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One in Ten Brits have cooked their other half a meat free meal in secret

Ahead of World Meat Free Week (15-21 June), we commissioned a brand new piece of research across 1,500 Britons and discovered that some of us have been getting crafty in the kitchen with one in ten Brits (11 percent) secretly feeding their other half meat free food.

Ahead of World Meat Free Week (15-21 June), we commissioned a brand new piece of research across 1,500 Britons and discovered that some of us have been getting crafty in the kitchen with one in ten Brits (11 percent) secretly feeding their other half meat free food. Here's what we found:

  • 70% claim that their other half or family still have no idea they were fed a meat free meal
  • 52% of Brits believe that a meat free day a week is better for the planet
  • 8 in 10 Brits (79 percent) believe cutting back on meat has become fashionable
  • Nearly a quarter of Brits (23 percent) believe it is cheaper to eat meat free food

Amongst those who have cleverly deceived their partners:

  • 30% have cooked up veggie burgers and passed them off as meat
  • 28% have tricked their other half with a vegetable based Bolognese
  • 26% have fooled their spouse into devouring a vegetarian curry
  • 21% have also secretly baked a meat free lasagne for their carnivorous other half

It seems that savvy Britons are also more knowledgeable about their eating habits, with environmental and health factors influencing the nation when it comes to cutting back on animal products. In fact, the reasons for the dining deceptions included worrying that their partner is consuming too much meat (39 percent) and the notion that a diet lower in meat is better for the environment (40 percent). Further to this, 52 percent of Britons maintain that a meat free day a week is better for the planet, while cutting back on meat has generally become fashionable according to eight in ten Brits (79 percent). Similarly, 40 percent say minimising your consumption of meat is better for the environment, while 16 percent worry that meat is harmful to consume.

When it comes to vegetarian food, 33 percent of the nation completely agree that the growing interest in meat free meals is good and almost a quarter of respondents (23%) agree that cooking without meat saves money. However, the difficulties that Brits have experienced while trying to cut back on meat include the temptation to stick to tried and tested meat recipes (43 percent) and finding it hard to break an old habit (36 percent).

Perhaps this explains why nearly three in ten Britons (27 percent) have fed someone they know a meat free meal on the sly. One in ten have fed their kids a secretly meat free dish, seven percent have fooled their mum and a cheeky two percent have even fed their colleagues meat free food in the office on the sly.

Astonishingly, of those that have been secretly feeding their other half or family meat free meals, 19 percent have been doing it for over a year, with 70 percent claiming they still have absolutely no idea.

And, if you’re wondering what the secret to successful vegetarian cooking without being caught out is? Well, meat-free substitutes look to be popular amongst Brits (69%), with 47% confirming that they have used Quorn to replace meat in their meals. 39 percent said they use ingredients to make the food look “more meaty”, 34 percent cook the dish for a long time so it is delicious, and 22 percent have even bluffed that their dish is a result of a fancy new technique, or that it is a recipe from their partner’s favourite chef.

Marco Bertacca, CEO at Quorn Foods, said: “At a time where many people are becoming more conscious about the health and environmental impact of their food choices, we are delighted to see more people opting to use meat-free products in their diets. Even if it’s without realising to begin with! Hearing that 47% of Brits have used Quorn to replace meat in their diets is great and we are proud to be able to provide the best protein available for vegans, vegetarians and meat-reducers alike. After an incredibly successful Veganuary, we hope to see World Meat Free Week follow in its footsteps.”

So whether you are making a simple swap to just one meat free meal this World Meat Free Week, are already reducing your meat intake, or are following a meat free diet, you can find plenty of recipe inspiration right here.

Visit the World Meat Free Week website to find out more.

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