Walking through the grocery store, you get barraged with all different kinds of labels and claims. Every single brand is trying to fight for your attention and make it seem like their product is better than the next guys.
Hey there, it’s Ashley at Square Farms, and today I’m going to delve into five different labeling claims found on poultry products so that you can understand what they mean and make the best food decisions for your family.
Label #1: Natural
Let’s kick things off with natural. Everyone loves the word natural. It sounds so honest and down to earth. But what does it actually mean? Turns out when it comes to chicken and eggs, it means practically nothing. It just sounds good.
In the USDA’s food Safety Information Guide, they describe the label natural as a product containing no artificial ingredient or added color, and is only minimally processed.
Minimal processing means that the product was processed in a manner that does not fundamentally alter the product. The label must include a statement explaining the meaning of the term natural, such as no artificial ingredients minimally processed.
Since any old chicken breast doesn’t contain artificial ingredients and is minimally processed. It pretty much fits this meaningless claim to sum up.
Natural chicken doesn’t have anything to do with how the animal was raised or what it was fed. Your run of the mill, conventional industrial raised chicken is going to fit this natural claim. That’s why you’ll find it slapped on almost any old chicken you can find at Walmart.
Label #2: Cage-Free
Moving on to cage free. This is a big one in the egg market. Caged hens live their lives stacked in cages, crammed together with their beak cut off trying to crank out as many eggs as possible. Not a very pretty picture.
Cage free hens, on the other hand, don’t live in cages. So that is a step up. But if you think cage free means the hens are running around on fresh pasture, chasing bugs and basking in the sunshine. Think again.
Cage free birds still live in giant barns cramped together with thousands of other birds. So they’re not crammed in a cage, but they’re still crammed in a barn. Surely the next claim ‘free-range’ fixes this problem, right?
Label #3: Free-Range
Ehhh not quite, according to the USDA guide, in order for chickens to be qualified as free range, producers must demonstrate to the agency that the poultry has been allowed access to the outside.
Great. You think that means the chickens are raised outdoors?
Not quite. It probably looks more like a giant barn with a few doors and a small outdoor space that the chickens can go if they so desire. It doesn’t mean the chickens are running around on fresh grass pasture.
Label #4: No Hormones
And that brings us to claim number four no hormones. This one just makes me laugh because it’s actually illegal to use hormones when raising poultry.
The USDA guide says hormones are not allowed in raising hogs or poultry. Therefore, the claim no hormones added cannot be used on the labels of pork or poultry unless it is followed by a statement that says federal regulations prohibit the use of hormones.
That means any chicken you buy anywhere in the US is hormone free. Hormone free chicken means nothing at all. It’s not special and it’s not a step above.
It’s just a marketing ploy trying to make you feel better about the chicken you’re eating. So next time you see a package of chicken breasts that says no hormones, look for that little statement down below that explains that hormones are actually illegal.
Label #5: Organic
And last but not least, organic. Now everybody assumes organic means perfect, right?
After all, it is the most expensive type of meat you can find in the grocery store. And yes, organic is definitely a big step up from anything else you’ll find in the grocery store.
Organic chickens were fed non-GMO grains. They have very strict rules about the chemicals that can be used in birds feed or around the birds all throughout the birds life. So there’s a lot of really good things about organic chicken and eggs.
But organic might not be quite as good as you think. Turns out most organic chickens are raised indoors in giant barns with thousands of other birds just like their industrial farmed counterparts. They’re not actually living outside, basking in the sunshine, eating fresh grass, chasing bugs. Instead, they’re raised very similar to conventional birds.
So is it better? Absolutely. Do I buy organic? Yes. If I buy chicken in the grocery store, I will always buy organic because I know those birds are getting a much healthier diet. I don’t want chemicals and GMOs in my food.
But if you think that organic Costco chicken lived a happy life outside. Sorry to disappoint you, but that probably wasn’t the case.
What Other Options are There?
Whoa, Hold up a second. You might be saying. So how do I actually find chicken that’s raised to the standards that you want? The very best way that you can know you’re getting a quality product is to raise it yourself.
Now I know what you’re thinking. There’s no way I could raise my own chicken for eggs or meat, but I’d like to challenge you on that.
Raising your own chickens is actually a lot easier than you might think. And even if you can’t get your own chickens, could you start producing some of the other food you consume? Maybe you could grow a garden or plant an apple tree, or maybe a few berry bushes.
I love helping people get started raising their own food, so if that’s something you’re interested in, but you don’t know where to start, go ahead and leave a comment and I can help point you in the right direction.
What if I Don’t Want to Raise the Chicken Myself?
But if raising your own food is off the table and it’s definitely not something you want to do, then find a local farmer and purchase directly from them. Talk to them and ask them how they raise their birds or what they’re feeding their chickens by talking directly to the farmer, you know exactly how your chicken was raised, exactly what went into producing that bird. And you know that you’ll be getting a quality product. Bonus points if you actually go out to the farm and see how the chickens are raised.
And as a last resort, if the grocery store is the only option. Look for organic, non-GMO and pasture raised.
That’s going to be the highest quality level you can find in the store.
I hope this video helps you gain some clarity about the common labeling claims that are out there. Go ahead and hit subscribe If you’re interested in learning more about real food, small farming, or getting started producing your own food. Until next time, thank you for watching.
