SOMETHING BETTER
Why Millions of People are Changing What They Eat
[and choosing delicious
meat-free options like these]
A National Trend
“The drop in chicken [consumption has been] dramatic
over the last five years or so; pork also has been slipping…
we’re eating less meat because we want to eat less meat.”
-THE NEW YORK TIMES, “We’re Eating Less Meat. Why?” (January 10, 2012)
More and more people are deciding to replace
© CQZ/[Link]
chicken, fish, and other meat with tasty meat-
free meals. Average meat consumption in the
U.S. has dropped 10 percent in the past few
“I don’t eat meat
or fish…it’s just a
years. And a whopping 15 million Americans
good thing to do…
have stopped eating meat entirely.
I lost 24 pounds and
You care about animals and don’t want them to got back to basically
suffer. Once you see what modern farms look what I weighed in
like, you can decide whether or not you really high school.”
want to support them by buying meat products. Bill Clinton
© Jano/[Link]
More and more people are learning that they
can spare dozens of animals each year —
and become more healthy and energetic —
by replacing meat with something better. “I suddenly
realized that what
“[I] stopped eating all was on my plate
meat a few years ago. were living things,
© Michael Germana/[Link]
I would feel guilty that with feelings…it
what was on my plate “My energy level became an easy
was walking around has never been choice for me.
yesterday. Either I this consistent, If you choose to
could live with that or and not just educate yourself,
stop eating meat. consistent, but it’ll be an easy
I chose the latter, high…I didn’t choice for “I look better...I feel better.
and I’m happier for it.” expect the you, too.” People are looking at
© Quasar/[Link]
Carrie Underwood mental side of it, a rib and making the
Ellen DeGeneres
the sharpness and connection that it came
the focus that from a suffering animal.”
© CQZ/[Link]
I’ve noticed.” Russell Simmons
Lance Armstrong
To learn more, visit [Link]
A Happier, Healthier You & A Better World
Replacing meat with something better
doesn’t mean changing what you believe. “When you don’t consume animal protein,
It just means putting your beliefs into
you…just feel completely different. I feel
action – for a better you and a better world.
superior over any athlete I get in the ring
with…you have so much energy. I think it
Meats like chicken and fish are linked to would benefit every athlete out there.”
many health problems. Chicken and eggs Timothy Bradley,
Undefeated Welterweight Boxing Champion
are two of the biggest sources of saturated
fat intake. That’s one reason they are linked
to higher death rates from breast cancer.
Chicken and fish have high levels of © Galaxy/[Link]
© Star Max Inc.
cancer-causing chemicals such as dioxin,
arsenic, and mercury.
“The best thing about being a vegetarian, number one, I know
I’m not harming animals. The number two thing is increased
strength — I’m a lot stronger than I was when I was eating meat.”
-MICHAEL CLARKE DUNCAN, Actor and Bodybuilder
ACCORDING TO THE AMERICAN
DIETETIC ASSOCIATION, PEOPLE
WHO REPLACE MEAT WITH
SOMETHING BETTER HAVE:
• lower body weight
• less heart disease
31 14 • less cancer
Animals you will save from misery Animals you will save by simply eating • lower cholesterol
each year by replacing chicken, fish, and half as much chicken as you did before.
other meat with meat-free meals. (Because chickens are much smaller • lower blood pressure
(When people eat less meat, than cows or pigs, more chickens need
farmers raise and kill fewer animals.) to be killed for each meal.) • lower rates of type 2 diabetes
Are You Against This Cruelty?
“They lie covered in their own urine and excrement,
with broken legs from trying to escape or just to turn,
covered with festering sores, tumors, ulcers, lesions.”
-MATTHEW SCULLY, Speechwriter for President George W. Bush
“Ask yourself why any creature of God, however
humble, should be made to endure the dark,
lonely, tortured existence of the factory farm.”
