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May as well buy burgers in the US, since you already paid for most of it through taxes! (lemmy.world)

submitted 7 months ago by ericbomb@lemmy.world to c/memes@lemmy.ml

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[-] usernamesAreTricky@lemmy.ml 110 points 7 months ago

It's worth noting that in countries like US, it's really only things like beyond burgers and impossible meat that cost more. It doesn't require eating those for a plant-based diet nor are people typically eating those every meal, is why plant-based diets generally have lower costs

Compared to meat eaters, results show that “true” vegetarians do indeed report lower food expenditures

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0921800915301488?via%3Dihub

It found that in high-income countries:

• Vegan diets were the most affordable and reduced food costs by up to one third.

• Vegetarian diets were a close second.

• Flexitarian diets with low amounts of meat and dairy reduced costs by 14%.

• By contrast, pescatarian diets increased costs by up to 2%.

https://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2021-11-11-sustainable-eating-cheaper-and-healthier-oxford-study

[-] ericbomb@lemmy.world 37 points 7 months ago

Oh yeah I 100% spend less on food as a vegetarian, because black beans/lentils are such wonderful cheap sources of protein.

But sometimes I want like the premade like meat crumbles or burgers, and those cost more usually.

[-] match@pawb.social 9 points 7 months ago

But do you spend less because you're vegetarian, or because you don't have options for spending money at fast food / restaurants?

[-] ericbomb@lemmy.world 38 points 7 months ago

I mean a pound of beef costs $4.

A pound of raw lentils like a $1.

Lentils are more calorie dense.

Lentils are more protein dense.

Black beans are in similar camp.

Rice and wheat products are cheaper per calorie, but lack the protein.

So yeah, it's just cheaper to be a vegetarian, even with massive beef subsidiaries. But veggie patties are still more expensive because of processing and they are smaller batches.

[-] scala@lemmy.ml 16 points 7 months ago

To add to this as a vegan of 10+ years. To supplement the lack of protein, I use pea based protein powder for a meal. And add hemp seeds for other meals/snacks during the day.

We occasionally get the processed grounds/meat substitutes only when they are on sale. Which would be 2lbs for $6 for a gardien/beyond/impossible alternative to animal flesh in pounds.

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[-] captainlezbian@lemmy.world 9 points 7 months ago

Yeah people really don’t believe me when I talk about how much I save by being a low fish pescatarian. A can of beans is cheaper than equivalent beef or chicken as are mushrooms. Peanut butter sandwiches are a cheaper lunch than lunch meat ones. And I’m not hurting for protein because beans are full of the stuff

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[-] Hello_there@kbin.social 90 points 7 months ago

Reminder that farmers can spend something like a dollar per cow per year to allow their cattle to roam through public lands to cause erosion, shit in streams, spread giardia, and give farmers reasons to kill coyotes and wolves.

[-] Potatos_are_not_friends@lemmy.world 27 points 7 months ago

Also a shame that cow farts emit a lot of methane.

[-] Miqo@lemmy.world 17 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

They surpsingly release most methane through burping, not farting. Even more surprising is that they burp so much methane that it is measurable from space

Edit: boost isn't displaying links with custom titles. Here it is: https://www.cnn.com/2022/04/30/us/cow-burps-methane-space-climate-trnd/index.html

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[-] Freylint@lemm.ee 11 points 7 months ago

The solution to bovine methane emissions is to install a cowalitic converter inside their mufflers. Just like we do with quad udder milk exhaust collectors.

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[-] Smoogs@lemmy.world 5 points 7 months ago

And how much more water goes into growing meat

[-] The_v@lemmy.world 20 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

This is mostly done in the western U.S. It also takes around 40 acres of land/cow. In drier areas it takes 200 acres per cow.

In an irrigated field, with annual crops, and rotational grazing, we can feed 2-4 cows/acre depending on the location.

We do not need to use 95% of the land we use for pasture.

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[-] Omega_Haxors@lemmy.ml 41 points 7 months ago

Never say America can't afford to feed its people. It can, it just prefers to prop up failing and immoral industry instead.

