We’ve all heard of the wonderful things that a plant-based diet can do for your health, your wallet and the planet. But we get it how hard it is to swap a juicy burger or steak for pulverized soybeans. So until lab-grown meat becomes a viable and affordable alternative, eating animals and animal products involves a (tasty) side of guilt.
The good news is many Americans have cut back on consuming meat, and many others want to eat less. Still, there’s a long way to go. The fact is, Americans eat more meat than every other population on the planet.
But there’s no need to go cold turkey and become a vegetarian or vegan. Taking baby steps can make a big difference. The environmental magazine Ensia recently gave some tips about eating more sustainably, including:
1. Practice Meatless Mondays
Studies show that if every American eliminated meat for a single night a week, it would be the same as removing 30 to 40 million cars from the roads for a year. We previously reported that the Meatless Mondays initiative (which has the aim of reducing global meat consumption by 15 percent) was recently adopted by a whopping 57,000 students enrolled in Boston’s 128 public schools.
2. Do the “species switch-out”
We’ve said before that red meat is one of the primary sources of human-induced methane (a by-product of manure), which is more than 20 times more toxic than carbon dioxide. So the next time you’re thinking of meal ideas, choose chicken, turkey or pork instead of beef or lamb. As Ensia writes, “it takes far less grain (and therefore cropland) to produce a pound of pig or poultry than to produce a pound of cow.”
3. Choose local, sustainable or organic meat
Unfortunately, most of the animal products that are available in our grocery stores or restaurants come from factory farms, which are environmental nightmares. If you are craving a burger or a steak, use your dollars to support small farmers who care more for animal welfare and specialize in pasture-raised meats. You could also choose from a wide variety of sustainable seafood. Yes, it’s more expensive but you’re saving money from eating less meat during the week.
And here are some ideas from us…
4. Help yourself to more side dishes
Meat doesn’t have to be the star of your meal. It’s recommended for health reasons that we shouldn’t eat a serving of chicken or steak that’s larger than a deck of cards, so fill up your plate with fruits, vegetables and whole grains instead. You can also bulk up your burger patty with plant proteins such as mushrooms, black beans and veggies.
5. Try a diet that lets you cheat
We get that eating is a social activity. If you want some sliders or buffalo wings during happy hour, go for it but make sure you don’t eat any meat before then. That’s the idea behind Mark Bittman’s “Vegan Before 6” diet, which is exactly what it sounds like. Instead of going fully vegan or vegetarian, “this [diet] easier because every day you get your meal that is completely satisfying to you,” the New York Times food writer said in an interview. There’s also the newfangled Flexitarian diet (a portmanteau of “flexible” and “vegetarian”) which has a similar idea: a plant-heavy diet that allows you to indulge in meat once in awhile.
6. Use meat as a condiment or flavoring
It’s been said that the reason why we like the taste of meat or animal products so much is because of umami, which the Japanese term for a pleasant, savory taste. Instead of going full hog, add notes of this delicious element to pasta or vegetable dishes (such as little bits of cured meats or a splash of chicken or fish stock) to bring out those carnivorous flavors.
7. Go global
U.S. News and World Report released a list of the top 10 plant-based diets, and the Mediterranean diet and the Asian diet were first and fourth on the list, respectively. These cuisines (think traditional Greek, Italian, Vietnamese, Thai, etc.) rely more on fresh herbs, fruits and vegetables and fish, unlike typical American fare that’s heavy on red or processed meats. CNN compiled a list of the 10 healthiest ethnic cuisines and suggested dishes that are not only healthy and flavorsome, but that also don’t feature much food that used to have a heartbeat.
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Tag: fruits and vegetables
Should Schoolchildren Play First and Eat Second?
In the fight against childhood obesity, First Lady Michelle Obama spearheaded the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act that requires schools to serve more fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
The idea is great. Its execution? Not so much. Reports found that despite federal law, many elementary school students (up to 70 percent) end up throwing most of this produce away to the tune of $3.8 million in wasted costs. The reason? Kids who are picky eaters would rather go hungry than eat broccoli.
However, a new study from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, and Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., found a solution to get kids to actually eat healthy, and it all comes down to scheduling.
The idea is that these youngsters will eat more — and more healthfully — if they work up an appetite first. And there’s a simple, cost-free way that schools can do this: switch up recess and lunch.
