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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask if you buy free range meat?

104 replies

moutonfou · 30/09/2017 12:46

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?

OP posts:
Worriedrose · 30/09/2017 19:26
Hmm If we all cared and we all lived sustainably then this wouldn't be a major problem But we don't sadly And I seriously can't be fucked to get into the murder thing Live and let live is all I say
Redredredrose · 30/09/2017 20:14

The fact that people couldn't stomach a pig cheek but could eat a joint of pork just makes me fucking sad

Why does it make you sad? As I said above, I only eat organic or free range meat. I wouldn't eat pig cheeks or offal or sweetbreads because I don't fancy them. It doesn't make me some kind of monster who is deserving of your sadness!

Mulch · 30/09/2017 20:16

No we can't afford but have cut down on meat consumption instead

puglife15 · 30/09/2017 20:17

Sure someone has said this but free range is often meaningless bollocks and certainly isn't a guarantee of good animal welfare.

We only buy meat max 1 x a week from a specific farm in the UK where we know about the welfare, what they're fed etc and they slaughter the animals on site so no traumatic last journey either.

For those who can't afford it - just eat less meat?

Tealdeal747 · 30/09/2017 20:23

We only buy free range or organic chicken.

We get that about once a fortnight because of the cost.

With meat I buy local. No New Zealand air miles.

Also stick to European wine.

Our food bill is very high because of the above but I'd rather pass on things other people would spend money on (clothes/holidays)

uniquehornsonly · 30/09/2017 20:25

NO the animals are still murdered in the end just so you can have something to eat

True, but the same could be said of vegetarians and vegans who eat unsustainably-sourced soya, palm oil, corn, sugarcane, etc. Millions of animals die from having their habitats destroyed to grow these pesticide-laden monoculture crops for the western market. Just because the animal deaths are indirect rather than direct does not make it any more ethical.

Of course, if you only eat vegetables and legumes you grow yourself or buy from local organic farmers, then well done you.

Etymology23 · 30/09/2017 20:28

I went to a variety of farms where they were breeding non-free range chickens and thought the conditions were excellent. I was really expecting to come back vegetarian.

I try to only buy British though as we have higher welfare standards than many other countries.

puglife15 · 30/09/2017 20:29

The irony of the "can't afford it" argument is that the only reason shitty cheap meat is cheap is because of nasty, unnatural, incredibly bad for our planet farming and processing practices that shouldn't exist in the first place.

Meat should cost what it costs to produce properly. That's why back n the day people are weird cuts and added just a tiny bit of leftover meat to stews etc. It was pretty expensive. People baulk at the cost of a whole organic free range locally reared properly fed chicken but that's what it SHOULD cost.

puglife15 · 30/09/2017 20:38

*True, but the same could be said of vegetarians and vegans who eat unsustainably-sourced soya, palm oil, corn, sugarcane, etc. Millions of animals die from having their habitats destroyed to grow these pesticide-laden monoculture crops for the western market. Just because the animal deaths are indirect rather than direct does not make it any more ethical.

Of course, if you only eat vegetables and legumes you grow yourself or buy from local organic farmers, then well done you*

This argument is mostly bollocks, because these foods are not exclusively eaten by vegans/vegetarians so they'll still almost certainly have lesser contribution to animal deaths, most soy is grown to feed animals, and also vegans/vegetarians tend to be much more aware about food provenance and impact than your average Joe.

I eat a mostly vegan diet and don't eat soya and try to avoid palm and corn oil too, for example.

Surely it's better for someone to make a significant effort to reduce their contribution to animal deaths as much as is equally possible? Or is perfect only good enough for you?

Scrowy · 30/09/2017 20:42

As a farmer can I ask if any of you deliberately look out for the Red Tractor logo as a sign of high welfare meat?

In fact have people even heard of the Red Tractor scheme? Genuinely interested

Redredredrose · 30/09/2017 20:44

Yes, I do.

RosyPony · 30/09/2017 20:48

We try and buy direct from the farmer if possible (I can tell you the name of the cow in my freezer 😂) I don't buy cheap meat, I buy the highest welfare available it's an animal I'm going to eat, I don't want corners cut on it's welfare.

