What does meat mean to you? Discuss your relationship to meat and meat-eating, continuing our conversation from class on Thursday, making references to the reading where appropriate.
Meat is a very important thing in my life since my dad being a butcher and all. We have meat a couple of times a week and it is always delicious. Cutting down on meat would not be ideal for me and my family. The idea set forth in the Boston Globe about eating less meat would defiantly be a stretch for my family and my dad’s business. Besides I really don’t know why eating meat is a bad thing. Eating fast food for sure is an unhealthy thing to do but as for grade A beef is concerned, I find that very healthy. Sure there needs to be some type of vegetable or something with your meal but I really think it is a healthy meal to have. Holidays without meat would feel like a waste of time. Thanksgiving without a turkey isn’t really thanksgiving. Therefore meat means a lot to me and not having it would be all most impossible.
To me, meat is the second most important source of enegery for my body (besides carbohydrates). As a prime protein source I mostly stick to chicken; I do not eat red meat. While I can honestly say I probably only eat meat about 3-4 times a week, I still think that it is a very important part of any persons diet. While beans, legums, and nuts can provide a high protein alternative source to meat I mostly try to steer clear of them becaues they are very high in fat. Chicken is on the rise according to Healthy People 2010 statistics, which is a very positive progression of our society. Chicken can be cooked in a variety of ways, while still maintaining its healthiness. My favorite meat is chicken; it is diverse, healthy, and provides my body with the energy from protein I need in my diet.
I love meat and could not imagine completely cutting it out of my diet. I'll eat chicken, seafood, and steak. Meatless Monday's could be something to try however, I don't know how long it would last. I don't eat meat for every meal but I still consume a lot. On average I would say I eat meat 4-5 times a week. I think meat is very important in one's diet especially for protein. I do not eat a lot of red meat but I think some is important because it is a good source of iron. I can understand why it could be important to cut down meat intake to better the environment but I don't know that I am capable of doing it. Something I distinctly remember from watching Jim Gaffigan's video on salads was that "it's like eating a bag of yard work." He goes on to talk about how much cheese and dressing is needed for it to taste good. Healthy or not, it is true.
Meat has been a part human's lives since the dawn of time, we started by eating meat. My relationship with meat is like my relationship with any other food, I don't fee like I'm murdering a carrot, stealing from a cow when eating my morning yogurt, partaking in a genocide when eating egg salad, its just the way thinks work. This is the main reason I had a problem with most of these articles. I do understand the health reasons for eating responsibly-raised meat, but ethically, they're chickens, they don't have enough mental capacity to care if they're in a warehouse or a beautiful windswept grassy plain. The MeatPaper interview bothered me the most. I had a hard time taking most of it seriously. Novella Carpenter, the “urban farmer,” comes off as a neo-grunge, unrealistic hypocrit. Carpenter refuses to eat commercial meat because “you don’t know where the meat came from, you don’t know how it died or anything about it, to me that’s kind of gross,” yet she harps about being too much like Charlotte’s Web or Babe. Carpenter also contradicts herself by raising these animals in an apartment backyard, how on Earth is that humane? She also make claims that she is saving so much time by not having to go the grocery store but also says that taking care of pigs is extremely time consuming? And why is the grocery store “soul-sucking”? If you need to go get things for your god-forsaken rabbits at midnight, why cant you do yourself and your animals a favor and take a trip to Whole Foods, its not that bad. What a wack-job. Be concerned about your health if you feel so inclined, but honestly, you should feel just as concerned about the ethics of growing herbs indoors as you should about raising a cow in a pen. Meat is just like any other food, end of story.
I don't feel that meat is a necessary part of my diet or my life style. Although I am no longer a vegetarian I spent the better part of two years meat free. Now I view meat as more of a treat. I do not eat meat every day, but probably several times a week I don't mind a big steaming bowl of chili or a hamburger. One thing that I found out while I was vegetarian was after only a week of not eating meat I felt healthier and more full of energy than when I had been eating meat. Many of my friends, including my girlfriend, are vegetarian even now I think that creating vegetarian meals can be more adventurous than a typical meat inclusive meal. When I make food with my girlfriend I always end up trying things that would otherwise be off my food radar. I like the idea of more people trying "Meatless Mondays" because I think that it will allow people to look at food in a new way.
