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 38 points 1 year ago (1 children)

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 1 year ago (1 children)

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 1 year ago (6 children)

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 1 year 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.

load more comments (5 replies)

[–] captainlezbian@lemmy.world 9 points 1 year ago (1 children)

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

load more comments (1 replies)

load more comments (16 replies)

[–] Hello_there@kbin.social 91 points 1 year ago (5 children)

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 28 points 1 year ago (3 children)

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

[–] Miqo@lemmy.world 17 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

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

load more comments (1 replies)

[–] Freylint@lemm.ee 11 points 1 year ago (2 children)

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.

load more comments (2 replies)

[–] Smoogs@lemmy.world 5 points 1 year ago

And how much more water goes into growing meat

[–] The_v@lemmy.world 20 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (7 children)

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.

load more comments (7 replies)

load more comments (3 replies)

[–] Omega_Haxors@lemmy.ml 41 points 1 year ago (1 children)

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 1 year ago (1 children)

It can afford to feed rich people.

load more comments (1 replies)

[–] TvanBuuren@feddit.nl 41 points 1 year ago (10 children)

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.

load more comments (10 replies)

[–] Nastybutler@lemmy.world 39 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Corn farmers have entered the chat

[–] ericbomb@lemmy.world 43 points 1 year ago (1 children)

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 1 year ago (3 children)

I think they were referring to corn subsidies

[–] Grumpy@sh.itjust.works 9 points 1 year 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 1 year 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.

load more comments (1 replies)

[–] queermunist@lemmy.ml 32 points 1 year ago (1 children)

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 1 year ago (1 children)

oh damn I have an air fryer

recipe?

[–] queermunist@lemmy.ml 36 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (4 children)

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

[–] TexMexBazooka@lemm.ee 6 points 1 year ago (2 children)

What kinda beans tho?

load more comments (2 replies)

[–] match@pawb.social 6 points 1 year ago

neat, thanks! I will try this

load more comments (2 replies)

[–] ThePenitentOne@discuss.online 16 points 1 year ago (1 children)

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 1 year ago (5 children)

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 1 year ago (2 children)

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.

load more comments (2 replies)

load more comments (4 replies)

[–] Smoogs@lemmy.world 13 points 1 year ago (3 children)

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

[–] ericbomb@lemmy.world 13 points 1 year 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

[–] teuniac_@lemm.ee 5 points 1 year ago

And beans. And lentils. And peas.

Also, opting for the burger options doesn't have to mean eating a huge quantity of them.

load more comments (1 replies)

[–] Fades@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago

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

load more comments