-THE AMERICAN CONSERVATIVE
NIKKI
When devastating floods hit Iowa, Nikki escaped
Pigs like Nikki are kept indoors for their entire
from her cage and swam for safety. She paddled for
lives on concrete floors with no bedding. Female
miles before finding a dry levy to climb on. Nikki built
pigs are locked in cages so small they can’t even
a nest there, gave birth to seven piglets, and spent turn around for months at a time. Because pigs are
the next week protecting them from the flood. Today, very smart (smarter than cats and dogs), this causes
Nikki and her piglets live together at Farm Sanctuary severe mental problems. Some will repeatedly bite
in New York. Scientists say that pigs like Nikki are their cage bars; others become depressed and lie on
some of the smartest animals on the planet. They the ground without moving.
have dreams when they sleep at night. They under-
When they are six months old, pigs like Nikki are
stand their names and respond when called. They’ve
electrocuted or shot in the head with a “captive bolt
even been taught to play simple video games.
gun.” (A gun that shoots a metal rod into the pig’s
To learn more, visit [Link] brain.) Pigs that don’t die right away are drowned
alive in boiling water.
“ About 95 percent of American egg-laying hens are
still raised in small battery cages…hens are crammed “Every factory-farmed animal is, as a practice, treated
together, each getting less space than a letter-size in ways that would be illegal if it were a dog or a cat.”
sheet of paper. The tips of their beaks are often
sheared off so they won’t peck each other to death.” -THE NEW YORK TIMES, “Against Meat” (October 7, 2009)
-THE NEW YORK TIMES, “Cleaning the Henhouse” (September 1, 2010)
© Can Stock Photo Inc./Ligor
SYMPHONY Chickens live their entire lives inside dark, crowded
sheds. They have been bred to grow so fat so quickly
Symphony was one of a million hens packed into a that their legs can’t even support their weight. By
single egg farm in Ohio. After a tornado destroyed the time they are one month old, a third of them
the warehouse where she was confined, Symphony are in constant pain and have trouble walking.
was pulled from the wreckage. She now lives at Farm They spend nearly all of their time lying in the
Sanctuary, where she has become best friends with a feces that coat the shed floor.
brown hen named Amy. Chickens are smart, and their
Hens like Symphony who get sick or injured do not
personalities are as unique as cats and dogs. Scientists
receive veterinary care. They are left to suffer and
have found that chickens like Symphony think about
die on their own or are clubbed in the head. Hens
the future and can measure time. Mother hens pass
often have their hips, legs, and wings broken by
knowledge down to their children, and chicks who are
rough handling. At the slaughterhouse, birds like
just a few days old can count to ten. Symphony are electrocuted and have their throats
Because they can’t lay eggs,
To learn more, visit [Link] cut. Many are drowned alive in tanks of scalding hot male chicks are tossed alive into
water because they were not killed correctly. a giant grinding machine.
“We know that if someone offers to show us a film
on how meat is produced, it will be a horror film.”
-JONATHAN SAFRAN FOER, New York Times Bestselling Author
Cows raised for beef have their testicles repeatedly impregnated. Their babies
and horns cut off without pain relief. are taken away immediately after birth.
Many also suffer third-degree burns Cows often suffer infections and
Fish live a terrible life crammed together on fish farms
during branding. Dairy cows spend swollen udders from the milking
most of their lives locked to small stalls machines. Many lose the ability to
inside concrete warehouses. Many are walk correctly by the time they are Nearly half of all fish and other sea animals who
chained by the neck to their stall. To four years old. are eaten are raised on factory farms. Fish like
keep them producing milk, cows are Oscar are packed into small pools that are so filthy
and crowded that as many as a third die from
disease. Sea lice may chew off the fish’s skin,
OSCAR sometimes down to the skull. Because of the stress
of overcrowding, fish often bite off the fins, tails,
Like other fish, Oscar is a smart and social individual.
and eyes of other fish.
He has long-term memory, and he eavesdrops to
learn new things. Fish enjoy rubbing against one Both wild fish who are used for food and farmed
another to reduce stress in the same way a cat fish have miserable deaths. Fish who are pulled
rubs against your leg. Like any other animal, fish feel out of the water painfully suffocate as their gills
pain
— they just don’t have the vocal cords to scream. collapse. It can take as long as ten minutes for them
To learn more, visit [Link] to die. Fish who are cut open remain conscious for
many minutes as they slowly bleed to death.
A Healthy Switch
The medical research is clear: taking chicken and
other meat off your plate is one of the best things
you can do for your health. People who stop eating
meat live longer, look better, and feel better. They
weigh less, and many report having more energy.