[-] KingThrillgore@lemmy.ml 9 points 7 months ago

It can afford to feed rich people.

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[-] TvanBuuren@feddit.nl 40 points 7 months ago

Here it's not just that.

The raw resources and production costs of oat milk is like, €0.30 per 2 liter.

They sell it at €2.40.

Healthy is capitalism here.

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[-] Nastybutler@lemmy.world 38 points 7 months ago

Corn farmers have entered the chat

[-] ericbomb@lemmy.world 42 points 7 months ago

Sorry corn farmers, this is about people food. Growing fuel doesn't really count.

Growing corn that is only usable as animal feed counts as part of how beef industry is being propped up by the government.

So yeah... I think only one or two corn farmers will be left in the chat after that.

[-] 1847953620@lemmy.world 6 points 7 months ago

I think they were referring to corn subsidies

[-] Grumpy@sh.itjust.works 9 points 7 months ago

They're all referring to corn subsidies.

If you grow corn with subsidy and then sell that corn as livestock feed to cows, then you've indirectly further subsidized beef.

Though... this viewpoint is partly misleading people. Corn stalks and pith which humans can't eat and need ruminant animals to process is what gets fed to them. We don't always feed corn kernels to cows en masse, though many farms do. If they can find a buyer for the kernel for other consumption (human, fructose syrup, etc), they will sell it that way as it is more profitable. So even if it wasn't subsidized and we only produce high priced corn for humans, we'd still feed the stalks and pith to cows.

[-] ericbomb@lemmy.world 5 points 7 months ago

Correct, but the vast majority of corn subsidies are to grow corn not meant for humans to eat. They are to grow animal feed, or ethanol.

So the first category I count as subsidizing the meat industry, since it exists purely to make raising live stock cheaper. The second category doesn't really impact food.

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[-] queermunist@lemmy.ml 32 points 7 months ago

If you learn how to make your own patties from scratch it's pretty cheap - or to save time you can do what I do and eat beans directly from the air fryer 🤤

[-] match@pawb.social 18 points 7 months ago

oh damn I have an air fryer

recipe?

[-] queermunist@lemmy.ml 35 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

I actually just rinse off canned beans, spray them with vegetable oil, toss em in at 400F for 8-12 minutes, then shake them in a baggie with salt and spices. Or mix them in a bowl with hot sauce. Or use them as a topping for rice. Or throw them in stir fry. Or sauteed onions and bell peppers, then put them on tortillas.

God damn I love air fried beans

[-] match@pawb.social 6 points 7 months ago

neat, thanks! I will try this

[-] TexMexBazooka@lemm.ee 6 points 7 months ago

What kinda beans tho?

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[-] ThePenitentOne@discuss.online 16 points 7 months ago

Absolutely fucked up that your taxes go to supporting animal abuse whether you like it or not. Although, arguably worse is how many people don't even give the animals' suffering a second thought and just take the selfish path. Even fucking stupider is that chicken can be bought at the same price as tofu per kg. Like what the shit? Stop subsidising it. It's environmentally destructive and incredibly immoral.

[-] nodsocket@lemmy.world 17 points 7 months ago

I've always thought that vegan activists would be a lot more successful if they could end these meat subsidies, instead of harassing the public. If the price of meat triples no one is going to be eating meat regardless of their politics.

[-] clanginator@lemmy.world 9 points 7 months ago

Yeah but good luck getting anything passed when the GOP and all of the animal agriculture lobbying industry will be screaming from the rooftops about how everyone's favorite foods will be more expensive.

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[-] Smoogs@lemmy.world 13 points 7 months ago

Depends. If you are eating non processed vegetables the costs goes way below even burgers.

[-] ericbomb@lemmy.world 13 points 7 months ago

Oh yeah for sure! Just sometimes I wanna go to a place and order a similar looking thing as the people around me without paying a ton more XD

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[-] Fades@lemmy.world 6 points 7 months ago

Just another toxic ad FUCK capitalist system. Fuck the planet they got quarterly profits to beat!!

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this post was submitted on 08 Oct 2023

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