Meat has always been a part of my diet, I savor it. Along with that Chocolate Ganache Cake I mentioned in class, The Salt Lick in Banff had one of the best steaks, it was a memorable meal. The only time I can recall any exclusion of meat was when my family drove by a bunch of cows when I was little and they called it McDonalds, at four it was a bit repulsing. McNuggets were ordered with my Happy Meal instead. Today I enjoy a whole array of meat, though have yet to try goat; Alford makes it out to be a must. I veer away from the Mickey D's mystery meat these days and eat something more wholesome.
As for my consumption, meat is important to eat on a regular basis being a primary source of protein, mainly chicken; though I am not opposed to going without meat as there are sufficient alternatives like a protein bar or shake.
Over the summer I read this book called “Skinny Bitch”, it was all about changing your diet to lose weight. Mostly it was about becoming a complete vegan. No dairy, meat or sugars, pretty much all organic. It went into deep reasoning on why you shouldn’t eat meat and how bad it is for you, better for the environment. Like the ‘One less burger, one safer planet’ article only ten times more graphic.
Yet almost a year later I am still one happy dairy loving, meat eating child. It has been routine for me to eat one meal a day with at least a meat and starch, I would say add a vegetable but I’m not big on the veggies. I don’t prefer one meat over the other, I like all kinds!
However as an abiding Catholic, during this particular time of the year I try my best to leave out meat during meals on Fridays. So I guess the ‘Meatless Mondays’ would not be that hard for me since I am accustomed to that kind of dieting already.
Meat is probably my favorite thing to eat. I like it all; chicken, pork, lamb, deer, duck, beef. After I work out, I often find myself eating 2-3 chicken breasts on top of a bed of lettuce. One of my favorite restaurants in Cleveland is a little Brazilian place called Brasa (if I'm not mistaken, there is also a Brasa in Cincinnati). Here, waiters come around to your table with long skewers filled with different kinds of meat. They have everything from filet mignon wrapped in bacon to parmesan-crusted pork tenderloin. In response to Kaitlin's post, my mom and sister read "Skinny Bitch" while on vacation one year. Throughout the vacation, they would tell me facts here and there. I don't agree with anything that book says. It tells you not to eat meat or any other animal product. The way I see it, humans have been eating animals since the beginning of time and we turned out just fine.
I love meat. It really mean's a lot to me. I myself hunt and my family hunts. Being able to have fresh meat that you know is fresh is something out of this world. We normally either make our own sausage and stuff or have it sent to be made into summer sausage. So, I guess meat is more than just a food to me, it's a way to bond with my family. I have never tried to eat goat like it was suggested in the readings. However, I do have goats at my house and I really do not think I would want to eat them. Even though the readings suggest that they do not actually eat "anything" they eat quite a lot of stuff that other animals would not eat. We actually use them to clear out brush and dead trees/vines in thickets and such because they will eat everything in the thicket except the living trees. This being said, I really think that I could not eat meat for an entire "meatless monday" but I really don't think I would actually want to. Meat is too big of a part of my life and diet.
Meat to me is more about convenience than craving. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy meat. But, I know I could go a few days out of the week without meat if there were an alternative which provided proper nutrition, tasted good, and was convenient. I agree with the Meatless Mondays and One Less Burger articles which argue that meat is not healthy for ourselves or our environment. People should eat meat as a part of their every day diet but they need to be moderate about it. Humans have become far too reliant on meat. I don't blame individuals for the over consumption of meat, we as humans are products of our environment. We have increasingly hectic schedules which do not always allow for healthy choices. This combined with the plethora of fast food restaurants providing a quick fix for hunger makes a carnivorous diet almost inevitable.