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As EcoWatch notes, most schools in America schedule lunch before recess thinking that the kids can use the free time to burn off their meals. But as it happens, since students so excited about getting to play, many just end up trashing their food.
“Recess is a pretty big deal to kids,” Joseph Price, BYU associate professor and the study’s lead author, tells the Salt Lake City Tribune. “So if you make them choose between recess and vegetables, recess is going to win.”
For the study, researchers observed seven elementary school cafeterias in Orem, Utah. Four schools had lunch first, and three schools experimented with recess first. “After analyzing a total of 22,939 observations the researchers concluded that in the schools that switched recess to before lunch children ate 54 percent more fruits and vegetables,” a news release says. “There was also a 45 percent increase in those eating at least one serving of fruits and vegetables. During the same time period consumption of fruits and vegetables actually decreased in the schools that didn’t switch.”
It makes a lot of sense. By making sure kids jump, swing and run around on the playground first, they’ll be hungry enough to eat anything. Even broccoli.
One of the Country’s Largest School Districts Joins Meatless Monday
A single day can make a world of difference.
The Boston Public School system will be adopting the practice of Meatless Monday — a non-profit initiative with the aim of reducing global meat consumption by 15 percent — to promote better health and help save the environment.
According to a news release, the 57,000 students enrolled in Boston’s 128 public schools will have vegetarian choices such as black bean burrito bowls, garden salads topped with chickpeas, protein-packed chili and other healthy entrees that, hopefully, won’t leave anyone wondering “where’s the beef?”
“Offering students nutritious meals as part of the Meatless Monday programs allows us to meet the diverse needs of the families in our district while getting the week off to a healthy start,” Deputy Director of the Boston Public Schools’ Department of Food and Nutrition Services, Deborah Ventricelli says in a statement. “Now, every Monday, our students know they can look forward to a high-quality meatless option in addition to the choices they already have.”
The school district is working with the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) to implement the once-a-week break from eating animals. Kristie Middleton, a food policy manager at the HSUS says, “Students will also be seeing posters in cafeterias encouraging them to take a holiday from meat in order to do their part to save the environment and to eat healthier.”
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EcoWatch reports that the schools started Meatless Monday after receiving more than 1,000 requests from parents and students.
As we’ve mentioned before, Americans are way over-proteined — consuming more meat than nearly every other population on the planet. Although the American Heart Association recommends eating less than six ounces per day of meat, many of us eat double that amount, putting us at a much higher risk for cardiovascular disease.
Meat-eating also puts stress on the environment. According to the Center for Biological Diversity, meat production is responsible for 14.5 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions — more than all forms of transportation combined. Eliminating meat for a single night a week is the same as taking 30 to 40 million cars off the road for a year.
While we’re not telling you to wave bye-bye to burgers, eating less meat is not only better for your health, it’s better for the planet’s health, too.
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The District Where Healthy School Lunches Are Actually Succeeding
School lunches are healthier than ever under First Lady Michelle Obama’s Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. Federal law now requires schools to serve more fruits, vegetables and whole grains, as well as cut down on food that’s high in calories, fat and sodium.
The new school lunch standard is wonderful in the fight against childhood obesity. However, its actual implementation has been fraught with controversy. School lunch companies are complaining that the tough nutritional guidelines are too rigid and claiming that they’re causing a steep loss in revenue. Picky eaters are also revolting about the taste of their foods, and many just end up going hungry when they throw whole trays of food away.
But there’s one school district where kids are actually eating — and even enjoying their meals.
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As the Atlantic reports, the Lincoln Public School System (LPS) in Lincoln, Nebraska “has gone above and beyond the legal requirements, dishing out a daily vegetable smorgasbord. On top of veggie burgers and black-bean chili, the school system serves up local yellow watermelons, black and green peppers, cherry tomatoes, blueberries, ripe plums and fresh cantaloupe.”
And according to the Journal Star, all of the district’s high schools, most of its middle schools and about one-third of the elementary school have a fruit and vegetable bar. Chicken nuggets are coated in whole wheat crumbs and lasagna made with low-sodium sauce and whole wheat noodles.
“Last year, we spent over $1.1 million dollars on produce. So we do serve a lot, and I’m really excited to see that children don’t waste it, that they eat it. That is really cool,” says Edith Zumwalt, the Director of Nutrition Services in LPS.
