Going vegan isn't strictly a fringe lifestyle choice anymore. In fact, it's much bigger than that. And there's no shortage of mouths that need feeding to echo that assessment.
The ultimate wave getting forks-up approval is that totally meatless food is no longer a craze, but a genuine movement that's so prevalent, Baum & Whiteman, international consultants in the food and restaurant has named plant-based consumables the top trend in 2018. The evidence is overwhelming, claims the organization, citing that roughly 31 percent of Americans ensure their calendars include meat-free days, while 35 percent of U.S. residents state their biggest source of protein isn't in meat these days.
The biggest driving sources of this shift away from meat are primarily millennials, although a healthy portion of the Gen X crowd is also getting in one eating green. As for the boomers, well, they're likely to stick to their meat and potato diets until they die.
Which could be sooner than expected, believe some two-thirds of those surveyed, who report their diets with protein that doesn't include red meat are healthier than their carnivorous counterparts. More than four-fifths of Americans who still eat meat say they're spooning more vegetables onto their plates to bolster their health, while 62 percent are doing the same thing to tackle weight problems.
The trend is so prevalent that WalMart, the last bastion of shopping for more conservative-minded consumers, have been begging suppliers to get more plant-based food items onto their shelves. Meanwhile, in Canada, fast food outlet A&W claims they can't get their plant-based Beyond Meat hamburger substitutes onto their grills fast enough. The latest entry onto the eatery chain's menu sells out faster than their freezers can stock the product.
Despite the growth, Baum & Whiteman say there's still a long way to go before the majority of U.S. consumers change their dining status. Only a handful of those surveyed outright call themselves vegetarian and vegans. Despite extra helpings of garden product at the table, they're not about to totally depart from their meat entrees anytime soon.
Still, with research supporting a greater demand for more vegetarian- and vegan-oriented product, options for that booming audience is sure to grow as fast as the plants that provide them.