A Vegan or Vegetarian Christmas

This Christmas, 20% of people in the UK will be opting for vegan or vegetarian fare according to a recent poll conducted by the food delivery platform Deliveroo.

With so many plant-based offerings now found in grocery stores, restaurants, cafes and bars, it’s not surprising that there has been an increase in meat-free diets over recent times.

Meat-free Eating

The survey also discovered that more males are shifting to a vegan or vegetarian diet, with men being more likely to have made a switch in the past year (47%) compared to women (23%). In fact, around a quarter of the population has cut back on animal-based foods since the pandemic hit, and Deliveroo has reported a 105% increase in requests for vegan dishes since this time last year.

The survey also discovered that more males are shifting to a vegan or vegetarian diet, with men being more likely to have made a switch in the past year (47%) compared to women (23%). In fact, around a quarter of the population has cut back on animal-based foods since the pandemic hit, and Deliveroo has reported a 105% increase in requests for vegan dishes since this time last year.

Key motivators for switching to meat-free include:

• Health reasons (32%)
• Better variety (27%)
• Animal welfare (27%)

Plant-based Positives

There are various advantages to health and the environment by adopting a vegan or vegetarian diet. These include:

• Reducing the risk of major killers such as heart disease, stroke and cancer while cutting exposure to foodborne pathogens
• Providing a viable answer to feeding the world’s hungry through more efficient use of grains and other crops
• Saving animals from suffering in factory-farm conditions and from the pain and terror of slaughter
• Conserving vital but limited freshwater, fertile topsoil and other precious resources
• Preserving irreplaceable ecosystems such as rainforests and other wildlife habitats
• Decreasing greenhouse gases that are accelerating global warming
• Mitigating the ever-expanding environmental pollution of animal agriculture

Vegan Mince Pie Recipe

If you’re thinking of treating some – or all – of your family to some vegan or vegetarian sweet treats this Christmas, why not try making your own vegan mince pies? Here’s a recipe to ensure some happy faces and full tummies!

Ingredients

225g plain flour
65g vegetable fat, cut into pieces
65g sunflower spread
¼ tsp salt
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp almond milk
One jar (400g – or thereabouts) of vegan mincemeat
Icing sugar

Method

1. To make the pastry, put the flour and salt in a bowl. Rub in the vegetable fat and sunflower spread until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs.
2. Add the maple syrup and almond milk into the bowl and stir – combining the mixture so it forms a dough like consistency. Roll into a ball and cover the dough/bowl for 20 minutes and set it to one side.
3. Preheat the oven to 200°C or fan 180°C. Sprinkle some flour over a surface and roll out the dough to the thickness of a £2 coin. Using a cutter, cut out 12 circles and put them into a 12-hole baking tin.
4. Put 1 tbsp mincemeat onto each circle, then roll out the remaining dough and cut out a further 12 circles, or festive shapes, to go on top of the pies.
5. Brush the remaining almond milk over the pies and cook in the oven for 20-30 minutes until golden.
6. Serve warm, dusted with icing sugar.

Makes 12 mince pies.

Plant-based Eating at The Pantiles

Whether it’s vegan or vegetarian delights you’re looking for this Christmas, there are a plethora of plant-based options to enjoy at The Pantiles’ restaurants, cafes and bars.

If you’re in rush while Christmas shopping, you can also grab something plant-based on the go! We recommend a visit to The CakeShed or The Zero Waste Company; Royal Tunbridge Wells’ one-stop shops for vegetarian and vegan snacks.

For fresh produce, ingredients, seasonings and baking paraphernalia to concoct meat-free recipes at home, head to Oliver Greens and Trevor Mottram.

Click here for a full list of our eateries and stores.