Indeed. We've been conditionned to think we need a lot of meat, every meal, every day. This has driven the need for the industry to produce more and cheaper.
I'm an omnivore but try to eat less meat, and find higher quality meats instead. It's not always convenient but in terms of taste alone, it's worth it. While I like to think there is some health benefit, I have no data to support that.
Affordable in what sense? The literal purchase price of the materials or the labor and skill required to turn the materials into an edible (and tasty, how dare poor people want flavor) meal?
