MEAT CHOICES AND COOKERY METHODS OF NEBRASKANS1

A random sample of Nebraskans was surveyed by telephone to identify the types and cuts of meats consumed and cookery methods used to prepare them. Meat was eaten at 14%, 77%, and 88% of the breakfast, noon, and evening meals, respectively. Beef was chosen most often; pork and poultry were chosen less frequently, and seafood the least frequently (42%, 23%, 22%, and <10%, respectively, of the time meat was consumed). More than one-half of the time beef was eaten, ground beef was selected. Ham was the most common cut of pork (25% of the time pork was chosen). Beef and pork were most often fried, whereas poultry was roasted about as often as fried. Nearly one-half of poultry consumers removed the skin before and one-third removed the skin after cooking. These survey data indicate that consumer education should focus on increasing lean meat choices and on low-fat meat cookery methods.