Lake Macquarie City Council set residents an interesting challenge on November 1 as part of this year's modified Living Smart: Beyond 2020 program.
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They were invited to sign up for the Meat-Free Meals Challenge and replace one or two meat meals a week with plant-based meals throughout November.
"The Living Smart program was established to help inform, inspire and support Lake Macquarie residents to reduce their carbon footprint and encourage more low impact behaviours in our day-to-day lives," council's sustainability engagement officer, Chris Harle, said.
"We all have a 'food-footprint' and the world's food system is responsible for about one-quarter of the human-generated greenhouse gases each year. Some foods create far more emissions than others, with meat production having the biggest impact of all."
It also contributes to land clearing and habitat destruction.
"We've had a great response to the challenge, with more than 380 people registered so far this month," Harle said.
"It's not surprising to us that so many people have joined up - having a meat-free meal is something that many people consider but just struggle with the convenience factor."
There are weekly prizes up for grabs as part of the challenge as well as recipe ideas and cooking tutorials from Warners Bay's MasterChef Australia alumni Stephanie de Sousa.
She jumped at the chance to get involved.
"I am like every other mum - I like things to be easy, convenient and good for my family. I also know that isn't necessarily always good for our environment," she told Food & Wine.
"If I'm honest with you, I think I am late to this party and have put my head in the sand because I have felt overwhelmed, thinking I have to make huge changes to make a difference.
"What I am learning is that everything adds up, and I want to share that message.
"I have become more and more aware since making a career out of cooking of the positive impact I can make by just making a few really simple changes."
Making vegetarian and vegan choices doesn't mean, she says, "selling your car for a push bike".
"I recycle, compost, have a refillable drink bottle, drop off my soft plastic to the plastic police. I can also change my diet a little bit and make an impact," de Sousa said.
"I feel this is the part where I may be able to help influence people to make some small changes.
"My family and I are doing it together and are really enjoying discovering new meals we love to add to our weeknight meals."
She shared the following meat-free meal tips:
- "Start with your favourite vegetable and work forward from there. Most of us go straight to the meat section and build a meal around that.
- Switch up your thinking. Try and change one of your favourite midweek meals into meat-free. For example bean burritos, vegetable bolognaise, sweet potato curry.
- And cook once, eat twice. Double your recipe and put a serve in the freezer for next week.
Read more: A feast for the senses at Rathmines
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