To ask if you buy free range meat?

[moutonfou]

With the dominance of free range eggs, I'm always surprised that free range meat hasn't taken off in the same way. That being said I'm lucky to only be cooking for two and not sure I could afford to feed 4+ people on free range. But I was surprised when I learnt that two free range chicken breasts start at £3.00 (depending on weight) in our local supermarket and have only bought free range since then.

Does anybody else buy it?

Yes I’ll always go free range or organic for chicken or pork.

Yes I always buy free range or organic chicken. Don't think cheap chicken has a good taste or texture and want my meat to have come from animals who have had a better quality of life. Mainly buy organic beef too and always outdoor reared pork. I'm sure someone will be along to tell me the animals are experiencing the same or worse welfare standards though

It depends on the meat for me. I do buy stuff like chicken goujons and ham, but I usually buy free-range chicken, outdoor-reared pork and organic beef mince. I'm fussiest with mince because I feel like that's the easiest to add undesirables to, although I could be wrong.

Yes, and I always buy British lamb to avoid the food miles of New Zealand lamb. How can it make sense to ship lamb half way round the world when we grow them here?

2 free range chicken breasts cost £3.00 but if I buy non free range I can get 6 for £5.00.
That’s why most people don’t buy free range meat.

I've recently started buying more organic meat but only probably about 50% of the time. The price is so different, and I figured that some of the time was better than none.

Yes, and I have done so for around 15 years.

I also wont eat any meat that is not free range when I'm out. So I end up being a pescetarian (sp probably!) when I'm out.

No, we cant afford it.

Yes, I only buy free range from the butchers. That said, I can imagine how difficult it is for people to afford it if feeding a family or lower income (there is only two of us at home). I do sometimes wonder how I would question the morality of non free range meat if my financial circumstances changed though.

Totally understand financial straits not allowing some to do as we do...which is only use our butcher and his fully traceable free range produce.
Flat refuse to buy meat from supermarkets any more.

After 2 sister fisasco how can we trust the free range is free range and not some broiler chicken chucked into packaging!

We buy free range chicken and pork. We afford it by having a mainly vegetarian diet and only eating meat once a week as a treat.

Except when we cook a whole free range chicken and then it lasts all week

Yes, only free range and preferably organic. We don't eat much meat really but buy from actual farmers at the local farmer's market each month so I know a great deal about how the animals lived and died.

I don't trust the sourcing and animal welfare of supermarket meat so would rather just avoid it. Most of our local butchers are worse than supermarkets and don't stock organic or free range meat at all so I don't buy there. Food ethics are important to us so we mostly eat veggie, with organic / high welfare eggs and dairy (possible to get 90% of the time but not always), and some sustainably-sourced fish and seafood. Meat is an occasional thing, maybe 2-3 times a month.

I don't understand people who say they can't afford it, buy free range/butchers cheaper cuts
For example not buy shin of beef or pigs cheek instead of stewing steak.

Or chicken thighs instead of breasts. I mean I get you need a breast if you're making a Kiev or something like that but 9 times out of 10 a thigh is better for flavour.

Or just use vegetarian food more!!

Anyway, guess that's not the point of this thread!!

Buy shin of beef!! Not not buy
Grrrr

I love shin of beef.
I buy meat from the farm where it's raised. It's expensive but we just eat it less often.

Re outdoor bred

That is not free range. Usually mentioned in relation to pork. Seem to remember they keep pigd outside when breeding, then once born brought indoors like normal factory farmed stuff. It is not free range. There are strict definitions re what is free range.

Don't know. I know a few places that do tasty meat, but no idea if they're free range or not. It isn't something I take into account.

Always buy highest-welfare available - organic for preference (which is always free range), otherwise free range. Would prefer to buy cheaper cuts than sacrifice welfare - and usually buy my chickens whole as it's far more economical.

We don't buy supermarket meat and only use a Butcher. We find it better value for money, much cheaper than a supermarket.

We pay about £3 for 500g beef mince and it's beautiful. All animals are traceable and come from the local farm. We also get our fruit and veg from the shop and these are grown on the farm too.

We shop online with Ocado for tins, toilet rolls and washing powder etc though we could be switching this to Costco and buying bulk once we've organised the house.

Given the recent meat issues with supermarkets, I prefer to know where it's come from and how it loved and I'd rather eat better quality and less often.

I'm veggie but only buy locally-reared/free range/organic meat for my husband. If we couldn't afford it, he wouldn't have it, he'd eat more veggie stuff.

I only buy organic or free range meat. It's purely welfare related and I haven't noticed it tasting any better (as opposed to free range eggs which I really think do taste nicer). I feel guilty about eating meat but I really like it so won't be turning vegetarian so this is my conscience-salving compromise - I'll only eat meat from animals that have had a good life (to the best of my knowledge/ability to choose).

Cant afford to

I just asked DP (a notorious skinflint) if he'd still get free range if he was shopping instead of me, and he said yes because he thinks free range stuff is usually more 'traceable' so you're less likely to be eating donkey when you think you're eating beef.

No and I don't buy free range eggs either.