How to Be a Conscious Eater

55

ON BECOMING

A HUMANE SOCIETY

T

he second lens we explore for making food choices

away from home is the extent to which a restaurant or

food-service operation takes care of the animals in its

supply chain and the workers on its front lines.

ANIMALS

By now, many (if not most) fast food and fast casual chains

have gone cage-free with their eggs, but the welfare of ani-

mals raised for food is still a major sticking point. I’m talking

primarily about broiler chickens for direct consumption,

pork, and beef. For broiler chickens, a coalition of animal

rights groups has called for slower-growing breeds of chick-

ens, more room for them to move around, and better lighting.

What happens when birds take longer to grow? They’re better

off because their breasts are no longer so enlarged that their

legs can’t support their own weight. Unfortunately, though,

the environmental impact (land, water, fertilizer) is actually

higher for slower-growing breeds because they require more

feed. And it costs growers more, which they often pass on to

retailers and consumers. This all goes to the aforementioned

philosophy of meat eating: “First, less. Then, better.” If we all

start eating less chicken, this higher cost won’t be so much of

an issue.

As of 2019, well over 100 food companies, including dozens

of major chain restaurants and large food-service operations,

have signed on to the coalition’s animal welfare commitments

St u f f t h at’s made in restaurant kitchens 231

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