Meat has never played a significant role in my diet. Meat – especially red meat – has never appealed to my tastes. As a child meat would be placed on my dinner plate and I would stubbornly stare at it until everyone else had finished their meals and begun to leave the table. Only after a significant amount of threats by my mother would I grimace and clear my plate. In high school I decided to become a vegetarian. It was not out of concern for the environment and greenhouse gas emissions, or even for the rights of mistreated animals. It was easier to tell people (namely family at holiday get-togethers) that I was a vegetarian than it was to try and explain my aversion for the food and risk insult. Henry Alford’s article on goat meat seems foreign to me after having tried various kinds of meat prepared countless ways and having yet to genuinely savor a meat dish. If it’s not the taste, it’s the texture, the smell, or even the appearance that repels me. I no longer consider myself a vegetarian after having occasionally succumbed to the processed poultry of lunchmeat sandwiches. And somehow, Skyline chili has remained the only red meat I can bear, which I can only attribute to something in the Cincinnati air.
Although the articles brought up many good points about not eating meat i have to say that as valid as their points may be i don't think that switching to humanely raised meat is an option for everyone. Also i do not think that that the articles were particularly written for people in this class as we are not all environmentalists and vegeterians. These articles may have raised some important points but I am not exactly thrilled to start following their guidelines. Because of the one sided arguments presented in One Less Burger article I really had an attitude against the points brought up in this article. However the other 2 articles were much easier reads in the sense that I related to them better and was much more willing to listen to their arguments because of the way in which they were written. After reading the Goat Meat and Meatless Mondays articles i actually considered cutting back on meat. I would have gotten alot more out of the One Less Burger article if i didnt know it was in an environmental publication. Even though the Meatless Monday was published in environmental source the way in which it was written made it seem like it could be in Cosmo aka my favorite magazine. Also i liked how the Meatless Monday article gave easy solutions that anyone could work on to solve the met consumption problem.
And now my relationship with meat. I really dont love red meat, I'm more of a fish and chicken type girl. For some reason I have never been to happy about eating red meat, but when I do eat it I want it rare. As some like to say I want to hear my cheeseburger moo in front of me. Another reason I don't eat alot of red meat is that it makes me feel really full and slow. My family likes to eat alot of deer meat which helps break up the normal standard routine many American families follow of red meat being at the center of their meals. Deer meat may not be popular with many people, but I like it as an alternative to red meat in my diet. When I eat chicken or fish my meal feels lighter and easier to digest. I have to be honest and say that cutting meat out of my diet completely would never work for me. I have tuna or some other kind of fish everyday and that being my main source of protein I would probably have a hard time getting along without it. So overall I like my meat and I'm not planning to give it up anytime soon. I could do with some meatless days through out the week and yes I do think the health benefits presented would be a nice little positive to go along with it. And as I'm writing this my boyfriend is making chili in the other room so maybe meatless mondays can start next week.
I have to utmost respect for vegetarians and vegans. I wish I could manage that lifestyle, but it's just so difficult. Reading the "One Less Burger, One Safer Planet" article made me sick. It's disgusting how much meat we eat; especially in America. Meat should not be an every-meal food, and maybe not even an every-day food. I believe that animals are on this earth for us to use. However they are not here for us to exploit, which is exactly what we've done. Chickens are raised in the smallest of cages with their beaks clipped so they don't peck eachother to death. Livestock take up over 1/3 of land in the world. The list goes on and on. If people were just a little more conscious, a little more aware of how much meat they were consuming, we would have a healthier planet. To do my part, I plan on implementing "meatless Mondays" into my routine. Maybe I'll even throw in "seafood Sundays" sometimes.
To continue from last week, loving any and all types of food (even a bit too much) as a child growing meant a love for meat. Every time I took a trip to McDonald's, it was always the Two Cheeseburger meal. And if I was so lucky as to enter a steakhouse? Boy oh boy was I in heaven. But during my sophomore year in high school, I realized my habit of eating needed to change. I was at the age where I had to impress the opposite gender for fear of public ridicule! Therefore my relationship with meat went as follows: If it isn't from a fish or a bird, I steer clear of it. Lean meat is my best friend, whether it be turkey or grilled chicken (I'm not sure why fish is not considered meat to Catholics but if it is grilled and not breaded, I will happily consume any and all fish meat). While I may have a burger from time to time at a cookout that offers no other form of primary food, I must stay that it has been a solid five years since I have ordered a hamburger or a steak from any restaurant. I get the urge from time to time, but losing weight has turned me into a paranoid health freak and therefore it's protein > fat for me.
