of this book and that was 16 years ago. Another good read Fast Food Nation, that will have you thinking twice about our nation’s food, not just fast food either. Omnivore’s Dilemma is also good, just got to get past the corn chapter.
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Aiy Nemesis! You don’t name an animal and then eat it gf! j/k
“I’m concerned about the inhumane slaughter, and the use of downer (sickly) animals in our food chain.”
Me too. I haven’t eaten at Burger King in years for this reason. The other fast food restaurants changed the many problems with inhumane slaughter, sickly animals, feces all over tiny cages that were housing too many chickens, problems with beef, etc. Today I can’t remember all of the problem only that they were the ones who failed to respond and correct the issues. So I boycotted them.
I will not use hormones (not that I need them…yet) that use horse urine because I know how the horses are raised and left in stalls to collect urine with little to no exercise, and then slaughtered after they become to sick to produce more offspring for urine.
And when I found out how cows were killed, I couldn’t eat beef for months.
Unfortunately, I do crave beef and poultry at times and while I don’t eat much of either, I have not yet disciplined myself into none.
I do believe that some of these items are bad for your health and I do try to eat healthy. I am a big fan of fresh veggies, fruits, cheese, etc.
I think the biggest problem with vegetarianism (sp?) is lack of protein in the diet. But this can be made up for by eating more beans, seafood, maybe even protein drinks once or twice a day.