Chatting Vegetarian Food on ABC Afternoons

Every fortnight I head into ABC Radio Melbourne to chat food. Usually it’s with Clare Bowditch but today it was Susan Carland filling in. We chatted about being vegetarian and the way meat-free eating has broken free of the mung bean ghetto and turned into something bigger, broader and less dogmatic.

listen below …..

VEGETARIANISM ON THE RISE?

Between 2012 and 2016 the number of Australian adults who are vegetarian rose from 9.7% to 11.2% (1.7m to 2.1m).

There are many more decent vegetarian options when eating out, and more restaurants and cafes that are exclusively vegan or vegetarian. Thank goodness, we’ve moved past the era where the only veg option was a pumpkin risotto or sad stir-fry. Vegetables are now celebrated and honoured in ways that only meat was in the past.

BUT MEAT IS STILL BIG!

In some circles, being vegetarian is no cause for surprise but most Australians still eat 110 kg of meat per person per year. Fifty years ago, most of that was beef but now it’s more chicken and pork, largely because factory farming has made it cheaper.

Australia is also assisting nations like Indonesia and China to eat more meat with our exports.

CONNECTION TO CLIMATE CHANGE

Some estimates suggest meat and eggs contribute to 14.5% of global carbon emissions. If people reduced their personal consumption it would dramatically reduce emissions.

BUT BEHAVIOUR CHANGE IS COMPLEX

Telling people what to do doesn’t work. It’s more about luring people with deliciousness.

STRATEGIES FOR VEGETARIANISH BY STEALTH

• Integrate veg dishes through a menu. Putting meat-free dishes in a ‘vegetarian’ section on a menu means non-vegetarians are way less likely to choose those dishes
• Think of meat as a seasoning or condiment or side, rather than the hero of a meal: for example, buy two steaks instead of four and slice them over a big salad.
• Mixing mince meat with mushrooms or lentils in burgers, for example, to reduce meat consumption
• Calling a dish Grandma’s Tuscan Mushrooms not Vegan Stew to make it sound more appealing and less marginal.

One of my favourite vegetarian dishes is Palak Paneer, an Indian curry with cheese and fresh spinach. The recipe is in my Entertaining cookbook. I’ve also made a video and recipe of this classic curry; it’s available to subscribers.