In regards to the articles, the two concerning health risks and environmental risks due to eating meat was not really playing to my interests. It kills me to see how obese America has become, and while I do gladly eat meat, "Meatless Mondays" states to ESPECIALLY steer away from red meat. Therefore, I feel I am doing them a service (I just hope grilling my chicken or tilapia will not give ME cancerous chemicals). What stood out to me was the concept of goat meat! To be honest I am a man of tradition who can't really embrace change. I would say for packing lunches my junior and senior year of high school, I had a turkey sandwich EVERY SINGLE DAY. I just got done fixing THREE of them for school/work! So to hear that there is a delicacy in the meat world lower in fat than chicken and higher in protein than beef, my eyes widened instantly. That is an EXCELLENT tradeoff, and as soon as I can convince my mom to purchase a pound I am going to invest some time in acquainting myself with Mr. Goat (I would order it from a restaurant, but it just is never as healthy that way. I'm paranoid!).
I don’t know what it is about meat, but I just don’t like it. It’s not that I don’t eat it to slow global warming, save the animals, or even reduce fat out of my diet. When I look at it I don’t see eyes staring back at me, my blood pressuring instantly raising, or methane and nitrous oxide being released into the air destroying our planet. It’s just one of those things. Growing up my grandpa has always tried to force me into eating “weird” types of meat. He’s actually made me try goat meat, along with other foods we consider strange, such as frog legs, snapping turtle soup, fish eggs, and even snake. It all doesn’t taste like chicken like I was told. But I have always kept and open mind and tried it all. It wasn’t until recently that I tried the first kind of “good” meat. I finally brought myself to eat crab legs. Fish has always been my favorite type of meat, but I didn’t realize that ALL seafood could be that good. I have now developed a liking for all types of seafood. And thanks to my open mind this has been made possible. “How I Learned to Love Goat Meat”, sounds like the story of my life. You’ll never know if you like something or not unless you keep an open mind and just try it. A lot like Henry Alford, I find myself trying to recruit everyone, my roommates, friends, and parents, to try this wonderful new food that I tried.
Much as Chris said, meat to me is also a convenience. I have no problem eating the fruits and veggies, but they just aren't as filling- nor as delicious, as a turkey sandwich, hamburger, or chicken breast. Personally I just find them better as a complement, not alternative. As far as the readings are concerned, I really don't think humans eat too much meat. I mean is a half a pound of meat a day really that much? Thats like one steak or two sandwiches. I do believe that I could go meatless on Mondays, but I honestly just don't want to.
For me meat is the major and most important component of any meal. I have grown up having meat at least twice a day. I know that there are a lot of girls (my mother and sister to name two) who can go without meat and not really miss it. I however am a different story. I think that would choose a steak over anything else. I have come to find that the meat is the first thing that I eat when I sit down to a meal. That way I know that I wont get too full and not be able to finish it. As much as I love meat there are a few types of meat that I wont eat; lamb chops, fish, elk, deer etc. I like to stick with beef, chicken, and pork. I know everyone is saying that we should start eating less meat to save the world, but I have never had the intention of cutting meat out of my diet.
I have always been a lover of meat, enjoying chicken, turkey, ham, and especially a juicy steak. Since I was a young child not a day has gone by to which I did not eat some form of meat. I enjoy it for its taste, texture, and nutrition. Meat contains a healthy supply of protein something that is not as easy to get with other forms of food. I once tried to prepare chicken on the grill and I learned that I should stick to deli meat. I don't mind that though, I find deli meat to be delicious. Meat is something that I need to partake in everyday no if and's but's about it, and why not God gave us meat for a reason!?
