One in five Brits ditch traditional turkey for plant-based Christmas dinner
New research has revealed that one in five Brits are embracing a plant-based Christmas dinner this year, with mushrooms being the most popular alternative to traditional turkey.
Plant-based main courses such as mushroom wellington have increased in popularity, overtaking beef and lamb at the Christmas table.
Research commissioned by the UK & Ireland Mushroom Producers found that plant-based Christmas dinner options have soared with over 13% of people reducing meat consumption over the festive season.
The survey found consumers main reasons for switching to meat-free being due to environmental concerns (55%), health (42%) and animal welfare (33%).
The news follows fresh data from Kantar, unveiling this week that vegan meals cost 40% less than meat and fish dishes and a plant-based Christmas has half the emissions compared to a traditional turkey dinner.
The number of Brits opting for plant-based meals has grown by 50% in recent months and supermarkets, such as Sainsbury’s and Waitrose, have seen vegan main courses for Christmas dinner becoming bestsellers.
The study also notes that a traditional dinner for a family of six emits 23.5kg of CO2 emissions, compared to a plant-based Christmas dinner that only emits 9.5kg.
The Christmas period alone can see 2 million turkeys, 5 million Christmas puddings and 74 million mince pies get wasted, causing almost 270,000 tons of food waste during the holiday season.
To reduce milage on your festive feast, British and Irish farmers are urging consumers to shop locally over the Christmas period.
When purchasing plant-based food such as mushrooms, shoppers are advised to check the country of origin to ensure the produce is local, fresh and the highest quality available.
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