Animal-Sourced Food Consumption Takeaways
Takeaways are key points detailed and referenced in the Consumption Figures section
Choosing Per Capita Meat Consumption Figures
Quoted meat consumption figures can vary widely depending on the choice of data source; the USDA’s per capita estimates of “retail weight” are the most credible.
USDA “retail weight” figures do not account for food waste and therefore are not reflective of actual consumption; the USDA calls them “a proxy” for consumption.
FAO figures are mostly of value for making comparisons between U.S. and international consumption rates.
Per Capita Meat Consumption
Per capita total meat consumption (retail weight) was 227 lbs. in 2024.
Meat consumption has increased 17% from 1970, 9% from 2010, and 1% from 2023 to its highest historical rate in 2024.
Red meat consumption in 2024 was 110 pounds; poultry was 116 pounds.
Red meat consumption is relatively stable; poultry consumption is rising, currently more than half of all meat consumption.
Per Capita Dairy and Egg Consumption
The consumption of fluid milk has shrunk by almost half since 1970, while the consumption of other dairy products (cheese, yogurt, butter, etc.) has greatly increased.
The total milk required to produce all dairy products in 2023 was close to its all-time high at 661 pounds per capita (about 77 gallons).
Egg consumption per capita was 275 eggs in 2023, down from a recent high in 2019 of 289 eggs per capita.
Consumption Comparisons
U.S. per capita total meat consumption is almost 3 times the global average.
Per capita dairy consumption is almost 3 times the global average.
Per capita egg consumption is about 50% more than the global average.
Per capita consumption of animal-sourced foods is more than 4 times that of fresh fruit and more than 3 times that of fresh vegetables.
Despite unusually high dairy consumption levels (both historically and compared to global), the USDA suggests that 90% of Americans do not eat enough dairy products; they recommend dairy consumption levels that would equal about a quarter of daily calorie intake.
Animal-Sourced Food Waste
The term “food waste” is understood to include waste at the retail, food service (including restaurants), and household levels.
About a third or more of available food (starting from the retail level) goes to food waste.
About a third of total food waste is attributed to meat, eggs, and dairy.
The most recent USDA estimates for the share of red meat going to food waste was 28%; poultry was 21%.
At those levels, almost 2 billion farmed animals are wasted per year.