World Vegetarian Day

Friday 1st October is World Vegetarian Day. It is a celebration of meatless fare and the opportunity to learn about the benefits of being a vegetarian, including life-enhancement, better animal welfare and preservation of the planet.

The Benefits of a Vegetarian Diet

World Vegetarian Day was established as an annual occasion to promote the joy, compassion and health benefits of vegetarianism. The day was originated by the Vegetarian Society in 1977 and endorsed by the International Vegetarian Union in 1978. Since then, the annual event has seen many people relish in the opportunity to go meat-free and experiment with plant-based delicacies.

There are various advantages to health and the environment by adopting a 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.

Easy as 1, 2, 3!

Back in May of this year, National Vegetarian Week encouraged people to take part in the “Veggie 123 Challenge.” This challenge asked individuals to:

1. Go veggie for one week
2. Nominate two other people to do it
3. Donate £3 to The Vegetarian Society. This donation going towards giving people practical tools and advice to become veggie and help the planet.

For World Vegetarian Day, why not kick off the Veggie 123 Challenge for yourself?

Being Plant-based at The Pantiles

Whether it’s a vegan lunch at The Pantiles Café or a traditional meat-free Indian at Kirthon, there are a plethora of plant-based options to enjoy at The Pantiles’ restaurants, cafes and bars.

If you’re in rush, you can always grab something veggie while on the go! We recommend a visit to The Cake Shed or The Zero Waste Company; Royal Tunbridge Wells’ one-stop shops for vegetarian and vegan snacks!

If you fancy trying your own meat-free recipes at home, head to Oliver Greens and grab some locally produced fruit and veg.

Click here to find out more about The Pantiles’ eateries.