It’s totally possible to be an ethical meat eater. No, really! Look at you – you care! You want to eat as ethically and responsibly as possible…but you also want to eat meat. Well, you can actually conflate those two ideas. Here’s how to be an ethical meat eater.

The First Step to Being an Ethical Meat Eater: Create a Meal Plan

Part of eating meat responsibly is realizing that you probably shouldn’t have meat at every meal. Not only is it expensive, but it’s not that great for the environment. Creating a meal plan (at least for an outline – it doesn’t have to be super exact or scientific) can give you a general idea of what you’ll be eating for the week, so you can budget and shop more effectively.

Meatless Mondays

If you’re just starting to cut out meat, or looking to become a more ethical meat eater, Meatless Mondays is a good option. Basically, eat how you normally would six days a week, but make an effort to eliminate meat on Monday. It’s a good way to start reducing meat consumption without being overwhelming.

Weekday Vegan/Vegetarian

If you’re looking to eliminate a good portion of your meat consumption, consider being a “weekday vegan” or “weekday vegetarian.” It’s basically exactly what it sounds like – eat a vegan or vegetarian diet during the week, and then go wild on the weekends. Well, maybe not “go wild,” so much as eat your meat then.

How to Be An Ethical Meat Eater: Farmer’s Markets & CSAs

So, whether or not you’re going to cut down on meat/dairy/eggs in order to be a more ethical meat eater, the most important aspect of this is where you get your meat. I don’t think I need to cover just how horrible the food industry has become, in terms of the treatment of animals. If you want to know more, there are plenty of documentaries. Seriously, search “vegan documentary” or “food documentary” and you’re guaranteed to be thoroughly upset.

So, to avoid being part of this, and to foster a better alternative, joining a CSA,* or going to the farmer’s market are great options. Many farms offer a meat share, where you can obtain ethically and sustainably raised meats. If a meat share is too much, simply buying meat a la carte at the farmer’s market can provide similar quality. For eggs and dairy, it’s the same situation.

Finding a local farmer is more sustainable, as packaging and transportation costs are significantly reduced.  You’ll also be able to talk to the people who do the farming, and care for the animals. Most smaller farms that sell at local markets will have a much higher standard of care for the animals. Be sure to ask a lot of questions to make sure the meat/eggs/dairy meet your standards!

Find a local farmer’s market here: http://www.localharvest.org/farmers-markets/

Final a local CSA here: http://www.localharvest.org/csa/

*CSA = Community Shared Agriculture, and is basically buying a share of what the farm produces, along with other members of the community. So, typically it’s a box of veggies and fruit, but you’ll often be able to get eggs, dairy and meat as well.

Being an Ethical Meat Eater at the Grocery Store

So, let’s say you can’t get to a local farmer’s market or CSA, or it’s just not for you. There are still ways you can ethically source meat at your grocery store. There are two seals that I always look for when sourcing meat or eggs at the grocery store

Certified Humane

Certified Humane standards aim to make sure that the animals are cared for as best as is possible for the duration of their lives. Cages, stalls or other forms of confinement are strictly forbidden. Feed cannot include hormones, antibiotics and must be “healthy” and “high quality” (read the details for each species for more info on that!). Handling is required to be gentle, and the animals are able to engage in natural activities, like rooting and dust baths.

Standards are available for viewing here: http://certifiedhumane.org/how-we-work/our-standards/

Animal Welfare Approved

Similar to the Certified Humane label above, the Animal Welfare Approved standards also forbid cages, stalls or crates, and require an enriched environment. Fresh water and quality food are also central to these standards. What makes the Animal Welfare Approved rating a bit different is that animals are required to be raised primarily outside – not just given “outdoor access.” AWA even requires that breeds be chosen that are suited to the climate and environment of the farm. It’s pretty extensive.

A complete list of their standards can be found here: http://animalwelfareapproved.org/standards/list-of-standards/

GAP Animal Wellness Ratings

This system is definitely worth checking out if you want to obtain more sustainable meat. The rating system, which goes from 1 – 5+ ranks the care, feed, environment and slaughter conditions of the animal in question. While the lower end (1-2) are pretty basic, the higher ratings require enriched environments, and pastured animals. Check out their standards for farm animal welfare (each type of animal has different standards) to learn more in an in-depth way.

For a quick and easy breakdown, Whole Foods Market has a good guide on their website.

Ethical Seafood: Sustainability and Care

For those of you who enjoy fish, the Marine Stewardship Council certification is worth looking for. This group aims to ensure the sustainability of types of fish, as well as the care with which they are caught and transported.

More information available here: https://www.msc.org/about-us/standards

Online Ethical Meat Sourcing

If you don’t live in an area with a local Whole Foods, or farmer’s market, you can still find humane meat online. I’ve heard a lot of good things about the following companies, but haven’t actually shopped at any of them. Check their about pages to see if their standards work for you (no, they did not pay me):

• US Wellness Meats
• Organic Prairie
• White Oak Pastures
• Walden Local Meat (MA & RI!)
• Wait it out for lab grown meat ;)

In Summary…

Are any of these ratings systems perfect? No, of course not. All leave room for some potentially unsavory behavior, but at the end of the day, it’s up to the consumer to decide what level of care they’re willing to pay for.

Seeking out local farmers is always the best bet, as you can find out for yourself what the actual practices are. Most small farms around where I am actually have websites that talk about their practices, which is really helpful!

All in all, you should aim to eat consciously, and act thoughtfully when purchasing meat and animal products. Sound like hippie mumbo jumbo? It kind of is, but there’s also truth. As a meat-eating friend of mine recently said, “the animal gave up its life so that we can eat, and the least we can do is be appreciative of that.”