RosyPony · 30/09/2017 20:53

As far as i was aware Scrowy Red tractor is a fairly basic level of welfare standard so I've never thought of them as hugely reliable as I want above and beyond.

Toffeelatteplease · 30/09/2017 20:57

No

Its not that I can't afford it necessarily. It's just I'd rather have whatever it was in was spending the money on instead.

JennyBlueWren · 30/09/2017 20:58

We always buy free range eggs. We used to buy free range chicken but due to a huge change in finances it is one of the things I have dropped. Have bought it a few times when it is on deals and have reduced meat in general.

Liz38 · 30/09/2017 21:03

I'm vegetarian so don't buy it at all for me. DH will happily eat fish most of the time and DD is trying hard to be pescetarian so we don't buy a lot of meat. Most of it is chicken for the cat Grin And I insist on free range for the chicken's sake not for the cat! I'd be happier if all the meat was free range but as I'm not eating it i feel I'm on a weak argument.

2rebecca · 30/09/2017 21:04

Free range chicken, and most other meat from farmers market.

yummycake123 · 30/09/2017 21:11

No, we can’t afford it. We generally don’t eat much meat anyway, but I only buy organic/free range if they’re on sale...which is rare.

Hebenon · 30/09/2017 21:11

I buy organic meat and organic eggs. We don't eat that much meat (maybe a chicken once a week which is for more than one meal, perhaps a small amount of bacon, lamb or stewing beef for flavour in a mainly vegetable or pulse based dish) so I am OK with my meat consumption. I buy a normal sized amount of eg shin of beef and portion out. A small packet of something like this can last me and DD for several meals. We eat fish sometimes, too, maybe once a week. I actually really like the cheaper cuts such as offal so we do have those sometimes too (organic when available). Cheese is a bit harder as there doesn't seem to be a lot of information available in the supermarket around welfare on this. DD really keen on lentils, which helps.

yummycake123 · 30/09/2017 21:20

Scrowy Yes I’m aware of the red tractor logo.

We get organic milk/dairy (yoghurts) and some organic vegetables/fruits (mainly bananas and apples). We also get free range eggs . Unfortunately organic meat is mega expensive...

TinklyLittleLaugh · 30/09/2017 21:25

We buy free range chicken and pork. Lamb and beef I always assume is outdoor reared anyway. I buy lots of meat from our local farm shop. The beef cattle are in the field pretty much next to the farm.

Certainly with a whole chicken there is a clear difference between free range and not. The free range ones are sturdier; their thighs are more solid. And when you break up a free range carcass for stock, the bones are stronger and less easy to snap.

delilahbucket · 30/09/2017 21:30

Yes, for the most part, from our butcher, and I know where all the meat originates from as it is near where we live. The latter is more important to me as I know it hasn't travelled far and it tastes so much better for it. We don't spend more than at the supermarket, probably because we can buy the quantity we need.

Ozzde · 30/09/2017 21:38

I always laugh at the people who criticise vegans for eating the likes of avocados, palm oil etc when in actual fact most are probably eating that on top of meat. I try to avoid palm oil and rarely buy things like avocados, quinoa and almonds. We can't live in a bubble, most things we eat has environmental consequences, it's about reducing harm as much as we can.

I don't criticise those that eat meat as so why do people feel like they have to take vegans down a peg or two?

In amswer to your question though, I buy meat for the rest of the family and it is free range from the butchers. I was in Tesco earlier and there was tumbleweed around the chicken aisle unsurprisingly.

BuggerOffAndGoodDayToYou · 30/09/2017 21:40

I don't always buy free range but ALWAYS buy British red tractor as a minimum. Eggs are always free range.

rainbowduck · 30/09/2017 21:52

It's such a minefield.

From what I understand (and I am no expert) it's all down to wording. Free range chickens have to have continuous access to outside for at least half of their lives. There seems to be only advisory issues for pork. Sheep and cows are outside for most of their lives anyway, so it's a pointless label. Apparently 'locally reared' means they have to have been in the area for a few months, but not necessarily born and reared there, so animals can still be subjected to horrific transportation.

In an ideal world, I would only buy meat from local farms, and skip the whole supermarket chain but we absolutely cannot afford that.

So, in all honesty, I just buy whatever I can (usually dictated by whatever is in the reduced section. I am ruthless is stalking the staff when I see them with the stickers!)