Do we eat less red meat than centuries ago?

[Donlin Stud]

Americans eat less red meat today

[genebo]

Where I grew up, we had chickens, hogs and cattle. Plus wild game and fish in the ponds, lakes and rivers. Hardly a meal went by without meat on the table.

Most of our meals today have some form of meat in them, but it is likely to be canned tuna, pepperoni pizza, chili or some store-bought frozen concoction with meat in the name. Having a Dexter steak or roast or hamburger is a treat that we look forward to.

Having an all-vegetable meal is rare, indeed.

[jamshundred]

I don't think they ate a lot of meat in medieval times.  Did they?  This is strictly based on reading fiction.  Only special meals among the regular folks seemed to have meat.  It seems the staple food was bread and some type of stew.   When I was young my mother prepared a home-cooked meal each night.  We never that I ever recall went out to eat.  There was meat at every meal. . . . the staples were beef roast, ( I don't recall ever eating a broiled steak until I was a married adult), pork chops or roast, and fried chicken.  Always potatoes.  Even to this day, I don't feel like I've had a full meal unless there are potatoes on the plate.  Brown beans were often in a pot on the stove.

Things like grape juice ( which was apparently costly) were treats, and we added water to the juice.  I loved tangerines, and they were only available at Christmas time.   Longhorn cheese was the "store bought" cheese staple.  There was always a large round of it on a chopping block at the grocers, and he would cut out a wedge, weigh, and wrap.  

[karenp]

What are brown beans?

[jamshundred]

Pinto beans, Karen.   But *brown* beans is what they were always called.   "Brown beans and potatoes" were a common meal.   Add cornbread and it is a feast.