From Table to Taboo: The Outlawed Meats of U.S. History

When you’re browsing your local butcher counter or scrolling food videos on social media, you probably aren’t thinking about federal law. But behind every bite of steak or sushi lies a tangled web of government regulations. From public health concerns to protecting endangered species, the U.S. has a long list of meats that were once everyday fare—but are now banned, restricted, or deeply controversial.

Some of these meats fed struggling families during wars and depressions. Others were hunted out of necessity by Indigenous communities or caught for celebratory feasts. Today, eating them is illegal—or at least extremely difficult. The reasons? Public health fears, environmental protection, and yes, sometimes politics.

Let’s dig into some of the most surprising examples of meats that Americans used to eat… but can’t anymore.

Horse Meat

Horse meat might be a taboo topic today, but it was once a survival staple—especially during tough times like World War I, the Great Depression, and World War II. When beef was scarce and expensive, Americans turned to horses for protein. Butchers sometimes sold it disguised as beef, or exported it to less squeamish markets.

The tide turned in the 1950s when states began outlawing the sale of horse meat. The stigma stuck. In 2006, federal funding for horse meat inspections was pulled, forcing most plants to close. Today, while laws vary by state, commercial horse slaughter is effectively banned—and according to Animals' Angels, the number of horses exported for slaughter dropped by 86% as of 2025.

Eagles

Eating bald or golden eagles might seem unthinkable now—but it wasn’t always off the table. Indigenous communities such as the Huron and Salish once hunted eagles, not just for spiritual purposes, but occasionally for sustenance.

That changed in 1940 with the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, which made it illegal to hunt, sell, or even possess eagle parts without special authorization. A 1994 memorandum made exceptions for Native American religious use, allowing limited access to eagle remains for ceremonial purposes. But as a food source? Absolutely off-limits.

Whale

Whaling once fueled entire economies. Today, it's tightly restricted thanks to the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972. This landmark law banned the capture, killing, and import of marine mammals—including whales.

There are exceptions. The Makah Tribe of Washington State, honoring a treaty signed in 1855, retains limited whaling rights for ceremonial and subsistence purposes. Overseen by the International Whaling Commission, they’re permitted to hunt up to 25 gray whales every 10 years. But for the general public, whale meat is off the menu.

Livestock Lungs

If you've ever wondered why you can't find authentic Scottish haggis in the U.S., here's why: livestock lungs are banned. Since 1971, the USDA has prohibited their sale, citing health concerns. The spongy tissue was believed to carry a higher risk of bacterial contamination and disease.

Critics argue the science is outdated. International dishes like Greece’s kokoretsi or China’s fu qi fei pian (husband-and-wife lung slices) are still enjoyed abroad without widespread health issues. But here in the U.S., lung remains off-limits—no matter how much foodies beg for a haggis comeback.

Robin

It might sound shocking today, but robins—yes, the chirpy red-breasted birds—used to be a delicacy. In the 1800s, dishes like “robins on toast” were common, especially in rural or low-income communities.

That changed in 1899, when the U.S. began protecting songbirds, and later, through the 1916 Migratory Bird Treaty Act, outlawed the hunting of insect-eating migratory birds altogether. Today, the American robin is a protected species.

Shark Fins

Shark fin soup, once a luxury status symbol in Chinese cuisine, has become a global controversy. The cruel method of finning—cutting off a shark’s fins and discarding the body at sea—kills up to 100 million sharks annually, according to the Shark Research Institute.

The U.S. banned shark finning in the Atlantic in 1993, then nationally under the Shark Finning Prohibition Act of 2000. In recent years, Hawaii led the charge even further, banning the private ownership of shark fins in 2010 and all shark fishing in 2022.

Goliath Grouper

Once a prized catch in Florida and the Gulf Coast, the goliath grouper is now a cautionary tale. These gentle giants can reach 800 pounds and live for decades, making them easy targets for overfishing. By the early 1990s, they were so depleted that the NOAA banned their harvest.

In 2022, a short, restricted season was reintroduced in Florida, but permits are limited and only groupers between 24 and 36 inches can be kept. And even then, eating one may not be wise—their bodies can contain toxic levels of methylmercury, with readings up to 4.5 parts per million, far above the EPA’s 0.3 ppm guideline.