Sustainable Food Teach-Out
Eat Less Meat
3 minutes
Why: In general, producing most meat creates a much larger environmental impact than producing most vegetables. Changing the amount or type of meat in your diet can help lower your environmental impact by reducing CO2 produced and water used. Don’t let the price of change deter you because cutting meat out of your diet tends to reduce food costs. By eating vegetarian you can save $50,000 over your lifetime or $750 a year (Flynn & Schiff, 2015).
Choose your path: Depending on your current habits and preferences, you have a few ways forward. Reducing the amount of total meat you eat and switching meats eaten to less impactful meat (e.g. from beef to poultry) both reduce environmental impact. Try any of the below separately or in combination, or come up with your own ways to change your meat habits.
How:
Reducing meat: Start by choosing a time period each week that you’ll eat meals and snacks without meat. We recommend trying a full day of the week (e.g. Meatless Monday) or multiple meals (e.g. meat-free dinner Tuesday and Thursday), then growing from there if you’re ready. Replace meat in your recipes with beans, nuts, seeds, and vegetables.
Changing meat types: Meats with the highest impact on the environment are lamb and beef. If you’re currently eating these meats regularly, you can replace them with a poultry to reduce environmental impact. If you’re uncertain about losing a favorite food, prepare an alternative either with a replacement, like a veggie burger or completely different type of food.
Going meat free: If you currently eat meat regularly, you’ll want to be patient with yourself during this transition. Take your time to try find new vegetarian options and replacements for your go-to meals. You might start by removing one type of meat (e.g. beef) or reducing the amount of meals you prepare with meat until you’re ready to eat an entirely plant-based diet. Speak with a medical provider if you have any concerns.