For its efforts, the district was recently given the “Golden Carrot Award” from the Physicians Committee (PCRM), a nonprofit medical organization of 12,000 physicians. The award came with $1,500 prize for the nutrition services program. Remarkably, LPS was the only public school to win; private schools in California and Arizona also shared the award.
Following the award, the school district even received praise from one Kourtney Kardashian, who’s apparently a big healthy food advocate and has teamed up with the PCRM. “As a mom who makes her healthy eating a priority, I’m so impressed to see that Lincoln’s lunch trays are filled with colorful, locally grown cherries, savory carrots, yellow watermelon, fresh blueberries, and plums,” the reality star writes in a letter to the school.
Clearly, healthy food doesn’t have to mean bland. Hopefully more schools can take up this philosophy too.
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How the USDA’s New Changes Are Trying to Give Women and Children the Best Start Possible
Hello salads, lean proteins, whole grains, and dairy products!
With recent news of the the decline in obesity in preschool and kindergarten-aged children, and the push for clearer nutritional labels on food packaging, the future looks much healthier for all Americans. And now, the government-funded WIC program (which stands for for Women, Infants and Children) is getting on board, too, by adding healthier options to their food choices.
Recipients now have access to nutritious fare such as fresh, canned and frozen fruits and vegetables; yogurts; whole grain breads and pastas; as well as a tofu option for vegetarians; the USDA announced.
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The WIC program was started in 1974 as a way for low-income woman and their children to have access to food — feeding more than half of newborn babies in the United States. Three decades later, it’s been given a much-needed overhaul. “The updates to the WIC food package make pivotal improvements to the program and better meet the diverse nutritional needs of mothers and their young children,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack in a USDA news release. “The foods provided by the WIC program, along with education that focuses on the critical role of breastfeeding and proper nutrition, help to ensure that every American child has the opportunity to grow up healthy and strong.”
Sounds like a recipe for healthy living to us.
How America Is Investing in Local Fruits and Veggies
America’s Midwest is still best known for its corn fields, but apple orchards are making a comeback. Across the plains states, farmers are tearing down fields of corn — the high-starch variety commonly used for ethanol and cattle feed — and instead planting fruits and vegetables. According to crop analysts, because of the surplus of corn in the country — a record 97 million acres of farmland were devoted to it in 2012 — an acre of this crop is projected to net farmers only $284 this year after expenses. Compare that to apples, which will net an average of about $2,000 or more per acre, and it’s no wonder that farmers are ready to trade in corn stalks for more profitable fruit trees. And unlike other times in American history, the market for local produce is ripe for the picking. The federal government has urged Americans to double the amount of fruits and vegetables they eat, even as farmland for these healthy foods has decreased over the last decade. About 1.8 million acres of farmland were devoted to the top 25 vegetables in 2012. For fruits, including citrus, that number has dropped from 3.2 to 2.8 million acres in 10 years.
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And it’s not just corn growers who are hopping on the fruit wagon. As dairy farmers continue to face financial hardships, nearly two dozen Organic Valley Co-op members are now growing fruits, veggie, or both on their land. In North Carolina, 200 to 300 tobacco growers are now planting produce, according to the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project. In Iowa, the sons and daughters of corn farmers are returning and starting their own produce businesses. “The children of corn farmers are coming back to the farm, and carving out 5 or 10 acres to grow fruits and vegetables,” Craig A. Chase, food and farm coordinator at Iowa State University, told the New York Times. “They can easily make $30,000 to $40,000 a year.”
Of course, growing fruits and vegetables is a lot more work than raising corn, especially for those with no experience. With that in mind, Richard Weinzierl, a crop sciences professor at the University of Illinois, started a series of classes teaching the basics. The first class, which was held in three locations around the state, had about 90 students, all of whom were interested in growing a variety of crops. This is good news for grocers, especially in the Midwest, who are becoming more interested in stocking local produce, and of course, for consumers, who are looking for healthier options for their families. And in many cases, the local produce is just as cheap, if not cheaper. “It’s a good feeling,” Tim B. Slepicka, an Illinois farmer said. “Especially knowing that one in six people are using food stamps. They’re looking for the least expensive calorie possible, and why should a pound of tomatoes — which are basically seed, dirt and water — have to cost as much or more than a frozen meal?”
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