Meat is a very important thing in my life since my dad being a butcher and all. We have meat a couple of times a week and it is always delicious. Cutting down on meat would not be ideal for me and my family. The idea set forth in the Boston Globe about eating less meat would defiantly be a stretch for my family and my dad’s business. Besides I really don’t know why eating meat is a bad thing. Eating fast food for sure is an unhealthy thing to do but as for grade A beef is concerned, I find that very healthy. Sure there needs to be some type of vegetable or something with your meal but I really think it is a healthy meal to have. Holidays without meat would feel like a waste of time. Thanksgiving without a turkey isn’t really thanksgiving. Therefore meat means a lot to me and not having it would be all most impossible.
ReplyDeleteTo me, meat is the second most important source of enegery for my body (besides carbohydrates). As a prime protein source I mostly stick to chicken; I do not eat red meat. While I can honestly say I probably only eat meat about 3-4 times a week, I still think that it is a very important part of any persons diet. While beans, legums, and nuts can provide a high protein alternative source to meat I mostly try to steer clear of them becaues they are very high in fat. Chicken is on the rise according to Healthy People 2010 statistics, which is a very positive progression of our society. Chicken can be cooked in a variety of ways, while still maintaining its healthiness. My favorite meat is chicken; it is diverse, healthy, and provides my body with the energy from protein I need in my diet.
ReplyDeleteI love meat and could not imagine completely cutting it out of my diet. I'll eat chicken, seafood, and steak. Meatless Monday's could be something to try however, I don't know how long it would last. I don't eat meat for every meal but I still consume a lot. On average I would say I eat meat 4-5 times a week. I think meat is very important in one's diet especially for protein. I do not eat a lot of red meat but I think some is important because it is a good source of iron. I can understand why it could be important to cut down meat intake to better the environment but I don't know that I am capable of doing it. Something I distinctly remember from watching Jim Gaffigan's video on salads was that "it's like eating a bag of yard work." He goes on to talk about how much cheese and dressing is needed for it to taste good. Healthy or not, it is true.
ReplyDeleteMeat has been a part human's lives since the dawn of time, we started by eating meat. My relationship with meat is like my relationship with any other food, I don't fee like I'm murdering a carrot, stealing from a cow when eating my morning yogurt, partaking in a genocide when eating egg salad, its just the way thinks work. This is the main reason I had a problem with most of these articles. I do understand the health reasons for eating responsibly-raised meat, but ethically, they're chickens, they don't have enough mental capacity to care if they're in a warehouse or a beautiful windswept grassy plain. The MeatPaper interview bothered me the most. I had a hard time taking most of it seriously. Novella Carpenter, the “urban farmer,” comes off as a neo-grunge, unrealistic hypocrit. Carpenter refuses to eat commercial meat because “you don’t know where the meat came from, you don’t know how it died or anything about it, to me that’s kind of gross,” yet she harps about being too much like Charlotte’s Web or Babe. Carpenter also contradicts herself by raising these animals in an apartment backyard, how on Earth is that humane? She also make claims that she is saving so much time by not having to go the grocery store but also says that taking care of pigs is extremely time consuming? And why is the grocery store “soul-sucking”? If you need to go get things for your god-forsaken rabbits at midnight, why cant you do yourself and your animals a favor and take a trip to Whole Foods, its not that bad. What a wack-job. Be concerned about your health if you feel so inclined, but honestly, you should feel just as concerned about the ethics of growing herbs indoors as you should about raising a cow in a pen. Meat is just like any other food, end of story.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI don't feel that meat is a necessary part of my diet or my life style. Although I am no longer a vegetarian I spent the better part of two years meat free. Now I view meat as more of a treat. I do not eat meat every day, but probably several times a week I don't mind a big steaming bowl of chili or a hamburger. One thing that I found out while I was vegetarian was after only a week of not eating meat I felt healthier and more full of energy than when I had been eating meat. Many of my friends, including my girlfriend, are vegetarian even now I think that creating vegetarian meals can be more adventurous than a typical meat inclusive meal. When I make food with my girlfriend I always end up trying things that would otherwise be off my food radar. I like the idea of more people trying "Meatless Mondays" because I think that it will allow people to look at food in a new way.
