Top five tips for eating humanely

As a nation that loves animals, it's not surprising that Australians want to know the animals that produce the food on our plates have been farmed humanely. But how can you show you care for an animal when you are purchasing it?

While we're more aware than ever about choosing higher-welfare meat in the supermarket, we often forget this when dining out and many Australians aren't sure what food items are made using animal products.

With Australian farms raising millions of animals each year, supporting humane farming practices is not only the right thing to do for animals but is also how we can support farmers who are putting animal welfare first.

Here are the RSPCA's top five tips for eating humanely when grocery shopping and dining out.

Look for the RSPCA Approved logo next time you're buying eggs, chicken, pork, turkey or salmon. These products come from farms that are visited regularly to ensure they are meeting the RSPCA's animal welfare standards.

Support brands that use cage-free eggs. It's easy to forget just how many of our favourite food items contain animal products. Eggs are a common ingredient in biscuits, pasta, sauces and cakes, yet often you'll have to check the label or go online to find out if the manufacturer uses cage-free. More and more brands are switching to cage-free and for the ones that haven't, by all means ask them why not on social media.

Choose humane food when you're dining out. Many of us love a weekend lunch at our favourite restaurant and we would like to assume that the ingredients used by these businesses are the same as what's in our fridge at home. Unfortunately, that's often not the case and products from some of the most welfare-compromising systems end up in the food service sector. Growing consumer demand is changing this, however. Ask for humane options when you're dining out and support the cafes and restaurants doing good things.

If you can't find RSPCA Approved pork, make sure to buy free-range. For pork products, sow-stall-free is a positive first step but these pigs can still be kept in barren pens without bedding while sows can be confined to farrowing crates for weeks at a time. Free-range products are more likely to mean that pigs have been raised in an environment where they can express natural exploring, foraging and socialising behaviours.

Ask your favourite fowl brand if they provide for the behavioural needs of poultry birds. While free-range can be a good option, and means birds have outdoor access during the day, a quality indoor environment for poultry is more important. This is because chickens will spend most of their life inside a barn to protect them from predators and the elements. Other poultry that shouldn't be forgotten are turkeys and ducks. The behavioural needs for turkeys include being able to perch and dust bathe, and ducks need to preen and float in water.

Hope Bertram manages the RSPCA's humane food initiatives. For more information on buying humanely visit rspcaapproved.org.au.