How much meat do you eat?

[lanya]

Recently I've noticed in my circles that pretty much everyone is cutting back on meat due to environmental/ climate reasons.

Most people I know aren't vegetarian, but are more aware/ more careful about the amount they eat, e.g. only once or twice per week.

I am wondering whether this is the case generally across the UK, or if most people are carrying on as normal?

YABU: We are eating the same amount of meat as we always have.
YANBU: We have reduced our meat intake over the last few years for climate reasons.

Disclaimer: This isn't any kind of brag or meant to be condescending - I'm just curious.

This is exactly what I do. I bought a lamb from a smallholding around the corner, butchered ready and it's in my freezer. I do the same with poultry and beef when I can get it.
I have whatever fruit and veg is in season. My milk comes from the farm half a mile from my house and my eggs from my hens.
I get my fish direct from market so again it is seasonal and fresh caught.
Sustainability is important to me. But cutting out meat is generally not the way to a more sustainable diet.

Beef tastes good.

Also, every steak you eat = one less person trampled to death by cows.

I have it weekly. All my circle does

Zero for 30+ years

I also do not eat things like vegetarian bacon, veggie burgers, veggie sausages, quorn

@G123456789

Ok, so what happens to pigs, cows, sheep, chickens etc when every one goes vegan? Meat doesn't have to be cruel.

There would probably be less pigs, cows, sheep, chickens etc same as horses and donkeys nowadays.

I think it would be downright impossible for the commericial meat industry to not be cruel in some way if not in many ways. It just wouldn't be financially viable.

We have family members who have a small holding and raise lambs (the extra triplets) and then have them slaughtered in their field to be as kind as possible, but this would be pretty intensive for a farmer to do for all the meat they produce.

I'm sure what you are doing is great by the sounds of it!

But if people who are having almond milk/ freighted vegetables are reducing their meat and dairy intake as a result, that is also great.

Almond milk sometimes gets a bad rep but it's still much better environmentally than dairy milk.

If everyone did even only one or two things to try and be more sustainable with their food, it would build and have a big impact, even if those things weren't perfect.

Think we eat meat everyday for tea and things like chicken , ham , salami etc in sandwiches for lunch.

I love meat so we have a fair amount of it.

I do like vegetarian food as well though, I'm not a weird meat snob.

I find it easier to meet protein goals if meat is an option too. I can't function without loads of protein for some reason.

Breakfast - almost never eat meat, probably once a month have a bacon sarnie
Lunch - rarely eat meat, probably once a fortnight have chicken in a soup or on a sandwich. Maily like veggie soups and feta/halloumi salads
Dinner - Probably on average eat meat 4 out of 7, fish 2 out of 7 and total veggie (not vegan - always like cheese!) once.
We are conscious of eating less meat from a health perspective more than financial and environmental, but it's there in the background.

@Mairzydotes where are you getting your frozen meat?

I love a massive salad with my steak and chips

Probably 5 out of 7 dinners plus the occasional breakfast sausage. We've just got two piglets so we won't need to buy any pork for the majority of 2025.

Terrible MN reading comprehension strikes again!

Not really. We have cut down on meat the last 15 years. We have 2 meat days, 4 vegetarian days and 1 fast food day (can be both).

We’ve cut back on meat, but not really for environmental reasons, it’s more to do with money & health reasons.
(although I don’t believe that meat is inherently bad for you)

We eat it about 3 times a week but I buy better quality meat now. Our local butcher does great steaks, so we buy once a week from him. Also, the chicken thighs from him are cheaper than the local supermarket.

Morrisons also sell nice cuts of braising steak, slow cooked, this usually makes 2 separate meals.

I have no plans to go vegetarian and definitely wouldn’t go vegan but I do get good ideas for recipes from a few instagram accounts I follow. I love eggs too much and eat them everyday, along real butter.

@SingleSexSafeSpace if you're deadlifting 145KG on a vegan diet, I very much doubt your carbon footprint is less than mine 😆

Also why are you testing your blood so often? Weird.

We've not reduced the amount of meat we eat and still have meat/chicken at least six out of seven nights, and for the majority of lunches. I try to only buy organic meat so that we're not consuming antibiotics and other nasties. My daughter and son in law are living with us at the moment and eat meat probably five nights a week. However, they are Muslims and it isn't nearly as easy to get organic halal meat, so they often run out.

Iceland , or one of the supermarkets. I also mean things like chicken nuggets and pies.

No meat but I am a pescatarian so eat fish twice a week. Sometimes I eat less fish and follow a vegetarian diet for a couple of weeks before switching back.

@catlady7

You've really got me in the mood for steak now. Think we'll have it for tea tomorrow 🥳

I may have to call in the butchers tomorrow 😋 get some salad and chips too. Maybe a bottle of wine. Treat myself.

Do it!

None. But I haven't for over 40 years. I have noticed a general move away from meat, but then the change in diet/cuisine in general over those 40 years has been considerable.

you're much more likely to get cancer BTW

@GordonBlue @catlady7

Thanks for the inspo haha. And absolutely to the bottle of wine 🍷