ReplyDeleteMeat has always been a part of my diet, I savor it. Along with that Chocolate Ganache Cake I mentioned in class, The Salt Lick in Banff had one of the best steaks, it was a memorable meal. The only time I can recall any exclusion of meat was when my family drove by a bunch of cows when I was little and they called it McDonalds, at four it was a bit repulsing. McNuggets were ordered with my Happy Meal instead. Today I enjoy a whole array of meat, though have yet to try goat; Alford makes it out to be a must. I veer away from the Mickey D's mystery meat these days and eat something more wholesome.
ReplyDeleteAs for my consumption, meat is important to eat on a regular basis being a primary source of protein, mainly chicken; though I am not opposed to going without meat as there are sufficient alternatives like a protein bar or shake.
Over the summer I read this book called “Skinny Bitch”, it was all about changing your diet to lose weight. Mostly it was about becoming a complete vegan. No dairy, meat or sugars, pretty much all organic. It went into deep reasoning on why you shouldn’t eat meat and how bad it is for you, better for the environment. Like the ‘One less burger, one safer planet’ article only ten times more graphic.
ReplyDeleteYet almost a year later I am still one happy dairy loving, meat eating child. It has been routine for me to eat one meal a day with at least a meat and starch, I would say add a vegetable but I’m not big on the veggies. I don’t prefer one meat over the other, I like all kinds!
However as an abiding Catholic, during this particular time of the year I try my best to leave out meat during meals on Fridays. So I guess the ‘Meatless Mondays’ would not be that hard for me since I am accustomed to that kind of dieting already.
Meat is probably my favorite thing to eat. I like it all; chicken, pork, lamb, deer, duck, beef. After I work out, I often find myself eating 2-3 chicken breasts on top of a bed of lettuce.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite restaurants in Cleveland is a little Brazilian place called Brasa (if I'm not mistaken, there is also a Brasa in Cincinnati). Here, waiters come around to your table with long skewers filled with different kinds of meat. They have everything from filet mignon wrapped in bacon to parmesan-crusted pork tenderloin.
In response to Kaitlin's post, my mom and sister read "Skinny Bitch" while on vacation one year. Throughout the vacation, they would tell me facts here and there. I don't agree with anything that book says. It tells you not to eat meat or any other animal product. The way I see it, humans have been eating animals since the beginning of time and we turned out just fine.
I love meat. It really mean's a lot to me. I myself hunt and my family hunts. Being able to have fresh meat that you know is fresh is something out of this world. We normally either make our own sausage and stuff or have it sent to be made into summer sausage. So, I guess meat is more than just a food to me, it's a way to bond with my family. I have never tried to eat goat like it was suggested in the readings. However, I do have goats at my house and I really do not think I would want to eat them. Even though the readings suggest that they do not actually eat "anything" they eat quite a lot of stuff that other animals would not eat. We actually use them to clear out brush and dead trees/vines in thickets and such because they will eat everything in the thicket except the living trees. This being said, I really think that I could not eat meat for an entire "meatless monday" but I really don't think I would actually want to. Meat is too big of a part of my life and diet.
ReplyDeleteMeat to me is more about convenience than craving. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy meat. But, I know I could go a few days out of the week without meat if there were an alternative which provided proper nutrition, tasted good, and was convenient.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the Meatless Mondays and One Less Burger articles which argue that meat is not healthy for ourselves or our environment.
People should eat meat as a part of their every day diet but they need to be moderate about it. Humans have become far too reliant on meat.
I don't blame individuals for the over consumption of meat, we as humans are products of our environment. We have increasingly hectic schedules which do not always allow for healthy choices. This combined with the plethora of fast food restaurants providing a quick fix for hunger makes a carnivorous diet almost inevitable.
Meat has never played a significant role in my diet. Meat – especially red meat – has never appealed to my tastes. As a child meat would be placed on my dinner plate and I would stubbornly stare at it until everyone else had finished their meals and begun to leave the table. Only after a significant amount of threats by my mother would I grimace and clear my plate.
