By Alana Marrero González, LND, MHSN
The “Meatless Monday” initiative has a history spanning more than 100 years. The idea of not eating meat on Mondays originated during World War I, when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) asked families to reduce their consumption of staple foods in order to support the war effort. As part of this initiative, the slogans “Food Will Win the War,” “Meatless Tuesday,” and “Wheatless Wednesday” were created to encourage the more than 13 million families who joined this effort. Later, during World War II, the initiative was relaunched, and the campaign continued under former U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt with the aim of providing food aid to Europe.
Years passed, and “Meatless Monday” was revived in 2003 as a nonprofit foundation. According to its official website, its main purpose is “to reduce meat consumption by 15% for the health of people and the planet.”“Meatless Monday”has also expanded its reach, as it is now a globally recognized movement involving a network of individuals, hospitals, schools, workplaces, and restaurants.
But why was Monday chosen? The foundation’s website explains that, according to the findings of various studies, on the first day of the week “people are more open to health-related topics,” adding that “people are more likely to start healthy habits, exercise routines, quit smoking, or schedule medical appointments on Monday than on other days of the week.” The “Meatless Monday” movement has gained momentum over the years, and famous figures have also joined the initiative, such as Paul McCartney, who launched the campaign across multiple platforms in 2009. Every Monday, the campaign shares animal-protein-free recipes and infographics highlighting the impact on health and the environment. Are you looking to develop healthy habits? Reducing the amount of animal protein you consume could be one of the habits you can achieve in 2022.
The author is a nutritionist at Centro Ararat. You can follow her on social media
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