Do people really eat meat for every meal?

[CurlewKate]

There seems to be a post every day about the difficulties of catering for a vegetarian guest. I'm an omnivore and I do love meat, but probably only eat it 3-sometimes 4 times a week. And if a guest was a vegetarian I would have no trouble cooking a nice meal without meat-either a family staple or something posher. So do people really eat meat for every meal? And if so-why? Apart from anything else, meat costs a fortune!

I suspect most people will have a meat free breakfast and often a quick meat free lunch (beans on toast, soup, omelette, pasta and vegetables) but if you're having a guest round you want to cook something that feels special and more expensive or requires more work than normal to demonstrate that you value them. I cook a lot and do cook veggie meals a lot (although DH reckons they would all be improved by the addition of a sausage) but would have to think about what to make for a vegetarian guest. Probably curry TBH.

@CurlewKate a lot of cheeses aren't vegetarian as they contain animal rennet. I don't actually know if the cheeses I use are vegetarian or not, but I assumed not.

I was a vegetarian for years, so am much more confident cooking vegetarian food as those were the years when I was learning. DP eats fish, but not meat and his diet is largely vegetarian. The DC eat meat, but not every day. I would say, overall, we eat meat or fish in about a quarter of our meals. When my vegan cousin comes to stay, it's not a problem because I cook vegan food all the time anyway.

Our evening meal almost always includes some form of meat. I know how to cook quote a few delicious vegetarian dishes, and we do enjoy those occasionally, but we generally gravitate towards meat-based food and find it more satisfying usually. But I do think it's driven by habit to a lack extent, and as a consequence of what we ourselves were fed by our own parents as children. I think we could get used to a vegetarian diet quite easily if we wanted to. And I have no problem doing veggie meals for guests - I look forward to it actually because it gives me an opportunity to try out some of those mouth-watering Ottolenghi recipes!!!

Breakfasts are vegetarian, lunches are less likely to be meat more likely to be eggs or cheese. That's only because my kids are having meat for their hot school lunches most days. Dinners are usually based around meat or fish, mostly chicken as well as some salmon, beef mince, sausages, sometimes a roasting joint or some other fish or seafood. It doesn't cost a lot per person, and my kids like that food so less gets wasted. It's also easy to cook lactose/dairy free which I need to for a few family members.

We probably eat meat 4-5 nights a week.

My DH does, evening meals are always meat or fish/seafood based.

If I suggest a veggie meal DH and DS will act as if I'm trying to kill them.

Yes we do, not for breakfast but yes there will be usually a meat element in both lunch and dinner. We can afford this, so I’m not sure why it’s surprising folks do it.

My husband eats meat and/or fish everyday, for breakfast and dinner. My children eat it most days, unless I'm making Mac and Cheese or something like that.

We eat low carb so have meat with most meals as it’s a simple way to up the protein. Plus we like it!

I wouldn't have thought most people eat meat for breakfast on a daily basis, and lunch is likely more varied. Dinner I think probably has the highest proportion. We eat fish and seafood 2/3 times a week for dinners, veggie once or twice a week and meat 2-3 times. However fish is expensive, I'm from a very working class background and meat for dinner was standard in most houses, although cheaper cuts were actually cheaper then, and someone always knew someone who worked at Smithfield's and could get a deal.

For dinner, yes. Meat or fish. I don't feel full without it.
I don't mind veggie food at lunch times like big salad/ hummus etc.

Not for breakfast unless staying at a hotel. Lunch sometimes ham or chicken sandwich but not usually. Dinner nearly always. DH doesn't think it's dinner without. And I have no real experience of veggie food so don't really know how to ensure properly nourishing balanced meals. I grew up on meat and two veg.

OP, by "every meal" do you mean breakfast lunch & supper?

Or does "every meal" mean "once a day, the largest meal which is also a hot cooked meal that I presume everyone has about once a day"

Assuming you're referring to meals as the main meal of the day, rather than 3 meals a day, but yes we really eat meat at almost all meals.
We might do 1 non meat night, and often try to have a fish night once a week, but that is as expensive, if not more actually, than meat.

(Lunches are a mixture, some might have meat, some not.
Breakfasts almost always non meat.)

I'm a fussy eater. I tolerate vegetables I don't enjoy them so our meals are based around varying the meat.

a lot of cheeses aren't vegetarian as they contain animal rennet

Exactly. And categorising meat into red meat / poultry / fish isn't of use if you're meal planning for a vegetarian.

I can cook for vegetarians without issue. I was a vegetarian for a few years and am not that bothered about meat, but I cook it at least once a day and often for three meaks. Not necessarily a lot though as lunch is usually a soup based on Sunday dinner leftovers, or I might put a rasher of bacon in a frittata for 3. I have meat free evening meals some nights but dc and dp eat meat or fish every night.

Only if you were very well off. Just because people had fish on Fridays doesn't mean the default was meat. Quite ordinary families could only afford a roast once a week and then eke it out for a few days but not the whole week.Things like cauliflower cheese, macaroni cheese, potatoe pie (some have meat but not always), leek and potato, ommelettes etc etc were all common evening meals, if you were poorer you'd make do with bread and dripping, or just bread.

I can’t eat a lot of carbs as I’m diabetic, so meat is a good way to up protein and make the meal feel substantial.

A typically day might be:

• yoghurt with almond butter, seeds and nuts (no meat)
• Bulgar wheat salad, carrots, cucumber, balsamic. Either eggs or meat at the protein
• Dinner will usually be meat based - eg aubergine and meatball bake, chicken with baked veg and side salad etc.

For things like chilli, I do add lots of beans and legumes, but I just find full veggie not as satisfying (particularly when I can’t go heavy on the carb!)

If I go out, the veggie option is usually too carb heavy for me to tolerate.

I eat meat for most of my dinners.

I never had meals growing up and so struggle with what’s normal and so I base my meals around the meat.
I try to have meat, 2 veg and a starch for every dinner.

I don’t actually like eating meat for ethical reasons (even though I like the taste) so I make sure to have the other meals meat free so I’ll eat things like Greek yoghurt and eggs so I’m still getting the protein.

I’m trying to have at least 2 meat free dinners a week with things like pizza or pasta but I worry about my DC not getting enough protein.

I’m thinking of trying quorn, so I can have the same meals but just meat free.
I think it’s high in protein too.

I would definitely struggle cooking for a vegan.

Not breakfast lunch and dinner no, that would be excessive. But probably 4 dinners a week me and the kids have chicken or mince. DH is pescatarian so we probably eat more fish than we would do otherwise.

I fast til lunch and but yes always have meat for lunch AND dinner without fail. But I am an ex vegan and I have healed all my health issues by eating an animal based diet so I am very very pro meat. However, I could easily cater for vegetarian or vegan. Just wouldn't do that to myself.

We eat meat or fish for most main meals, simply because that’s what we like to eat. We occasionally have vegetarian meals, but find we’re always hungry afterwards. I don’t find it too expensive as I buy cheaper cuts.

There's no reason AT ALL to have any meat free dinners. Eating processed fake meats won't save the planet and it certainly won't make you healthier so please don't fall for that x

@Fallenangelofthenorth "@CurlewKate a lot of cheeses aren't vegetarian as they contain animal rennet."

Yep-that's why I said "many cheeses"!