Mumsnet users share their thoughts on meat free options

[JustineBMumsnet]

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Whether you’re thinking of reducing your meat consumption for environmental or health reasons, or if you or a member of your family is vegetarian or vegan, the use of meat free options is on the rise. With this in mind, The Meatless Farm would like to hear your thoughts on reducing meat intake and meat-free options.

Here’s what The Meatless Farm has to say: “With an estimated 22m flexitarians in the UK seeking to reduce their meat consumption, there is an increased appetite for healthy, protein-rich alternatives. After years of research, the team behind Meatless Farm have created a range of products that not only deliver on nutrition, they also taste delicious.”

Are you considering reducing your family’s meat intake? What do you think about meat-free products? Perhaps you’re already including meat free products in your family meals? What influences your choice when it comes to meat free options?

All who post on the thread below will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £300 voucher for the store of their choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck!

MNHQ

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No definitely not; we have tried quite a few veggie products in the past but they're just not for us!

We do still eat meat, but I have reduced the frequency as my DH is one of those blokes that likes meat. I tend to cook veggie meals a few times a week.

My son decided to become vegetarian early last year so for ease of cooking one meal we regularly have the meat substitutes. Most of them are pretty decent, the health benefits are just a plus!

I have already reduced meat intake for health and environmental reasons, but not given it up altogether but have vegetarian meals about 3-4 times per week. There are heaps of meat free alternatives but I prefer to make homemade vegetarian dishes

I think that the range of meat-free products that you can purchase now is incredible. It certainly makes reducing meat intake much easier. Sometimes my children cannot even tell the difference XD

I use quorn a lot - pieces and mince - as subs for chicken and beef mince, but sadly it doesn’t agree with DH so have tried a few other alternatives.
I use tofu in stirfries a lot too.

We are a family of five and recently I’ve been considering changing us to a meat free diet. I think I’d need to to do a test run first and ensure my 3 little boys still eat well. The benefits would be fantastic and the meatless farm products look like a great way to make the change.

I am vegetarian and I have reduced meat in DH diet giving him more fish. He doesn't eat bacon or sausages anyway. DD varies between veggie and then not, but I let her make her own choice. I do not bother with meat substitutes as protein can be in pulses, lentils, split peas, chickpeas etc.

My daughter was diagnosed with IBS a year ago and is struggling quite a lot with it. As a result she has had to give up everything containing milk from animals. She is also bad with all processed meat and as she never really liked red meat anyway it means chicken and turkey are pretty much the only meat she eats. So she is very much plant based now and as a result we have explored aisles of the supermarket we'd only read about before!! From our point of view the meat free alternatives that resemble meat are fine as long as they aren't over processed and are as natural as possible. For people who don't eat meat for ethical reasons, like my mother-in-law, it feels wrong to eat something that looks and possibly tastes like an animal product.

I have been vegetarian for 30 years now, my daughter for two years.
My daughter and I also have an intolerance to Quorn, previous posters have mentioned this too - I think it’s quite a common problem. We both hate the fake meat taste and texture so I buy bean burgers etc that just taste and look like bean burgers etc .
I would like to reduce the amount of meat that the rest of my family eats as I feel it would be cheaper and healthier, it was also be easier for me when I am cooking to just cook one meal.

Being vegetarian is SO much easier than when I was younger as there is so much yummy food available.

We are already trying to do a meat free meal at least 1 day a week. We love some of the Linda McCartney range which is all meat free and highly recommend the meat free duck

The only meat I've ever eaten life long is chicken - I've never had red meat at all. I would love to cut the chicken out too and go veggie but I'm quite limited in what I can eat and thus feel rather reliant on it for my protein intake etc

No, I think meat is an important part of a diet and we won't be reducing intake.

I would like to cut down on the amount of meat we eat but I have a very fussy son who will not touch vegetables, meat keeps him alive!!! I say that jokingly but its nearly true, I try to have veggie stirfrys and omelettes to give myself a break from meat every now and then.

Me and my son (4) have just taken the plunge into veggie/some vegan products. I'm finding it quite hard to get him to eat meatless meat. We have tried quirk but tastes awful! Some brands are nice and would love recommendations on how to get a 4 year old to adapt too. I have been reading the benefits of this and want to make our future and the lives of animals a lot brighter😁

Sister's partner and one of their kids are vegetarian so we first experimented with various meat free foods for when they visited. Over the years we've cut back a lot on using meat when we've found meat free recipes and products that we like - probably using half as much meat as we did ten years ago. As with any other foods, some are great, some are poor, some are ridiculously expensive and some are not that healthy when you look at the nutritional information. Some of the best don't even try to be direct equivalents of meat versions, but have a great taste in their own right. Unfortunately, nothing beats a bacon sandwich!

My dd is sectarian so I have followed mostly.
We do eat some processed food like vegetarian sausages,Cauldren are our favourite and they do nice falafel too.We eat occasional wildness but les and less as we have become confident with other ingredients would mostly use them if I was short of time,had recently had fish or had nothing in the freezer.
I no longer use the mince as I tend to use lentils instead.Quorn Southern fries are good if dd has teen friends round and a change from pizza.
What I would really like though in the ready made meatless supermarket isles are pates,not mushroom,really nice vegetarian burgers.Most of us find our way to lentil Bolognese so why aren't you making that for beginners as it freezes well.The same with tofu,my dd likes it cubed and dipped in flour,egg ,bread crumbs and fried until all sides golden(takes no time).Tofu in different marinades for Indian,Chinese etc would be great as after frying I am lost.
As someone else said above we are rural so have access to supermarkets ,great greengrocers but only basic out of season stuff and no specialist shops so it would be nice to see meatless producers be a bit more daring and expand to things that do not imitate meat,you would attract new people trying to eat less meat but also to established vegetarians/vegans.Now is the time ,quirk will always be there but most of it is not vegan and uses 'sustainable'palm oil.

Not yet but I am getting more impressed with the plant based alternatives

Myself and my eldest son are vegetarian and my husband and youngest son eat meat so it’s a little tricky in our household. I don’t cook meat for them as I don’t like to handle it so it’s manly vegetarian meals. I do use some Quorn products and there’s a few nice supermarket own brand products that I use but that’s probably only a couple of times a week. I like to vary our meals so I would find it a little hard if there wasn’t some form of meat substitute and
also my husband likes to have something on his plate other than vegetables, pulses and beans!

I am 100% vegetarian and mainly enjoy and cook with Quorn products and sometimes Cauldrenor similar. I very occasionally eat fish. My DDs both enjoy some of the Quorn products and are happy with lots of veg but do eat meat too when hubby cooks it. My DH is a full on meat eater (ie every day) and refuses to cut down or swap for a veggie option even when I say how bad it is for his health. I'm always up for finding and trying new veggie or vegan products and it's so much easier now supermarkets have seen the light and increased the number and variety of these products on their shelves!

we as a family love eating meat! I have tried vegetarian sausages and mince the the past and was pleasantly surprised. I would never make a permanent switch though. i love meat too much! haha

It's my partner who is a big meat eater, Me and my children don't eat a lot of red meat this is due to me doing the meals I always cook a lot of Chicken , but I am going to try meat-less mince.

We are currently trying to cut down on eating meat. It can only be of benefit in long term and for the environment also.

We eat a lot of meat-free meals, usually based around ingredients like beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, tofu, etc. I don't really see the point of meat substitutes when there are so many delicious natural options.

i was brought up a vegetarian but when I got married and had children we have had meat once a week. It is good to have a balanced meal for children but now they are older they are making their own choices. we tend to eat fish, quorn and lots of vegetables now.