I just got around to finishing the finale (my apologies for being such a latecomer) but I second all of the above! This forum has significantly contributed to my enjoyment/understanding/guesstimating/theorizing/etc!!!
In regards to your 'meat' theory- I wonder if this would this in any way be relatable to the Sarah Palmer scene in the grocery/liquor store where she absolutely flips out because of the new (turkey?) jerky...?