To reduce meat to twice per week and stay healthy?

[StarlingSpark]

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.

@ScrambledEggs12 , légumes is the French for veg, but pulses are légumineuses.

You're overthinking this. It's hardly a new concept to be vegetarian. You clearly eat a varied, healthy diet. Just eat as little meat as you want to eat, you'll be fine.

Personally I find the balance is to combine meat and pulses eg lamb and chickpeas in a curry, beef and lentils or whatever, it’s not always either or. I personally know I feel more tired if I don’t eat red meat and I have read it’s harder to metabolise iron from plant sources

@StarlingSpark , there is no minimum amount of meat you need.
If you are having vegan days eat a balanced vegan diet on those days.
If you are having vegetarian days eat a balanced vegetarian diet on those days.
If you add a little bit of meat or fish that's ok.

Cook things where you can add pulses or something to use less meat.

Take an A-Z multivitamin if you like.

Some really good stuff here, thanks everyone! A lot of diverse opinions but all worth some thought.

As for the pp who said I am overthinking, you win the mumsnet bingo!

So Google tells me! I think I need to up my legume intake!

What a pointless question. Yes you can have a healthy diet eating less meat. You can have an even healthier diet eating none. If you like meat, eat it sometimes.

nope, it isnt a pointless question at all.

You don't need any meat for a healthy diet if you are clued up about nutrition. I have been vegan for over 50 years, am slim, very active and very rarely ill. I had a bone scan in my early 60s - privately as I just wanted to check - and apparently my bones are totally fine, no sign of any problems. My iron levels are higher than average for meat eating people. Perhaps a coincidence but I sailed through the menopause with no drugs and barely a hot flush.

You just need to know what you're doing and don't eat processed crappy food.

@ScrambledEggs12 , I never thought I'd like them but I eat them a lot now.
I tend to have ones that cook fairly quickly or ones in tins or jars.
Learnt to make meals that were satisfying with less or no meat.
There are loads of recipes you can try.

You will probably need some Vit b12.

@StarlingSpark , you seem to have blinkers on. I'm not sure what you want from us because you seem to dismiss the replies because you want someone to say you will become very ill unless you eat a specific amount of meat.

B12 - marmite is a good source. You might not like it as a spread but you can add it to stock.

There is no "minimum". What you need to look at is daily requirements for protein and figure out if you are hitting those.
Also, there is no single definition of "healthy" which is, again, why you are running into problems finding information.
NHS recommends Mediterranean style diet with a balance of protein, complex carbohydrates, plant and grain-based fats and fibre-rich foods. Also a good variety of foods for micronutrients (vitamins and minerals).
Yes, technically, meat has more bioavailable and complete protein as opposed to legumes but, unless you are a competitive athlete, it probably doesn't matter too much.

Hello, I am a dietitian working for the NHS. Guidelines are that you eat 2 portions of protein foods per day if you eat meat, or 3 if you don’t. A portion of meat is the size of the palm of your hand so a large chicken breast could be enough in day. Beans and pulses provide the protein your body needs but the iron from vegetables is more difficult for your body to absorb so eat vitamin C rich foods at the same time e.g. lentil bolognese with tinned tomatoes. There is no reason why an omnivorous diet would cause a problem; but remember iron is a key nutrient for women who have periods and we all generally get enough protein in the UK, it comes from dairy products as well as pulses, eggs, fish & meat.

I’d be tempted to take sublingual b12 to keep your levels up. And look at food combinations like orange juice to help keep up your iron levels.

I guess for the OP the minimum amount of meat needed is zero and the NHS would agree with that

Personally I'd do chicken or prawns once a week, oily fish once a week, beef or pork every week or two. Plus eggs every day. Beans or lentils on non meat days. What you don't want is to reduce protein too much as you will end up eating more. That happened to my DF so he is constantly gaining and losing the same stone and now has a lot of muscle loss.

Isn't meat a couple of times a week or less effectively the blue zones diet where people live the longest in the world.
https://www.bluezones.com/recipes/food-guidelines/

How can an ancient food be responsible for modern diseases?

You're better off eating far more meat and less of everything else.

Blue Zones have been widely debunked.

My PIL are Sardinian and they eat meat at every meal just like their parents and their grandparents. My FIL hasn’t eaten a vegetable since he was a child and he is 89 and still goes hunting boar. They’re not on any medication either.

Or you can eat no meat and still be healthy if you know how to cook veggies and pulses.
There is no rule.

Growing up we only ever ate meat once or twice a week at home, and maybe fish once a week as well. There was meat in our school dinners but 90s school dinners weren't great so I ate the bare minimum.

We ate legumes quite a lot like minestrone or pasta e ceci, lots of cheese, and boiled eggs with salad.

If you’re looking for NHS style guidance, they recommend oily fish twice a week I think so that could be your two a week.

You’re overthinking this. Just eat less red meat. You can substitute with oily fish, chicken or anything plant based. Reduce it, see how you go. Plenty of people eat no red meat (I’m one, I don’t like it) and they’re absolutely fine.

If you still eat pulses, tofu, eggs and high quality dairy alongside lots of other wholefoods, fruit and veg you'll still get protein, iodine, B12, etc.

If you eat ultra processed low nutritive meat alternatives instead of meat that's when it become a problem.

The only issue I have as someone who only eats meat and fish rarely, is that easier, quicker meals that my whole family will eat can tend towards carb heavy, with lots of recipes including rice / pasta / starchy veg / bread. And I feel better when I eat more protein and fewer carbs.