ReplyDeleteIn high school I decided to become a vegetarian. It was not out of concern for the environment and greenhouse gas emissions, or even for the rights of mistreated animals. It was easier to tell people (namely family at holiday get-togethers) that I was a vegetarian than it was to try and explain my aversion for the food and risk insult.
Henry Alford’s article on goat meat seems foreign to me after having tried various kinds of meat prepared countless ways and having yet to genuinely savor a meat dish. If it’s not the taste, it’s the texture, the smell, or even the appearance that repels me.
I no longer consider myself a vegetarian after having occasionally succumbed to the processed poultry of lunchmeat sandwiches. And somehow, Skyline chili has remained the only red meat I can bear, which I can only attribute to something in the Cincinnati air.
Although the articles brought up many good points about not eating meat i have to say that as valid as their points may be i don't think that switching to humanely raised meat is an option for everyone. Also i do not think that that the articles were particularly written for people in this class as we are not all environmentalists and vegeterians. These articles may have raised some important points but I am not exactly thrilled to start following their guidelines. Because of the one sided arguments presented in One Less Burger article I really had an attitude against the points brought up in this article. However the other 2 articles were much easier reads in the sense that I related to them better and was much more willing to listen to their arguments because of the way in which they were written. After reading the Goat Meat and Meatless Mondays articles i actually considered cutting back on meat. I would have gotten alot more out of the One Less Burger article if i didnt know it was in an environmental publication. Even though the Meatless Monday was published in environmental source the way in which it was written made it seem like it could be in Cosmo aka my favorite magazine. Also i liked how the Meatless Monday article gave easy solutions that anyone could work on to solve the met consumption problem.
ReplyDeleteAnd now my relationship with meat. I really dont love red meat, I'm more of a fish and chicken type girl. For some reason I have never been to happy about eating red meat, but when I do eat it I want it rare. As some like to say I want to hear my cheeseburger moo in front of me. Another reason I don't eat alot of red meat is that it makes me feel really full and slow. My family likes to eat alot of deer meat which helps break up the normal standard routine many American families follow of red meat being at the center of their meals. Deer meat may not be popular with many people, but I like it as an alternative to red meat in my diet. When I eat chicken or fish my meal feels lighter and easier to digest. I have to be honest and say that cutting meat out of my diet completely would never work for me. I have tuna or some other kind of fish everyday and that being my main source of protein I would probably have a hard time getting along without it. So overall I like my meat and I'm not planning to give it up anytime soon. I could do with some meatless days through out the week and yes I do think the health benefits presented would be a nice little positive to go along with it. And as I'm writing this my boyfriend is making chili in the other room so maybe meatless mondays can start next week.
I have to utmost respect for vegetarians and vegans. I wish I could manage that lifestyle, but it's just so difficult. Reading the "One Less Burger, One Safer Planet" article made me sick. It's disgusting how much meat we eat; especially in America. Meat should not be an every-meal food, and maybe not even an every-day food. I believe that animals are on this earth for us to use. However they are not here for us to exploit, which is exactly what we've done. Chickens are raised in the smallest of cages with their beaks clipped so they don't peck eachother to death. Livestock take up over 1/3 of land in the world. The list goes on and on. If people were just a little more conscious, a little more aware of how much meat they were consuming, we would have a healthier planet.
ReplyDeleteTo do my part, I plan on implementing "meatless Mondays" into my routine. Maybe I'll even throw in "seafood Sundays" sometimes.
To continue from last week, loving any and all types of food (even a bit too much) as a child growing meant a love for meat. Every time I took a trip to McDonald's, it was always the Two Cheeseburger meal. And if I was so lucky as to enter a steakhouse? Boy oh boy was I in heaven. But during my sophomore year in high school, I realized my habit of eating needed to change. I was at the age where I had to impress the opposite gender for fear of public ridicule! Therefore my relationship with meat went as follows: If it isn't from a fish or a bird, I steer clear of it. Lean meat is my best friend, whether it be turkey or grilled chicken (I'm not sure why fish is not considered meat to Catholics but if it is grilled and not breaded, I will happily consume any and all fish meat). While I may have a burger from time to time at a cookout that offers no other form of primary food, I must stay that it has been a solid five years since I have ordered a hamburger or a steak from any restaurant. I get the urge from time to time, but losing weight has turned me into a paranoid health freak and therefore it's protein > fat for me.
