Just You And Veg by Assa Ariyoshi

Just You And Veg by Assa Ariyoshi

For most of us, meat plays a colossal role in our everyday lives. Succulent Sunday roasts, juicy curryfests and sizzling burger nights all take star turns in our weekly meal repertoires.

But these meaty meal heavyweights also weigh heavily on our planet. Because of our growing appetite for meat, the global livestock industry actually produces more greenhouse gas emissions than all cars, planes, trains and ships put together.

How do we reduce this impact? By giving vegetables the chance to play the lead role in our meals a little more often. Mushrooms, aubergines, lentils and beets are all perfectly delicious stand ins for meats.  It doesn’t mean we have to give meat the elbow, but occasionally a dinner can be surprisingly delightful with just you and your veg.

On a piece of land the size of a football pitch, farmers can raise 250 kg of beef or grow 15,000 kg of fruit and vegetables. So as you embark on your 21 meals of the week, remember to give veg, and the planet, a higher billing.

What you can do

Start every week with a veg pledge and opt for Meat Free Mondays or pick a mouth watering vegetarian recipe and cook to convert your friends and family.

You can also head here, where we speak to Foodcycle about the importance of valuing the food we buy and eat.