Mumsnet users share their thoughts on meat free options

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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

Standard Insight Terms and Conditions apply

I'm already living in a household which is predominantly vegetarian. I'm OK with the occasional vegetarian meat substitute, but I, myself, prefer to eat wholegrains and pulses with lots of vegetables.

However, for convenience, they certainly play a part. Also, for someone or a family who wants to transition to a vegetarian lifestyle, they are certainly very useful .

Yes, I would like to reduce our meat intake. However we don’t like the meat substitutes, they tend to be tasteless. Much rather have more fish and vegetable/pulse based meals instead.

I’m vegetarian (40+ years) and do all the cooking at home so DH gets a vegetarian diet at home. I cook from scratch, I don’t like meat substitutes other than Quorn sausages, but would consider using them for quick family meals if I could find a good one. I have yet to find a satisfactory beef substitute that I could use in a stew, goulash or casserole.

We only eat chicken and turkey. We have up red meat and processed meat ages ago

Yes, I do and already have. Our girls are fit and healthy and our diet consists of all the food but in moderation. It saddens me how to treat our animals and amount of food being thrown away. I would love to live in a society with conscious mind.

I don't eat meat and use a mix of pulses or substitutes such as quorn. I sometimes like a quick easy meal such as veggie sausages or pie.

I've been vegetarian for over 30 years but my husband and children are not, I usually have to cook myself a different version of the main family meal as my husband wont eat meat substitutes, although he has never actually tried them he thinks he wont like it, my children were very happy to have meat free nuggets and they couldn't actually tell the difference, so ingredients for meat free family meals would be great in out house

I think it is fantastic that there are more and more oprtions for people to choose from!

I've been a vegetarian for 20 years, and it used to be such a battle to get anything decent as a sort of meat substitute.

The fact that people are choosing to be 'flexeterians' or part time vegans - let's forget labels and just be thrilled that people are making an effort to change.

Hopefully the shift in people's mindsets continues, along with newer and better vega/veggie products :)

We don't tend to eat a lot of red meat. I would be willing to swap for meat free alternatives if I thought they were more healthy and provided all of the nutrients that we need.

I’m vegetarian but the rest of the family eat meat though not much imas I do most of the cooking! They like some of the quorn range but the kids seem to prefer tofu than ranges that try to be like meat!

we are slowly looking at this

Are you considering reducing your family’s meat intake?
Myself and toddler DS are both vegetarian. DH eats meat although not in the home, so we're pretty much a meat free household already.

What do you think about meat-free products? Perhaps you’re already including meat free products in your family meals?
We eat a lot of Quorn and other meat substitutes (I find Tesco own brand to be good). I like that there are numerous options (mince, pieces, burgers and sausages etc.)

What influences your choice when it comes to meat free options?
Taste and value. Something a toddler would eat!

I do eat quorn on occasion and don't mind it, I could swap mince but I won't be swapping all my meat!

I love meat free products, unfortunately my family are not as keen.
However I have reduced our red meat intake considerably and substituted with chicken or fish meals.

DS1 is veggie, but unfortunately doesn't like a lot of vegetables. I'd be much happier cooking veggie food from scratch than using highly processed meat substitutes and ready meals, for a lot of reasons, but it's hard to make things that he actually likes so we end up using more veggie sausages and suchlike than I'd like. DS2 is lactose intolerant so we sometimes end up buying vegan products for him, especially yoghurt and "ice cream", but they are so much more expensive.

Long term veggie here. My omnivore bf and toddler both eat veggie and substitute meat quite happily and I find that 'fake meat' as I call it is perfect for when I want to follow a classic recipe like shepherds pie. Sometimes it's easier to go for a classic dish especially if I'm tired or pressed for time. I sometimes crave the 'meaty' taste and texture of substitute and so it's a regular addition meals most days of the week. My bf buys meat when he wants it and our daughter has some of his, when she was younger we also bought the ready made jars for her, some containing meat (greater range), some without.

We have to follow a ketogenic diet to help control my husbands diabetes which means more meat and dairy, less starchy vegetables and no cereals at all.

We eat a lot of meat-free meals but using pulses, nuts, fungi or vegetables to form the 'bulk' of the meal. I sadly have to avoid using cheese in family meals because it disagrees with my DH means more cheese for me though

I detest the whole 'imitation meat' thing and just the idea of eating fermented soil mould mycoprotein (quorn) would probably be enough to put me off eating for the rest of the day...

I've considered it.
There isn't many options for replacing meat that taste really nice.

Have some meat free days each week, but more down to finances than a choice, but do think some meat in diet is needed to maintain a proper balanced diet

We are making a conscious effort to reduce our meat intake by using pulses and vegetables to replace meat in meals such as curries.

I feel we eat a balanced diet at the moment and are not thinking of reducing our meat consumption. One of our DCs is vegan and we eat a variety of things

I think its a brilliant idea but I dont really like meat substitutes, I do try and have fish once or twice a week, or a meal with just veg, etc

I'm trying to reduce the family's meat consumption for health, environmental and weight reasons. We're quite enjoying being almost completely veggie. There are so many meat alternatives on the shelves these days. By complete coincidence we had the Meatless farm's mince in a chilli tonight. It was pretty nice.

DH is pescatarian as of about 8 months ago but I am fussy, and not a brilliant cook so the reality is that we've eaten a lot of quorn in our normal meals. It's got its limitations tho, and this year the plan is to find some proper recipes using beans, pulses etc that we all like. Me and the kids will still eat meat a couple of times a week but we'll try to make it ethical farm shop meat rather than supermarket.