I don't recall who said this on another thread, perhaps @Coyote?
It was about US having shortages of meat. And here we are:
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-04-27/americans-face-meat-shortages-while-farmers-are-forced-to-cull?utm_campaign=news&utm_medium=bd&utm_source=applenews
Wendy's is having meat shortages too: https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/05/business/wendys-beef-shortage/index.html
Costco announced they are limiting meat purchases to 3 per customer.
In other news, my local farmer we get meat from announced that due to Newport Disease, there may very well be an extreme shortage of eggs and poultry nationwide. The state of CA is sending inspectors to all farms and euthanizing any chickens they believe may be infected, even if owners have proof of vaccination.
To everyone who is worried about meat shortages, I want to say that that I've been eating a plant-based diet exclusively for over a year now, and it's fantastic! I'm 56, healthy and happy, and the food I eat is delicious. Please consider plant-based eating as an option, at least give it a try for the majority of your meals if not all of them.
It's a little bit of an adjustment initially, mainly because you have to figure out the substitutes for meat, dairy, and eggs, but it's very doable, very flavorful, healthy, gentler on the planet, and kinder on animals. Plus I have this theory that we're never going to be fully cooperative and peaceful as a human collective if we continue to slaughter living beings for food.
Vegan body builders and long-distance runners show us that we CAN get the nutrition we need on a 100% plant-based diet. If for whatever reason you are someone who cannot eat plants exclusively, you may be able to be fine with 90-95% plant-based. From where I sit, a meat shortage is not a crisis.
P.S. I'm vegan, my daughter is vegetarian, and my husband and son are flexitarian. At home. I eat 100% plant-based, and the rest of my family does about 99.5% plant-based (they occasionally consume dairy and/or eggs). My daughter and I do not eat meat. The only time my husband and son eat meat anymore is if they're in a social setting where the food being served has very limited options. Of course with social distancing these days, there are no social gatherings to go to.
Thank you, all! Love you guys!
@grace. I am with you on this. I am still eating a little bit of poultry and dairy but trying to eliminate the poultry and only from humanely raised farms, and only eating the dairy from small, humane farms. My thought is that if someone can't give up animal food, please buy it from places that treat the animals humanely.
@grace. I am with you on this. My thought is that no creature should suffer because of my eating needs as well as my cosmetic and cleaning needs. I am not fully plant-based yet, but we only buy from small local farms that treat their animals humanely.
Same with cosmetics and cleaning products. I avoid any creams, shampoos, cosmetics that use animals for testing. The cruelty inflicted on animals for testing, which is unnecessary, boggles the mind. I avoid such products but hadn't realized until now how extensive the cruelty products are:
According to CrueltyKitty.com, these brands test on animals. Don't buy them: Maybelline, MaxFactor, Clairol, Dove, Clinique, Johnson & Johnson, L'Oreal, Colgate, Aveeno, Avon, Bain de Soleil, Bath and Body, Bed Head, Calvin Klein, Clearasil, Dial, Crabtree & Evelyn, Estee Lauder, Febreze, Escada, Arm & Hammer, Amway, Joy, Almay, Banana Boat, Comet, Chlorox, Caresse, Crest, Dior, Gucci, Gerlain, Head & Shoulders, Gilette, Herbal Essences, Glade, Givenchy, Helena Rubenstein, Ivory, Jergins, L'Occitane, Irish Spring, Kotex, Lady Speed Stick, Neutrogena, Noxema, Olay, Old Spice, Pantene, Mr. Clean, Nice & Easy,Vaseline, Windex, Victoria's Secret, Downy, Elizabeth Arden, Ponds, Pine sol, Mary Kay, Kotex, Mitchum.
This is only a partial list. I picked them because I know these brands. You can get the full list and the details on Crueltykitty.com.
Cruelty Free: Trader Joes brand, Kirkland which is Costco's brand, and Whole Foods (365) products say they are cruelty free. All three of these stores have tons of products, soaps, shampoos, cosmetics, even hair dyes and all are cruelty free. YAY!
I'v flirted with going meat free, but I feel like I'm starving, and I love milk and cheese too much.
Thank you so much for the reminder on buying cruelty-free products, Jeanne <3 I need to get better at checking those lists. I do make sure to get plant-based bar soaps and avoid anything with sodium tallowate in the ingredients list (it's derived from animal fat).
ElaineG, my son has taken up making plant-based cheeses (some of his primary ingredients include cashews, roasted red peppers, and sunflower seeds). I'm amazed at how good those cheezes are. His grilled cheeze sandwiches are phenomenal!
I would love to find cheese alternatives that are good. I do love cooking with coconut milk. The taste is great and creamy, and there are some yum dishes with coconut milk, veggies, and turmeric and hot peppers on fresh steamed jasmine rice. Yum. I need more ideas though. I can't digest beans. Hey @Laura-f, you got any ideas?