My aim is to eat less meat overall – I just don’t need it in every meal. The meat that I do consume should ideally be humanely raised, of higher quality and known provenance.

Whole Foods follows the 5-step animal welfare rating system developed by the Global Animal Partnership and also requires meat producers to follow its own standards. Not everyone is convinced, however – PETA filed a lawsuit against Whole Foods, claiming that their system is misleading, not consistently applied and not that much better than industry practices. Though they did bring up several good points the lawsuit was dismissed. I usually only get to Whole Foods for quick staples like milk, coffee or peanut butter. Next time I’m there I’ll check out the selection at the meat counter. This option is good for the once and a while beef or turkey burgers or maybe a steak.

If you think “Whole Paycheck” is expensive, wait until you see the prices at Heritage Foods USA. I am guessing they’d say you are not just paying more but also getting more – not measured in ounces of meat but in the fairness and ethics of the overall system. Heritage Foods seeks to save from extinction the heritage breeds of animals that have been left behind as industrial meat production favored breeds for things like faster growth and higher percentage of white meat. They’re saving animal species and fighting the monoculture (the risks of having such a large % food dependent on so few plants and animal species). The odd or even perverse twist is that in order to save these species, farmers need economic incentives to raise them – you need to eat them to save them. This option is good for the special occasion and for branching out into other animal species (bison, yak) or uncommon breeds. The Wagyu burgers on a high quality (minimally processed) bun with fresh onions and tomatoes truly stands out and doesn’t need to be dressed up with ketchup or cheese … maybe only a tad “Just Mayo” on the bun.

I have been to the Starbird Chicken fast food restaurant chain a few times (Sunnyvale and Foster City) and I also had an email exchange with them about where their chicken comes from. I was impressed by the overall experience (clean, smooth, easy) and I enjoyed the sandwiches, french fries and chicken tenders. Regarding the provenance of the meat I’d say that (similar to Chipotle) they make a best effort to acquire high quality, local and humanely raised chicken, but cannot make guarantees due to fluctuations by their suppliers. So not a slam dunk, but again a good effort and good trend. I hope the chain does well and the ideas catch on. As the food is fried and I usually get a sugary lemonade or craft soda, this is a once in while treat.

I’ll remain on the lookout for more such sources of select meat …