Original Photo by Ryan Thompson USDA. Photo has been modified.
Grass fed and pasture raised meat is much better for you, but where do you buy it? Here’s a quick guide to help you figure out where to get grass fed meat!
You may have seen my recent post with my Decoding Meat Labels printable guide where I go over what each label means. Whether it’s grass fed, organic, non-GMO, free-range or pasture raised, the guide goes over what those labels really mean and how it affects the food you are eating. Learning about the the quality of meat you eat is very important not only for the environment and humane animal welfare, but also because the type of meat that you buy affects your health.
I was a vegetarian for 11 years. I chose to be a vegetarian because I was against factory farming or CAFOs (concentrated animal feeding operations). When I decided to start eating meat again, I knew that I still didn’t want to support factory farming (you can read about my difficult decision to stop being vegetarian here). Now I only stick to pasture raised and grass fed meats.
I recently sent out the meat label guide to my email list and got an email back from one of my readers stating her shock:
“I’ve just opened your meat shopping decoder and feel a bit sick!!!! I, like many shoppers out there just thought, ok it says free range and usda organic, well that’s brilliant then I’m doing as much as I can to feed my family as naturally as possible but now I realise that things are not quite so…”
I know the feeling! There is so much deception by big companies when it comes to food labelling, so that is precisely why I created the meat label guide, so you can be an informed consumer and know exactly what you’re buying.
Why Pasture raised and grass fed meat is better
I plan to write a more detailed post on this subject soon, but for now, I’ll just quickly list off a few of the reasons that grass fed and pasture raised meats are better…
- Grass fed beef has higher beneficial anti-inflammatory omega-3 fats and CLA content than corn-fed beef (1) CLA is known for it’s anti-cancer properties (5)
- Grain and corn-fed beef has higher levels of inflammatory omega-6 fats and higher trans fats (2)
- Grass fed beef has higher levels of bioavailable vitamins and antioxidants (1)
- People who eat grass fed beef may have better fatty acid profiles from higher anti-inflammatory omega-3 intake. (3)
- Pasture raised chicken generally has higher vitamin D3 and A content and a better omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acid profile, especially if the chicken was not supplemented with soy feed. (4)
Where to get pasture raised and grass fed meat…
Below I’ve listed both online and local sources for getting pastured meat. For most of us, getting it local is the best option and the best way to support local farmers, but some folks don’t have local access to good meat, so in that case the online resources may be your best bet!
Online:
Vital Choice
Wild seafood, grassfed beef.
Shipping: Standard shipping varies by order size. Order over $99 ship free.
Other Charges: Some premium services cost more.
Slanker Grassfed Meat
Grassfed beef, pork, lamb, goat, buffalo, pastured chicken, wild seafood.
Shipping: Shipping is free in the continental United States.
Small Order Handling Charges: $12.00 for 5-10 lb Orders, $7.00 for 10-20 lb Orders
Minimum Order: 5 pounds and $70 worth of products
Tropical Traditions
All-Pastured chicken, turkey, bison, beef, lamb, wild fish.
Shipping: Shipping varies by order and location.
Minimum Order: $15.00
Locally:
- Local grocery stores or health food stores (some Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, etc.)
- Farmer’s Markets & CSAs: Search farmer’s markets in your area
- Local Farms: Local Farm Listings
- Meat Shares: Find local meat shares on Eat Wild
- Local farm listings: Homegrown Cow (Make sure you verify that the meat you a buying is pasture raised and/or grass fed. Not all meat on this site is quality)
- WAPF- Contact your local Weston A. Price Chapter to find local farms, sources for pastured meats or to find other people who may be interested in splitting a quarter cow to save money.
Where do you get your pasture raised and grass fed meat?
Share where you get your quality meats in the comments. It may help others who are looking for responsible meat sources!
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Original Photo by Ryan Thompson USDA. Photo has been modified.
Sources:
1. http://www.nutritionj.com/content/pdf/1475-2891-9-10.pdf
2. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16500874
3. http://cdn.marksdailyapple.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/McAfeeGrassfedbeefbettern3thanconventionalbeefBJN2011-2.pdf
4. http://www.apppa.org/dynamic_content/uploadfiles/1297/Pasture%20and%20Feed%20Affect%20Broiler%20Carcass%20Nutrition%20–Final%20-%20rev%204-22-15.pdf
5. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14976130
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Brandon Natural Beef is who I buy from. Michelle Tam turned me on to it…much better prices than the others. I split a quarter cow with a co-worker and there were SO many expensive steaks in there that I actually ended up trader her my half for more roasts and ground beef! Outside of Northern California, there are shipping charges, but the bigger orders or “combo packs” are worth it.
That’s awesome Tara! I’m in the bay area, so I’ll have to check them out 🙂