Remember pink slime? Yes, the nickname given to the pink, ammonia-treated beef paste that was added to freshly ground beef products and sold in grocery stores nationwide. This pasty product was given the official name of Lean Finely Textured Beef, or LFTB, but this label failed to appear on essentially any store shelf or package. While the pink slime issue began a much needed conversation about the lack of labels on meat, it also contributed to an ongoing debate about food labeling in general. If you’ve ever stood by the shelf of egg cartons and couldn’t tell the difference between cage-free, free-range and organic, you’ve probably realized that it takes learning another language — the language of food labels — to understand what you’re really buying. This list should help demystify the labels most commonly found on meat, eggs and dairy products so you won’t be standing confused in the freezing cold milk aisle for longer than a minute.
Not necessarily organic
No artificial ingredients
Open barn floor system
May still be crowded
No antibiotics
No artificial ingredients
Outdoor access
No antibiotics
Access to medicine for surgery
No cages or crates
Outdoor access
Lifetime forage diet
No cages or crates
Outdoor access