Have you ever bought something from the grocery store, only to discover that it’s not exactly how you remember it? Sometimes, this is because a recipe or portion size has changed. Other times, however, it’s because customers believe that something is clearly wrong with the product.
For example, there’s a growing trend on TikTok in which people believe their “real” eggs have been replaced with fake ones. There was also a case in which a woman received and bit into a Toaster Strudel that was filled not with the normal filling, but a strange white powder.
Now, an internet user has a gripe about another food product: ground beef.
What’s Wrong With This Woman’s Ground Beef?
In a video with over 237,000 views, TikTok user Candice (@whatcandicesaid) says that there’s something different about the ground beef she’s finding in the store compared with the ground beef to which she had become accustomed.
“I spent many years getting my meat from a free-range farm, but I can’t afford to do that anymore,” she explains. “So, I have gone back to grocery store meat—and there’s something wrong with our ground beef.”
“It doesn’t smell right. It doesn’t look right,” she says. “I don’t even want to give it to my kids.”
According to Candice, this problem is not limited to a single grocery store. Additionally, she says her kids have noticed a difference in the quality of meat as well.
“It’s been happening all year,” she concludes. “Something is not right with our ground beef.”
In the caption, she adds, “I don’t care what ANYONE TELLS ME!!! THAT’S NOT GROUND BEEF!!!!”
Is Ground Beef Really Different Now?
Complaints about the changing taste of meat have existed online for years. On Reddit, a thread from five years ago questioned the evolving flavor of meat, with theories pouring out about why meat (allegedly) tastes so different now.
It’s unclear whether this is actually true. Allegations that stores are secretly selling fake beef are unfounded.
That said, there are plenty of reasons why one might feel that their cheaper, grocery-store beef tastes worse than the free-range alternative.
Why Do Some Ground Beef Brands Taste Worse?
The flavor of beef is affected by many different factors. The first is the diet of the animal from which the beef is harvested.
For example, free-range cattle may consume grasses or other food sources, while a factory-farmed animal will likely eat a mixture of corn and grain products.
Additionally, Canada, like many countries, imports a substantial amount of beef. It’s possible that the flavor differences could be due to the conditions in the environment where the beef cattle were raised. For example, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, or Uruguay, four of the main countries from which Canada imports beef.
Furthermore, there’s evidence that the conditions in which the beef cattle were raised affect flavor. For example, animals with more stressful, fearful lives produce worse meat.
Finally, there’s a chance that the packaging processes for the beef that she’s buying are different from the grass-fed versions. Some beef packages use carbon dioxide and nitrogen when sealing their beef products. Experts say that this can occasionally impart unpleasant flavors and scents into meat.
@whatcandicesaid I don’t care what ANYONE TELLS ME!!! THAT’S NOT GROUND BEEF!!!! #canada_life🇨🇦 #MEAT #fyp #WTF #spirituality
Commenters Have Suggestions
In the comments section, many users said they felt similarly about the flavor of beef. However, some said that they had found ways to improve the flavor of their meat without breaking the bank.
“I agree but I started buying halal ground beef and I have to admit it tastes amazing,” wrote a user.
“I buy from the Mennonites in Waterloo region…amazing meat!” suggested another.
“As a farmer, buy from your local farmers,” wrote a third. “It’s actually cheaper when it pencils out. It’s just a bigger cost all at once but it’s worth it.”
BroBible reached out to Candice via TikTok and Instagram direct message.