Are meatless meals more popular during Spring?

Have you noticed meatless meals, vegetarian options and plant-based menus are popping up all over restaurant menus? Why does this scenario happen in Spring?

Finding meatless meals during the Spring seems to be extremely easy. From fast food brands to your local favorite restaurant, vegetarian, plant-based and meatless options seem to be the focus. Is this focus a food trend or just an annual phenomena?

For many people, springtime is also the Lenten season. While some people follow the old-school ideal of meatless Fridays during Lent, that tradition has spilled over into many restaurant menus. From the egg and pepper sandwich to the classic fish fry, meatless menu options seem to be popping up all over.

Just a quick glance at even some fast food menu options, Jack in the Box offers fish tacos. McDonald’s highlights the filet of fish sandwich. These options are just a sampling of the many options.

Still, those fish-focused options aren’t the only choices for a meatless meal. With the continual growth of Beyond Meat and the Impossible Burger, those plant based alternatives seem to have taken over everywhere.

This particular popularity isn’t necessarily limited to a season. The flexitarian lifestyle is becoming more and more popular. Some people choose these options for health benefits. Other people enjoy these options strictly for taste. No matter the reason, those plant-based alternatives are becoming menu fixtures.

Also, menus are becoming more creative with vegetarian options. For example, the flavors used in traditional meat-based recipes can be used in vegetable focused dishes. It comes down to a thoughtful substitution.

For example, Jake Melnick’s Corner Tap offers Buffalo Cauliflower, a fried crispy cauliflower that is tossed in the restaurant’s famous buffalo sauce. Another option is the Portobello Reuben, where the mushrooms are rubbed with a pastrami spice blend and served with traditional Reuben ingredients. The flavors are still present, just the meat is replaced.

Lastly, springtime often represents the beginning of lighter fare. Whether the first harvest offers a big bounty of flavor or the warmer weather brings lighter dishes, produce seems to fill the table. It is a time to explore flavor.

Are you ready to embrace more meatless meals this Spring? It could be easier than ever to discover a new favorite dish.