Nutrition
Chick and Bare It
Feel like chicken tonight? Serve up this wholesome new brand.
Why did the chicken cross the road?
To get away from confusing label claims.
Organic. Cage-free. Free-range. What does it all mean?
A brand called Just BARE Chicken makes it easier. They tell you exactly what's not in their birds: None of the added hormones, antibiotics, steroids, arsenicals or saltwater solutions often used to make "all-natural" poultry appear plumper and meatier. Just BARE birds are vegetarian-fed and each package features a unique family farm code. Plug in the three digits on the company's site to trace your chicken back to the farm where it was raised.
And while Just BARE Chicken is not organic, according to Sharon Richter, R.D., the most important thing is to make sure the chicken you buy is antibiotic-free. "Organic is best, but an organic label is very expensive," she says. "Most chickens at your local farmer's market are actually organic, but they aren't labeled 'organic' because it costs a lot of money to go through the certification process."
Buy whole chickens, breasts, drumsticks, tenders and thighs at more than 600 grocery stores nationwide. (Search by zip code here.)
It's worth clucking about.

