If you use Twitter, it is likely that you will regularly see hashtags relating to the days of the week. On Monday, you will probably see #MeatlessMondays and #MeatFreeMondays, especially if you follow people who are interested in food. You might not have put too much thought into the meaning of these hashtags, or you may have assumed that they are simply used as a way of getting posts to trend. However, there is a serious meaning to these hashtags, and Meatless Mondays is a campaign that aims to benefit both health and the environment.
The History Behind Meatless Mondays
While Meat Free Mondays is now a trending topic, the concept of having a weekly meat-free day has a longer history than you may think. Some people credit Woodrow Wilson with introducing the idea during World War I when he was the President of the United States.
In a bid to reduce meat consumption during wartime, Wilson decided that all families should have one meat-free meal a day and that they should only eat plant-based meals on a Tuesday. According to Wikipedia, the aim was to preserve meat and other key staples to avoid rationing.
This campaign was supported by Herbert Hoover, who was the head of both the American Relief Association and the United States Food Administration (USFA) at that time. The USFA provided marketing materials and recipe books to support the campaign.
During World War II, the campaign returned. The meat was rationed and President Truman encouraged Meatless Tuesdays and ‘Poultryless’ Thursdays. Unfortunately, many people did not comply with these days.
The Foundation of the Meatless Mondays Campaign
In 2003, the idea of having meatless days was reintroduced. Originally, it was endorsed by the Center for a Livable Future. This is a division of the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. It was also supported by more than 20 public health schools across the United States.
Celebrities also got on board with the concept. The most notable of these was Paul McCartney along with his daughters, Stella and Mary. It was unsurprising that they took such an interest as McCartney’s late wife, Linda McCartney, was a vegan with her own vegetarian food range.
The McCartney family launched the Meat-Free Monday campaign in 2009. This led to an increased interest in participation in this weekly event and a greater understanding of its aims.
Popularity of Meatless Mondays Across the Globe
Although Meatless Mondays began in the United States, it is a campaign that has gained popularity across the globe. In 2009, the campaign was launched in Australia and Brazil. During the same year, Israel introduced its version of Meatless Mondays. Other countries that are now using the concept include Canada, Croatia, and Argentina.
Belgium became the first city in the world to declare official vegetarian days weekly in 2009. This is called Veggie Thursday. San Francisco then became the first city in the United States to officially adopt Meatless Mondays. However, they call it Vegetarian Day.
The Health Benefits of Meat Free Mondays
One of the main aims of Meatless Mondays is to encourage people to live a healthier lifestyle. According to Reducetarian, there are many health benefits of reducing the amount of meat in your diet. Some of these include:
- A healthy diet– The Mediterranean diet is one of the healthiest diets in the world, and scientific evidence supports this statement. This diet is predominantly plant-based, and meat is only eaten a couple of times a week.
- Reduced risk of disease– There is evidence that proves eating less meat reduces your risk of developing many serious diseases and health conditions. These include cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, and some types of cancer.
- Increased energy levels- Meat is difficult to digest. The extra work your digestive system uses to digest the meat reduces your energy levels. This may leave you feeling lethargic.
- Maintaining a healthy weight– Eating more plant-based meals and cutting down your meat intake can help you to lose weight or to maintain a healthy weight.
- Live longer– Studies show that eating less meat can increase your lifespan.
The Benefits for the Environment
Another aim of Meatless Mondays is to benefit the environment. There is evidence to suggest that reducing meat consumption has a positive impact on the climate.
- The meat industry creates approximately 20 percent of manmade greenhouse gases.
- Nine percent of global CO2 emissions are from livestock.
- Livestock also accounts for 65 percent of nitrous oxide emissions and 37 percent of methane emissions.
- In the UK, livestock is responsible for 8.5 percent of GHG emissions.
- Reducing meat intake reduces greenhouse gases.
Further Benefits
In addition to the health benefits and the benefits for the environment, there are some other reasons to consider taking part in Meatless Mondays. These include:
- Saving money– Plant-based diets are cheaper than diets containing meats. Therefore, you can reduce costs by reducing your meat intake.
- Ethics– If you are concerned about animal welfare, then cutting down on meat reduces the number of animals slaughtered for human consumption.
- Trying something new– Meatless Mondays gives you the chance to try new dishes every week. You can experiment with new ingredients in the kitchen.
Ideas for Meat-Free Monday
People who eat meat regularly may struggle to think of ideas for meals they can enjoy if they decide to start eating less meat in their diet. It is surprisingly easy to make nutritious and delicious meals that are meat-free.
We have plenty of ideas for vegetarian and vegan meals on The Fruity tart, and these are all plant-based dishes. You can check out our full list of meat-free meals to enjoy on Meat Free Mondays here. You can also get inspiration from vegan cookbooks.
The following are just a few of the easy recipes on our site to give you some inspiration.
Roasted Cauliflower and Spinach Curry
Feel free to comment with your thoughts on Meatless Monday below. At The Fruity Tart, we love to hear from our readers.