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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To reduce meat to twice per week and stay healthy?

54 replies

StarlingSpark · 06/02/2026 22:02

I haven't eaten red meat much at all in decades because I don't like it, although will eat bacon or a steak a few times per year. I mostly eat poultry and fish, with eggs and dairy, about 5 times per week.

Due to costs, and having found so many delicious plant based recipes that I love, I feel that meat is getting in the way a bit now and would really like to narrow it down to only twice per week. So that would be either two chicken breasts or varied with fatty fish.

I eat a lot of legumes and veg, and love cooking, so happy to try anything new.

What I want to ask is, is this amount of meat enough to fulfil nutritional needs? I am obviously ok for iron as never really eat red meat to start with, but can't find anything on google. It presumes i am asking about red meat, not meat in general.

Just to add: I know vegetarians and vegans will say they're great and have done this for years, but we are all different, and I am not interested in becoming vegan, with all due respect.

OP posts:
IckyIck · 06/02/2026 22:17

Eat what you like but make it varied and not UPF.
I eat vegan and vegetarian meals most of the time.
A lot of beans and lentils are easy to cook with, it doesn't have to be red lentils or chickpeas. Today I had black eyed beans and they were good.

If you don't want to be a vegan, you can use something like bacon or cheese to perk up a dish, you don't need much.

NewYearNewMee · 06/02/2026 22:14

You probably could with ease! You could perhaps pay for some private blood tests to see and really test your health, or perhaps talk to a nutritionist?

I keep meat in my diet as legumes are a no go, same for quite a few types of leafy greens so it gives me a better balance. One of my besties is vegan and she’s very healthy, eats a really varied diet and is probably more imaginative with food than most! She does take a lot of supplements too (so do I tbh) which is always an easy option to add in anything you think you might be missing.

SilenceInside · 06/02/2026 22:11

Indeed. I have over 35 years of not eating meat of any kind and being healthy. But I’m vegetarian, so I guess that invalidates my comment? I would not dream of suggesting you should become a vegan either.

RichardOnslowRoper · 06/02/2026 22:09

Are you saying you don't want vegetarians or vegans to respond?