Pick a day, any day of the week, and you’re apt to hear someone pronounce it as a meatless day. During the “Great Wars,” Americans were asked to make sacrifices. That’s how Meatless Tuesdays came into play. Many families, often for economic reasons, continued that concept well past the conclusion of the War.
Meatless days took on a new pitch last year when “Top Chef” judge and chef Tom Colicchio advocated for Meatless Mondays and found lots of chef pals joining in on the concept. What’s the deal with this idea anyway? Depends who you ask. Clearly it has great marketing potential.
Cutting meat out of one’s diet has proven beneficial for many in terms of calorie reduction and overall health benefits. Cost savings come into play, too. As more chefs and cookbook bloggers demonstrate, there are plenty of forgotten vegetables and side dishes that can become tasty meal pleasers. Look at how appetizing some of these dishes are. Yes, you can find new uses for formerly unfamiliar veggies and introduce other proteins onto the plate.
The change is not limited to media hype. Many school lunch programs as part of an overall cost-saving approach and a nod to the obesity brigade have become more interested in finding acceptable meatless alternatives. For some youngsters, vegetables have never been a choice or a familiar food group so resistance has been anticipated.
Wait: The meat industry has decided to take off the gloves and counter the concept with its own series of campaigns. Plenty of red-blood loving, protein-heavy dishes do not want to be thrown out of the equation. After all, last year was definitely the year of the burger as idle pieces of real estate became burger destinations. Statistics indicate a continued strong appetite for this concept; one that seems to have drawn many well-known chefs into the condiment wars.
What is a health-conscious diner to do? Going meatless has its advantages as plant-based diet approaches continue to demonstrate. The answer about food lifestyle changes is always the same: Go easy; be creative; find your balance.
It’s Monday!







