20 years ago the meat department was considered the Crown Jewel of any grocery store.

Meat was the center of the plate, what's for dinner meant what meat are we having. America was raised on meat, but changes in the American diet have a great deal to do with the continuous swings in the popular versions of the science of nutrition. A decade ago, the low-fat craze moved many consumers away from red meat and toward poultry.The nutritional and diet seesaw is not the only thing that has played havoc with the supermarket meat case. Time and talent have probably had a bigger effect on supermarket meat sales than diet and nutrition. Even if the bulk of American consumers suddenly decided that meat and poultry were important to have with every meal, the supermarket meat department would still face a challenge in getting its fair share of the ensuing sales. The problem is that consumers see fresh meat and poultry as time-consuming products to prepare, especially when they are forced to start from scratch. The other issue is that even if shoppers are willing to invest the time to prepare fresh meat and poultry products, many simply don't know how. Despite the tremendous popularity of cooking shows on television, including the Food Network, and the increase in sales of gourmet cooking utensils, fewer consumers feel confident in their ability to prepare meat products, especially if they are dealing with higher-priced cuts.

IN YOUR OPINION, HOW DO WE RECAPTURE THE CENTER OF THE PLATE.