Research by a vegetarian food brand has revealed that half of the UK’s mums are planning to cut down the amount of meat their families eat in 2017. With new guidelines recommending that we should all be eating 10 portions of fruit and vegetables every day, eating your veggies has never been more fashionable, better for you - or more tasty.
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Here, Gary Johnson, chef and product developer for Goodlife, tells us why we should be placing veg centre plate.
Get in the positive mindset: More and more people now want to cut down on the amount of meat they eat – for lots of different reasons. Whether it’s for a healthier lifestyle, environmental concerns or just because they want to get more veg into their diet. It’s not a sacrifice, it’s an enhancement to your life.
Start small: Being ‘flexitarian’ or a meat reducer, is all about making small, simple changes, it’s not a fad. You could just be taking part in “Meat Free Monday” or switching to a veggie option for a few nights a week – it’s easy to fit into everyday life. Start small and build up the amount of vegetarian meals you eat - that way you have more chance of making the change a permanent one.
Tasty, quick and easy: We all live busy lives – especially the mums out there. We spoke to the nation’s mums and found that almost half of them are actively trying to reduce the amount of meat their families eat. They don’t have the time to be thinking about what their families will eat, if it isn’t meat and two veg, as a chef, that’s what I’ve been working on– making good stuff great and creating interesting, quick and easy choices that are conveniently available in local supermarkets. If you’ve never looked in the vegetarian section of your local supermarket, give it a go and I guarantee you’ll be amazed at the range of meal options that are tasty and quick to prepare for the whole family.
World of flavours: There has never been a better time to switch to meat free options. Gone are the days when a vegetarian meal meant bland, carb heavy pasta or a wilting salad. The innovation in vegetarian meals over the past few years has been incredible and has brought us dishes that are wonderfully tasty and easy to prepare. Switch a chicken Kiev for a Goodlife Mushroom and Spinach Kiev, served with a side of greens and a sweet potato and you’ve got a meal that is low on preparation and big on taste.
Try something new: It can be daunting to try anything new for the first time and food is no exception. We all like what we like. However, life is about experiencing all the great tastes that are out there. Combinations like beetroot and feta cheese, that we put into our sausages, are so good we can’t believe they’re not top of everyone’s menu. We’ve worked hard in our kitchen at Goodlife HQ so you don’t have to. So try something new, make good choices for yourself and your family and you’ll never look back. Enjoy a taste of the Goodlife - it’s what you deserve.
Find out more about Goodlife and vegetarian recipe inspiration at www.goodlife.co.uk