But it’s important to eat right. Filling up on soda
and French fries is easy, but it’s not healthy. Here
are two simple recommendations when cutting out
1
Michael Greger, M.D.
(or cutting back on) meat. Founder, [Link]
Director, Public Health & Animal Agriculture, HSUS
MAKE SURE TO EAT THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF
CALORIES EACH DAY to get the protein your body
Meat-Free Meals:
2
needs. Beans, nuts, plant-based meats, tofu, whole grains,
and dairy-free protein shakes are great sources of protein.
Delicious and Convenient
IRON IS IMPORTANT. Replacing meat with something better can be fun and delicious. You can
Whole grains like oatmeal and wheat, beans, keep many of the foods and flavors you already love – and try a few new ones.
and dark leafy greens are filled with iron.
People with low iron levels should discuss
iron supplements with their doctor.
You already eat lots of meat-free Next, replace
food. So keep filling your plate with animal meat with
the foods you know and love! Good, plant-based meats.
simple breakfast choices include cereal, There are so many
bagels, granola, toast, muffins, waffles, mouth-watering
and fresh fruit. Familiar lunch and options now that
dinner options include a veggie sub you’ll wish you
with French fries or chips, pasta with had tried them
tangy marinara sauce, bean burritos before! They are also very convenient –
packed with guacamole and salsa, just warm and serve in minutes. Satisfy
stir-fried vegetables and tofu over rice, your craving with protein-packed meat-
creamy mashed potatoes, and hearty free sausages, burgers, chicken nuggets,
lentil soup. meatballs, lunch meats, hot dogs, ribs,
chicken patties, ground beef, and more.
To view citations for facts in this booklet, please visit [Link]/learn/educational-literature/
At the Supermarket
Every supermarket has basic (and
cheap) meat-free foods like pasta, rice,
cereal, beans, nuts, vegetables, fruit,
bread, and snacks. Most supermarkets
also have plant-based meat near the
produce section. You’ll find deli meats,
ground beef, hot dogs, chicken strips,
and more. In the freezer section, look
for meat-free burgers, burritos, and
breakfast meats. The dairy section will
have soy milk and almond milk.
Some products taste much better than
others, so try a variety to see which ones
you like. Here are some of our favorites!
Easy Eating Out
Eating out with friends or family? Don’t worry!
Many restaurant chains now carry meat-free
items on the menu. Chipotle, Olive Garden,
Taco Bell, Subway, Quiznos, Johnny Rockets,
Denny’s, Red Robin, and Ruby Tuesday are
some of the best.
Ethnic restaurants such as Chinese, Indian,
Italian, Mexican, Middle Eastern, and Thai
always have delicious meat-free options. If you
occasionally end up at a restaurant with nothing
good on the menu, just talk to the chef. Most
are happy to make something special for you.
To find the restaurants in your area with the best
meat-free menus, visit [Link].
FREE RECIPES AND MORE ONLINE!
[Link]
Order a free Meat-Free Meal Guide and browse recipes and articles about meat-free eating.
[Link]
Learn more about how farm animals are treated.
You can also meet some of our rescued farm animals and hear their stories.
[Link]
Learn how you can take action for farm animals in your community.
P.O. Box 150 • Watkins Glen, NY 14891
(607)-583-2225 • [Link] • info@[Link]
PHOTO CREDITS
Cover: Deborah Zeitman. Page 5: upper, © Carlos E Santa Maria 2012. Used under license from [Link]; lower, © Yuri Arcurs 2012. Used under license
from [Link]. Page 6: upper, © Mercy for Animals. Page 7: upper, © Humane Society of The United States; lower, © schankz 2012. Used under license from
[Link]. Page 8: upper, © Compassion Over Killing. Page 9: lower, © [Link]/ryanjlane. Page 10: upper, © [Link]/perets; lower, © chinahbzyg 2012.
Used under license from [Link]. Page 11: upper, © Carlstead; lower, © Martin Besson. Page 12: lower, © MosesPreciado. Page 13: upper, © Jitter Buffer. Page 14: upper,
© Lacey Elain Dillard; lower, © Sweet On Veg. Page 15: upper, © Tofurky; lower left, © Yuri Arcurs 2012. Used under license from [Link]; Boca image, © theimpulsivebuy.