Whole Foods Animal Welfare Standards

[Lauryn]

Hey guys! I was at Whole Foods in the meat department the other day looking at ground beef and steaks and a lot of them were only a 1 or 2 on their Animal Welfare Standards scale.

Here's a link to it: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/about-our-products/quality-standards/animal-welfare-standards

Whole30 would encourage looking for the 4 or 5 level right? I purchased some ground beef that was a 4 but there weren't many choices over a 2. Would eating a 1 or 2 be okay once in a while? I feel like they're all a step above most grocery chains regular meat.

[Lauryn]

Also, only some of them are organic, and I don't think they mention grass-fed. Are animals that are pastured automatically grass-fed?

[Susan W]

I feel you are right in that you are a leg up in the game by simply getting your meat from a WF or similar store. I know that while I would like to only eat pastured organic grass finished meats, it just isn't always financially feasible. I do the best that my pocketbook allows. As Tom has said, it is possible to do a successful W30 and shop at Walmart. I sometimes start my shopping at Walmart, then Costco and finish up at New Seasons which is a locally owned WF type of store.

As to your grass fed question, pastured animals are in their natural environment which makes them calm and happy which makes them a better choice. Grass finished means they are not fed grains, but I think they are fed grass hay when the weather makes feeding them only grass impossible. Grass finished beef is very expensive. I watch for sales and load up when I can.

[Lauryn]

Okay thank you!!

[Johnny M]

You don't have to eat the highest quality meat to satisfy a whole30. While we always recommend choosing the best source possible, the reality is that some people are limited by means or by availability. If you have to choose more factory farmed meats, opt for somewhat leaner ones, not because we have a problem with fat, but the fats from factory raised animals are less than optimal.

As for whole foods, mine carries some meats that are labeled as 100% grass-fed. If the sign doesn't say this, then they're not, even if they're pasture raised. You can ask the butcher for details next time you're there...they should know the differences but be warned, they don't always understand them. Recently my whole foods butcher told me pastured chickens are scrawny and tasteless and I'd be happier with a cheap fat one.

[Lauryn]

Okay thanks so much Johnny!

[Tamra Wysocki-Niimi]

I'm not really sure that there is a difference between Whole Foods meat with a rating of 1 and a non-WF store's meat. I feel so disappointed when I see all of those 1s at Whole Foods. I really wish they would do better! One quick note about grass-fed vs. grass-finished. Grass-fed usually means that the animal has eaten grass for its whole life. Grass-finished refers only to the "finishing process," which is sort of the fattening-up time toward the end of the animal's life. Usually animals are finished with grain, grass-finished animals have eaten grass during this time. It is possible that the animal ate grains before that. That's my understanding, anyway.

I try to get grass-fed organic meat or pastured or just organic depending on my finances and what sales are available. Hope this helps!

Tami

[lindyj]

I often feel like it's impossible for me to get high quality anything at a decent price, living in a small town with the nearest Whole Foods being over 5 hours away. Vegetables are rarely good and always expensive.

However, after reading a lot of threads regarding sourced meat, I have a new appreciation for my little town. I am fortunate to hundreds of square miles of ranch land surrounding me with very happy cows (sometimes miserable cold cows in the winter). Even better, we have a local butcher shop that butchers those cows without being sent to a feed lot. The prices are often better than those at Whole Foods if you buy in bulk (1/2 beef, 1/2 pig, etc). You can even pick out the cow you want if you desire. With that and a family full of hunters, our freezer is always stocked with high quality meat. The only exception is chicken. No good place to get chicken.

I'd highly recommend looking for more local butchers where you can buy directly from them in bulk instead of a grocery store of any sort if possible. Or approaching a local rancher (if they exist where you live) and asking about just buying one of their cows. They get greatly reduced prices if they have to send their cows to feed lots to 'finish' on corn and you both can probably benefit from a deal. I know this isn't possible everywhere, but it's a great way to eat well and support the little guys when possible. If you don't mind paying more to support a kid's college fund, making a trip to a state fair and buying a steer from a kid is also a great option (you often pay well above market price here). Of course, some of them fatten with corn, but you have the opportunity to ask them directly how the cow was fed before the auction.

Sorry for the soap box, but I love seeing our local ranchers moving away from selling all their cattle to the feed lots and instead keeping some in reserve for the 'yuppies' that want local, pastured meat (of course this is how their families eat on a daily basis). Benefits everyone!