Meatless Monday Meals

The concept behind Meatless Monday is very simple: refrain from eating meat for one day a week. By doing so, you can make a positive impact on your health, the environment, and animal welfare while practicing mindful eating and experiencing the joy of fresh fruits and vegetables.

History

Although Meatless Monday has grown in popularity over the past 10 years, it is not a new concept. During World War I, the government promoted “Meatless Monday” and “Wheatless Wednesday” to encourage Americans to aid the war effort by reducing consumption. Over 13 million families participated, leading President Roosevelt to relaunch the campaign during World War II. The movement was revived in 2013 by John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health to raise awareness of the preventable illnesses associated with eating excessive amounts of meat.

Today, Meatless Monday is active in over 40 countries and is backed by renowned chefs such as Wolfgang Puck and Mario Batali, as well as celebrities like Paul McCartney. Even college campuses across the nation are participating, from UC Davis to Yale University. This initiative is not meant to deprive you or convert you to vegetarianism, but simply to raise awareness of how much meat you consume while recognizing the benefits reduced meat consumption can have on your health, the environment, and animal rights. The average American eats over 200 pounds of meat per year. By taking one day per week to focus on plant-based eating, you can make a large impact.

Health & Wellness Benefits

Excessive meat consumption has been linked to heart disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and even cancer. By reducing the amount of meat you eat and increasing fruits and vegetables in your diet, you can lower your cholesterol levels, your blood pressure, and your saturated fat intake.

Environmental Benefits

Livestock agriculture accounts for nearly 15% of all greenhouse gas emissions. The methane produced from animals, carbon dioxide from deforestation, and nitrous oxide from fertilizers make a huge impact on our environment. Meat production uses 11 times more fossil fuels than plant-based protein production.

Livestock agriculture also uses a lot of natural resources. Water is used in every stage of meat production, and livestock accounts for 30% of the Earth’s entire land surface. In fact, it’s the world’s largest human-related land user. The increasing demand for meat increases the demand for space, leading to deforestation and land degradation.

Animal Rights Benefits

By decreasing the demand for meat, you can help fight the mistreatment of animals by decreasing animal confinement and misuse of antibiotics.
If you do consume meat regularly, we advocate for being knowledgeable about your farmers and ranchers and choosing vendors that utilize responsible and sustainable practices. Full Circle offers a variety of meat options from vendors that we trust and that value transparency.

Why Monday?

Although it does allow for some nice alliteration, you can choose any day of the week to focus on plant-based eating. However, there are some studies that suggest that people are more likely to commit to healthy actions on Monday, whether it’s starting a new diet, taking up a fitness regimen, or quitting a bad habit. We like to kick off our week with this healthy initiative to get us on the right track for the days ahead, but if Meatless Thursdays work better for your household, we embrace it!

Getting Started

Meatless Monday doesn’t mean you have to reach for the tofu (although, we do happen to like tofu). Take this opportunity to be creative in the kitchen – there are countless ways to feature veggies, legumes and whole grains as the main dish! You can check out some of the meatless alternatives in our Online Market Stand, or you can view our collection of delicious recipes on our website. We’ve included links to some of our favorite vegetarian dishes below!

Sweet Potato Bowl with Herb Tahini

This bowl with sauteed kale, brown beech mushrooms and chickpeas pairs perfectly with roasted sweet potatoes. The herb tahini dressing is addicting! If you bring this for lunch, we recommend bringing the dressing in a separate container so you can heat the rice and veggies first. Get the full recipe here.

Shaved Asparagus Pizza With Spring Onion

We love Deb Perelman of Smitten Kitchen. Her recipes don’t disappoint, and her Shaved Asparagus Pizza recipe blew us away. It’s basically a slice of spring and if you have dough ready to go, it only takes 20 minutes until you’re stuffing your face with goodness. Get the full recipe here.

Pad Thai With Green Garlic And Asparagus

We couldn’t believe how delicious this pad thai turned out and the green garlic flavor is delicious. The asparagus is a fun — and nutritious — addition. Get the full recipe here.

Spring Salad With Meyer Lemon Dressing

This simple salad uses some of our favorite spring ingredients including crunchy radishes, sweet snap peas, fresh mint, and tart Meyer lemons. Click here for the recipe.

How To Add Meatless Alternatives To Your Delivery: CSA members – head on over to our online Farm Stand Market to customize your upcoming delivery. The Market is open from noon on Thursday until 6 pm, 2 days before your scheduled delivery day. After you confirm your produce items, click the orange button “Confirm and Continue To Other Farm Products” to add the products to your delivery.

Not part of our farm family? Find out if we deliver to your neighborhood.