According to the USDA, U.S. consumers eat about 200 pounds of meat per person every year. The predominant expenditure is on beef, with $232 of the annual food expense spent on beef. Pork is the second largest expenditure at $177, and poultry is third with $172 spent annually. In 2014 and 2015, beef and pork prices shot up due to a perfect storm of drought, disease and demand.