Reduce Meat and Dairy on your menus

There’s no denying that the meat and dairy industry has a hugely negative impact on our planet and our health. Vast swathes of virgin rainforests are being cleared to grow food to feed to animals. Millions of litres of water are needed to keep the livestock. Industrial scale farming leads to the generation of astronomical amounts of agricultural waste which pollutes the rivers and air. Belching cows and sheep emit potent greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming. Precious topsoil, essential for us to grow our food, is being eroded which means fewer nutrients in our produce and reduced yields from farmers.  Meat and dairy can also be high in saturated fats which contributes to heart disease and strokes while the World Health Organisation has directly linked the consumption of cured meats with increased risk of cancer.  

This information is out there, and the public is waking up.  The rise of the ‘meat reducer’, or ‘flexitarian’ has been widely reported with a 25% rise in dairy-free sales and meat-free ready meals fuelling an extra £41.9 million spend.  

Having decent vegetarian meals on your menu makes business sense for all the reasons above, but also because they are the most expensive items you’ll buy, so it makes pure financial sense too. 

Here's how:

Have a meat-free day
Bulk up stews, soups and sauces with extra veg if you can
Use the whole carcass - think about different cooking techniques to make the most of every last morsel!

Make the veg the star – some of the top chefs are now featuring the veg as the star of the meal – see links in the charter support pack for ideas.
Train your staff – GCDA runs Culinary Skills training covering plant-based menus with exciting ideas and tips on increasing veg in your menu. Call 0208 2694880 for more information