Less meat, more legumes

Meat is pricey: average 8-12 € per serving. Lentil bolognese or tofu scramble: 2-3 €. With 2-3 meat-free days per week, you halve your meat spending.

Step by step

Meat production is resource-heavy: animal feed, feeding logistics, transport, processing, refrigerated storage. Each cow costs farmers ~300-500 € to raise. At market: veal cutlet 18 €/kg, steak 15 €/kg. Plant proteins (lentils, beans, tofu, tempeh) need no feeding logistics: lentil stew costs 0.50 €/serving. Not because lentils nourish less, but production is simpler. Rule: 2 meat-free days weekly (8 per month) cuts meat buys by 25%. 3 days cuts by 37%.

Step by step

1. Pick two weekdaysMonday + Wednesday or Tuesday + Friday. Consistency helps planning (shopping list) + habit. Not: randomly deciding each day.
2. Build your veggie favoritesNot: deprivation salad. Instead: curries (with chickpeas), lentil bolognese, mushroom pan, tofu stir-fry, veggie frittata. 4-5 recipes you like, rotate them.
3. Sync with familyKid says: 'I won't eat that'. Don't force, offer veggie versions: classic pasta + veggie sauce. Everyone eats pasta, different toppings.
4. Use ready-made (time saver)Frozen veggie patties (~2 €) aren't perfect, but better than no veggie day. Start with convenience, cook from scratch later.
5. Know budget veggie proteinsCheap: lentils (0.80 €/kg), canned chickpeas (0.50 € per can = ~150g), beans, tofu block (~2.50 €). Pricey: meat substitutes (Mycoprotein, Beyond Meat: 5-8 €).

Worked example

How often do you eat meat per week? Calculate your veggie savings.