Meatless Monday Benefits and Beyond Meat Meal Ideas

Meatless Monday. Even the most meat-loving men and women, the guys and gals who grill all year, have been won over by the right Beyond Meat recipes. Gone are the days when “meat free” meant a mouthful of kale or, at best, a black bean patty. We’ve got Meatless Monday ideas and Beyond Meat recipes that will have you swearing someone swapped in chicken filets or ground chuck when you weren’t looking. Even better, you can earn points on all the meat-free ingredient purchases on your shopping list when you use our handy grocery app. Download Fetch today, snap all your shopping receipts, and you’ll be on your way to earning free gift cards from your favorite retailers, including Amazon, Target, Whole Foods, and more.

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What is Meatless Monday?

It might not surprise you to learn that Meatless Monday is exactly what it sounds like: choosing not to eat meat one day a week (Monday). 

For some, Meat Free Mondays become as regular as Taco Tuesday. For others, it’s the cornerstone to a healthier meal plan. With our Beyond Meat recipes below, Meatless Monday ideas are a lifesaver that cuts time from grocery shopping and Monday meal prep. What is Meatless Monday for you?

Meatless Monday Benefits

There are a few different kinds of Meatless Monday benefits, and some might be more important to you than others.

Health Benefits of a More Balanced Diet

Protein is an important part of a healthy diet, and there’s nothing wrong with getting that protein from meat. But there are benefits to swapping your beef burger for Beyond Meat, including:

• No cholesterol
• 35% less total fat
• 35% less saturated fat
• Fewer calories
• No added antibiotics or hormones

Global Benefits of Eating Less Meat

Meatless Monday benefits go far beyond your kitchen. Here’s a quick look at the environmental cost that comes from livestock:

• One beef burger takes over 650 gallons of water to make it from the farm to your table.
• Cattle ranching is one of the leading causes of deforestation, accounting for 80% in Amazon countries.
• Nearly one third of land on the planet is used for livestock production.
• Meat production, processing and shipping is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions.

Which Celebrity is Behind the Meat Free Monday Campaign?

If this isn’t your first time hearing about Meatless Monday, you might be scratching your head trying to remember which celebrity is behind Meat Free Monday. It’s okay if you can’t quite remember who it is, as there’s actually more than one:

• Paul McCartney is probably the most famous Meat Free Monday celebrity, responsible for kicking off the initiative after years of public and private support for healthier eating.
• McCartney’s Meat Free Monday is also supported by former bandmate Ringo Starr as well as Tom Hanks, Emma Stone, Beyonce, Ellie Goulding and a number of other musicians and celebrities.

Meatless Monday vs. Meat Free Monday

Is there a difference between Meatless Monday and Meat Free Monday? Not in practice. Meatless Monday originally started as a way to ensure there was enough meat to support the troops during World War I, but it was revived as a social campaign aimed at healthy eating in 2003 by Sid Lerner and the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future.

Meat Free Monday is in a partnership with Meatless Monday to ensure a global reach of the message that both campaigns are working toward.

What is Beyond Meat?

Beyond Meat is a plant-based meat designed to look and taste just like animal-based meats. Made from plant protein, Beyond Meat is concerned with improving human health, fighting climate change, improving animal welfare and reducing demand on natural resources

Beyond Meat is made from proteins, fats, minerals, flavors and colors, and carbohydrates from peas, beans, potatoes, brown rice and other ingredients.

Beyond Meat FAQs

Is Beyond Meat Healthy?

The Harvard Medical School identifies meatless burgers like Beyond Meat as a good source of protein, vitamins and minerals. Vegetarian diets supplemented by Beyond Meat can help deliver nutrients that are harder to come by when relying on foods from the plant kingdom (particularly B12 and zinc).

What Does Beyond Meat Taste Like?

Beyond Meat is designed to be a true meat replacement, and that means it needs a taste and texture like animal-based meat. Beyond Beef tastes like beef and Beyond Chicken tastes like chicken.

What Kind of Protein is in Beyond Meat?

You’ll find a range of plant proteins, including brown rice, peas, fava beans and mung beans.

Does Beyond Meat Use GMOs?

Meat is built from water, carbs, fats, minerals and proteins, all of which can be found in plants. No GMOs are used in the production of Beyond Meat (you won’t find any added hormones or antibiotics, either).

Is Beyond Meat Gluten Free?

If you need a low- or no-gluten diet, you’ll want to stick to Beyond Beef, which is gluten free. Beyond Chicken products are not gluten free at this time, using wheat gluten in both the protein and the breading.

5 Easy Meatless Monday Recipes with Beyond Meat

You know what Beyond Meat is, its health benefits, and which of its products fit into your gluten free diet. So, what can you make with Beyond Meat? Pretty much anything you would make with beef, pork, chicken or other meats. Here are 5 quick and easy Beyond Meat recipes to incorporate Meatless Monday into your affordable shopping goals:

• Teriyaki Beyond Sausage Bites (Serves 10, Prep 5 min, Cook 6 min)
• Classic Beyond Chicken Filet Sandwiches (Serves 2, Prep 5 min, Cook 12 min)
• Beyond Sausage Tortellini Soup (Serves 8, Prep 15 min, Cook 15 min)
• Beyond Chicken Nugget Caesar Wrap (Serves 2, Prep 5 min, Cook 10 min)
• Beyond Beef BBQ Sandwiches (Serves 4, Prep 5 min, Cook 15 min)

Start Your Meatless Monday Grocery Shopping List With Fetch

Start your Meatless Monday shopping list in the Fetch app to ensure you take advantage of all the available offers and extra points available at nearly every grocery store. Put Beyond Meat at the top of your list, pick one (or more) of our Meatless Monday recipes and your next grocery list is off to a great start.