As beef prices hit record highs, home cooks rediscover the world’s oldest cheap proteins

With ground beef prices soaring above $7 a pound, many home cooks are turning to more affordable, traditional protein sources like eggs and beans. This shift comes amid a federal antitrust investigation targeting the four major beef processing companies, which control 85% of the market, and a prolonged cattle supply shortage. This price hike and probe highlight the vulnerabilities in the beef industry, potentially reshaping consumer habits and food market dynamics.