ReplyDeleteIn regards to the articles, the two concerning health risks and environmental risks due to eating meat was not really playing to my interests. It kills me to see how obese America has become, and while I do gladly eat meat, "Meatless Mondays" states to ESPECIALLY steer away from red meat. Therefore, I feel I am doing them a service (I just hope grilling my chicken or tilapia will not give ME cancerous chemicals).
What stood out to me was the concept of goat meat! To be honest I am a man of tradition who can't really embrace change. I would say for packing lunches my junior and senior year of high school, I had a turkey sandwich EVERY SINGLE DAY. I just got done fixing THREE of them for school/work! So to hear that there is a delicacy in the meat world lower in fat than chicken and higher in protein than beef, my eyes widened instantly. That is an EXCELLENT tradeoff, and as soon as I can convince my mom to purchase a pound I am going to invest some time in acquainting myself with Mr. Goat (I would order it from a restaurant, but it just is never as healthy that way. I'm paranoid!).
I don’t know what it is about meat, but I just don’t like it. It’s not that I don’t eat it to slow global warming, save the animals, or even reduce fat out of my diet. When I look at it I don’t see eyes staring back at me, my blood pressuring instantly raising, or methane and nitrous oxide being released into the air destroying our planet. It’s just one of those things. Growing up my grandpa has always tried to force me into eating “weird” types of meat. He’s actually made me try goat meat, along with other foods we consider strange, such as frog legs, snapping turtle soup, fish eggs, and even snake. It all doesn’t taste like chicken like I was told. But I have always kept and open mind and tried it all.
ReplyDeleteIt wasn’t until recently that I tried the first kind of “good” meat. I finally brought myself to eat crab legs. Fish has always been my favorite type of meat, but I didn’t realize that ALL seafood could be that good. I have now developed a liking for all types of seafood. And thanks to my open mind this has been made possible. “How I Learned to Love Goat Meat”, sounds like the story of my life. You’ll never know if you like something or not unless you keep an open mind and just try it. A lot like Henry Alford, I find myself trying to recruit everyone, my roommates, friends, and parents, to try this wonderful new food that I tried.
Much as Chris said, meat to me is also a convenience. I have no problem eating the fruits and veggies, but they just aren't as filling- nor as delicious, as a turkey sandwich, hamburger, or chicken breast. Personally I just find them better as a complement, not alternative. As far as the readings are concerned, I really don't think humans eat too much meat. I mean is a half a pound of meat a day really that much? Thats like one steak or two sandwiches. I do believe that I could go meatless on Mondays, but I honestly just don't want to.
ReplyDeleteFor me meat is the major and most important component of any meal. I have grown up having meat at least twice a day. I know that there are a lot of girls (my mother and sister to name two) who can go without meat and not really miss it. I however am a different story. I think that would choose a steak over anything else. I have come to find that the meat is the first thing that I eat when I sit down to a meal. That way I know that I wont get too full and not be able to finish it. As much as I love meat there are a few types of meat that I wont eat; lamb chops, fish, elk, deer etc. I like to stick with beef, chicken, and pork. I know everyone is saying that we should start eating less meat to save the world, but I have never had the intention of cutting meat out of my diet.
ReplyDeleteI have always been a lover of meat, enjoying chicken, turkey, ham, and especially a juicy steak. Since I was a young child not a day has gone by to which I did not eat some form of meat. I enjoy it for its taste, texture, and nutrition. Meat contains a healthy supply of protein something that is not as easy to get with other forms of food. I once tried to prepare chicken on the grill and I learned that I should stick to deli meat. I don't mind that though, I find deli meat to be delicious. Meat is something that I need to partake in everyday no if and's but's about it, and why not God gave us meat for a reason!?
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