Try vegetables

Can you believe the meat price increases predicted by USDA Economic Research Service? Fifteen percent for red meat and 11 percent for fish and eggs. Way over the predicted 8 percent inflation rate, already the highest in four decades.

The obvious solution recommended by nutritionists — fresh vegetables. They contain all the nutrients required for healthy living and no saturated fats, cholesterol, hormones and antibiotics loaded in animal products. They do contain complex carbohydrates, fiber, and essential vitamins and minerals. They offer vastly reduced risk of contracting heart disease, stroke, some cancers, diabetes and obesity.

Fresh vegetables are going up only 4.3 percent — way below the inflation rate.

But there is more…

A University of Michigan research report found that replacing 50 percent of animal products with plant-based foods would prevent more than 1.6 billion tons of greenhouse gasses by 2030 — President Biden's target date for a 50 percent reduction in emissions.

In an environmentally sustainable world, we need to replace meat and other animal products with vegetables, fruits, and grains, just as we replace fossil fuels with wind, solar, and other renewable energy sources.

This outrageous meat price increase may be our blessing in disguise.

Nick Harkner New Haven