{"id":30507,"date":"2022-02-12T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-02-12T17:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.freethink.com\/?post_type=ftm_episode&p=30507"},"modified":"2022-02-13T12:13:57","modified_gmt":"2022-02-13T17:13:57","slug":"meat-substitutes","status":"publish","type":"ftm_episode","link":"https:\/\/www.freethink.com\/series\/hard-reset\/meat-substitutes","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Canceling\u2019 carnivores won\u2019t save the planet. Flexitarianism might, though"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Conserving precious resources like water, arable land, and forest can feel ridiculously daunting; who are you<\/em>, after all, to dare to save the Earth? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But while skipping showers, shopping second hand, and switching to more efficient bulbs are all good, there\u2019s a more<\/em> impactful option on the table: changing your dining habits. Around 100 showers\u2019 worth of water is needed to put just one pound of beef on your plate \u2014 if we used meat substitutes for even a few meals a week, the effects could add up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How we feed ourselves \u2014 and what we like to eat \u2014 plays a large part in climate change.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

A Hungry World<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Half of the world\u2019s habitable land<\/a> has been given over to agriculture, and because meat is so popular, the lion\u2019s share of that agricultural land \u2014 80% \u2014 is given over to livestock. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The amount of forested land on the planet has been slashed to make room for the animals. Between the fertilizer, farm equipment, supply chains, and even the, ahem<\/em>, emissions of the animals themselves, researchers estimate meat production releases twice as much greenhouse gasses as the entire U.S. each year, and putting that meat on your plate adds up to about 35% of the world\u2019s total greenhouse gas emissions, the Guardian reported<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before you nope<\/em> on out of here, putting a dent in the meat industry\u2019s environmental impact doesn\u2019t mean you must<\/em> go full vegetarian or vegan (although more power to you if you do). Just re-thinking a few of our dining habits \u2014 like meat substitutes for some meals, using less animal proteins on the plate, and choosing more sustainably raised livestock and crops \u2014 would add up. And your dinner would still stay tasty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you start to get outside of this traditional mindset of having a meat and building some flavors around it, I think the food can start getting much more interesting,\u201d chef Laurine Wickett of Left Coast Catering says. (And Wickett knows interesting plates; she\u2019s one of the chefs on the leading edge of using lab-grown clean meat.<\/a>) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo maybe not everybody can buy an electric car, and maybe not everybody can put solar on their house, but everyone can change their eating habits.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Using Less Meat <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Look, no one\u2019s arguing meat isn\u2019t delicious. Add to that our long cultural history of raising, cooking, and devouring it, and it\u2019s little wonder that meat plays such a large role in our diets \u2014 and in environmental damage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even professionals fall into the trap of depending too much on meat to make the dish. While in culinary school, the focus was always on the meat, making animal protein the star of the plate, Wickett says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s kind of ingrained into us to believe that we need to have meat for our protein, for our wellness. That meat kind of feeds our bodies.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And in rich nations especially, we\u2019re now chowing down on a ton of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re looking to move into making and eating more sustainable meals, jumping to using meat substitutes a couple times a week may seem a bit drastic. You can start by just letting other ingredients share the spotlight, meaning less meat consumed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Take Wickett\u2019s chicken tacos, for example. Sure there\u2019s chicken there, but the bird is far from alone. Sweet potatoes, rice, beans, and tortillas all come to the party as well. This means you can use less chicken, but still have a satisfying, filling, and healthier meal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can also make the most out of the meat you buy; boil up a whole chicken in a soup pot, and you\u2019ve got stock, meat for the soup, and more meat for sandwiches, etc., all in one go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The veggies and fruits that help to beef up your sustainable meals \u2014 so to speak \u2014 can also be optimized for climate friendliness. Eat produce that\u2019s in season; not only will it be fresher and taste better, but there\u2019s less need for extensive supply chains to get it to you. And staples like potatoes, tomatoes, apples, onions, and broccoli are some of your more climate copacetic options.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Putting together an ensemble cast for flavor will also help if you want to start using meat substitutes for some of your meals.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s because the flavor profile is key, Wickett says. \u201cWithout the meat, you need to kind of build on your flavors.\u201d  Sweet, spicy, salty, savory \u2014 get it all on there, and you\u2019ll have a more satisfying plate, making you miss the meat less.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 Meat Substitutes<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There is, of course, another obvious option: doing away with meat and using more plant-based options. Currently sitting in your grocery store are plant proteins designed to serve as ground beef, sausages, chicken nuggets, and any number of other meats. These have been deemed good enough for the Burger King<\/a> and the Kentucky colonel<\/a>, and good enough to be the sixth man <\/a>of supper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But you can find meat substitutes outside of the butcher aisle as well. Tofu, tempeh, and seitan are classic plant-based options that can be subbed in, and you\u2019ve likely already had them, perhaps in a Thai dish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s say you\u2019re craving a steak. While it\u2019s not going to look<\/em> the part, umami-packed options like portobello and crimini mushrooms can give you that earthy goodness, and there\u2019s always the classic \u2014 eggplant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wickett suggests swapping steak with cauliflower. By cutting the cauliflower stem intact, and seasoning and searing just like she would a steak, Wickett can create a vegetable that\u2019s worthy of anchoring your sustainable dish. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s a number of ingredients<\/a> beyond tofu that can take the place of chicken in your meal. Beans and sprouts have the texture and protein content to tap poultry out, and cashews in a chicken-free salad can provide a punch it may lack otherwise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Taco Bell knows that potatoes can make a perfectly hardy taco or burrito, and tempeh, a type of marinated tofu, can take the place of pork.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using any of these meat substitutes can put us on a path to a more sustainable food system.<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Taking a truly actional step towards stopping climate change may mean rethinking how we look at what\u2019s for dinner.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We’d love to hear from you! If you have a comment about this article or if you have a tip for a future Freethink story, please email us at tips@freethink.com.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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