While the U.S. consumes the most chicken overall, Israel leads the world in per capita chicken consumption, with other top nations including the United States, Malaysia, Australia, and Saudi Arabia, often driven by chicken's affordability, versatility, and cultural integration into daily diets.
The United States leads global chicken meat consumption with 21.19 million metric tons, followed by China and Brazil at 15.1 and 14.9 million metric tons, respectively.
China, the U.S., Russia, Mexico, and Brazil are the countries that eat the most chicken.
Joanne Sillince from the Australian Chicken Growers' Council says price and versatility make chicken an obvious choice for consumers. "It is the least expensive of the meats you can get. So you can get drumsticks for $6 to $7 per kilogram," Dr Sillince says. "Secondly, it's an incredibly versatile meat.
Between 2000 and 2010, Australians added an average of over 13 kilograms of chicken to their annual diets. From 2021 to 2024, however, the increase was barely one kilogram. While chicken remains the most consumed meat in Australia, per capita growth has clearly slowed.
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Today, pork still dominates, but it is joined by more poultry and beef. This change in diet matters for various reasons. More diversified diets (which are not only about animal products) tend to be more nutritious than monotonous staple-heavy diets that are common for people living in poverty.
At least 97% of our chicken-on-the-bone, fillets and strips are regularly delivered fresh (not frozen) into our restaurants from reputable Aussie chicken suppliers like Inghams, Steggles and Golden Farms.
The most unhealthy meats are processed meats (bacon, hot dogs, salami, deli meats) due to high salt, fat, and preservatives (nitrates/nitrites) linked to cancer, heart disease, and diabetes; followed by fatty red meats (beef, lamb, pork) and charred/burnt meats cooked at high temperatures, which form carcinogens; while even poultry becomes unhealthy with skin, heavy breading, and high sodium.
The most popular food in Australia is widely considered the meat pie, an iconic hand-held pastry filled with minced meat and gravy, followed closely by other staples like roast lamb (a Sunday dinner favorite), chicken parmigiana (a pub classic), and Vegemite on toast. Other beloved items include smashed avocado on toast, fish and chips, and sweet treats like Pavlova and Anzac biscuits.
Pork, for example, is the most consumed meat globally, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, making up 36% of the world's meat intake. The popularity of pork is closely followed by poultry, which is a staple in many countries due to its versatility and affordability.
Blacks ate significantly more chicken than the other ethnic groups (P < 0.001), and East Asians ate significantly more pork and processed meat (P < 0.001). Regardless of ethnicity, grilling/roasting/broiling were the preferred cooking methods, and vegetables were most consumed as a side dish.
For example, red meats are usually only susceptible to pathogens on the surface of the cut, while chicken can be contaminated all the way through the muscle. This is why you should never eat raw chicken, but a juicy rare steak is perfectly fine.
Based on a comparison of 165 countries in 2020, USA ranked the highest in cattle meat consumption with 12,535 kt followed by China and Brazil. On the other end of the scale was Belize with 1.00 kt, Seychelles with 1.00 kt and Liberia with 2.00 kt.
Most consumed meats in the world
1. Chicken. Poultry has been the most consumed meat in the United States since the 1990s, with about 98.9 pounds eaten per capita.
Lentil is called “poor man's meat” due to its low price compared to meat, and can complement cereal-rich foods in providing a nourishing meal by balancing the amino acid and micronutrient requirements of the diet (Table 11.1).
Among all animal meats pork is the filthiest diet to consume by human beings. Pig is the cradle of harmful germs. Scientific evidences prove that pig meat is least healthy having different harmful agents like Cholesterol and Fatty Acids, Bacteria and Toxins and a number of parasites.
Cardiologists generally advise avoiding processed meats, sugary drinks and sweets, and foods high in trans fats and sodium, like most fried foods and salty snacks, because they raise bad cholesterol, blood pressure, and inflammation, significantly increasing heart disease risk. Focusing on whole foods and limiting these culprits is key for heart health.
KFC's 7-Minute Policy, primarily in India, is an Express Pick-up service promising orders ready in 7 minutes or less for app/kiosk orders, with a free piece of chicken if they fail, ensuring speed and signature taste, but it's a limited-time offer or specific to certain locations/promotions. It's part of KFC's focus on quick, convenient service, backed by safety measures during its launch, and relies on customers showing the confirmation SMS to claim the offer.
Woolworths sources chicken for its range of Woolworths brand chicken products from Australian RSPCA Approved farms. These farms take pride in raising their birds in an enriched barn environment.
At Coles, we believe chickens should be raised to RSPCA standards. It's why all our Coles Own Brand fresh chicken isn't just 100% Aussie, it's raised on RSPCA Approved farms.
The meat is highly prized in Asian cuisines, especially in China (including Hong Kong) and Northeast India, for its fat content and texture.
Five US dollars (around 35 Chinese Yuan) isn't a lot in China for tourists but is a meaningful amount for daily necessities, buying several street food meals or bus rides, though it won't go far in big cities for luxuries, varying greatly by location and type of purchase.