This Year, 70 Percent of Millennials Plan to Host a Plant-Based Holiday

In the spirit of the holiday season, consumers embrace excess whether that be a mountain of gifts a hefty dinner plate. This Christmas, many people have reconsidered their holiday traditions in favor of being more sustainable and introducing more planet-friendly options. Nearly three-quarters of millennials, 71 percent, plan to host a plant-based Christmas dinner, according to a new poll conducted by Eat Just. The new report signifies a stark shift towards plant-based eating in younger generations, breaking away from meat-centric holiday traditions.

The poll from market research firm OnePoll surveyed 2,000 Americans under the vegan company’s “Really Good Eggs” campaign – a partnership with J.B. Smoove to promote Eat Just’s signature vegan egg replacer. The report found that American consumers have chosen holiday dishes that mix healthy, tasty, and sustainable ingredients with 56 percent stating that the dish is plant-based.

The report also distinguished the desire to eat plant-based by generation. Eat Just’s study noted that 76 percent of millennials planned to eat healthier during the holiday as compared to their parents’ generation ranked at 56 percent. While holiday meals traditionally feature a roast, turkey, or another meat-based dish, younger consumers have taken to adapting the holiday feast to better personal and environmental health.

The report also focused specifically on the environmental consequences of meat-based dishes. The data claims that 66 percent of consumers understood that certain diets impact the planet more than others, citing issues including pollution, loss of wildlife, and climate change. Millennials were consistently more likely to acknowledge the damaging effects of animal-based food production as compared to older participants, according to the report.

Recently, Brightly released a report that highlighted the dangers of Thanksgiving dinner, detailing how damaging the carbon emissions were for the environment. With recipes similar to those featured in Christmas feasts, the report shines lights onto the waste from main courses such as turkey, roasts, and even some stuffings. The holiday season features several grand meals and with each meal comes severe environmental implications.

The Humane Society International released a report in 2019 that a typical Christmas roast produces nearly double the greenhouse gas emissions as a vegan nut roast. The report claims that a roast turkey dinner emits 25.3 kilograms of CO2, which is equivalent to driving a gasoline-fueled car 78.5 miles. With Christmas dinners served worldwide, the emissions from a single meal give way to serious environmental concerns.

Meat production is responsible for 57 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions from the food industry, according to a recent study from the scientific journal Nature Food. The figure is twice the level of plant-based food production. The study indicates a clear need to address the environmental and sustainable issues stemming from the animal agriculture industry.

“The emissions are at the higher end of what we expected, it was a little bit of a surprise,”  Climate Scientist at the University of Illinois and co-author Atul Jain wrote in the report published in Nature Food. “This study shows the entire cycle of the food production system, and policymakers may want to use the results to think about how to control greenhouse gas emissions.”

Eat Just’s new campaign aims to address the dangers of animal-based foods through the generational divide that impacts families during the holiday season. The campaign will highlight the growing differences in dietary preferences, narrated by J.B. Smoove. Consumers who follow Eat Just’s social campaign will be given the chance to win several prizes including a JUST Egg spatula, a $100 Whole Foods gift card, a Caraway ceramic fry pan, and more.

Another prize from Eat Just is Joanne Molinaro’s The Korean Vegan Cookbook. Molinaro’s cookbook features Eat Just’s signature JUST Egg products, making the perfect gift for anyone following a  plant-based diet. Featured on The Beet’s list of the best cookbooks for the gift-giving season, Molinaro’s cookbook gives insight on how to use the vegan egg replacer alongside tons of other exciting recipes that can be used during the holiday season and beyond.

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