More students are looking to switching out their meat diet for a plant-based one because pf the cost of living crisis, research shows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to a new study of students in Manchester by MeatFreed, an app that offers students discounts on plant-based food, 69% of students wanted to try more meat free meals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The study also found that 23% wanted to be fully plant-based and 25% are already making sustainable meal choices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With the impact of the cost of living crisis, 44% of Manchester students surveyed said they felt worried about the cost of a plant-based diet and 60% of students believing their diets will change with the rising prices of food.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The UK\u2019s price of food is rising at their fastest rate in 42 years and September last year saw food costs jump by 14.6% according to the Office for National Statistics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Last winter Oxford University published a study that found a vegetarian or vegan diet in the UK can be up to a third cheaper than a meat diet, with even a flexitarian diet reducing costs by 14%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dr Marco Springmann, researcher on the Oxford Martin Programme on the Future of Food, said: \u201cWe think the fact that vegan, vegetarian and flexitarian diets can save you a lot of money is going to surprise people.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He added that people often have a misconception that when scientists advocate for healthy and environmentally friendly eating is promoting something expensive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis study shows it\u2019s quite the opposite. These diets could be better for your bank balance as well as for your health and the planet,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maddison Bates, 21, has recently changed to a plant-based diet after trying to find new ways to keep her weekly shopping bill down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She said: \u201cIt wasn\u2019t something I was overly keen on doing at first but with the cost of living crisis it is more expensive to get fresh meat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019ve found that a lot of plant-based food is more frozen which means I have been able to keep a lot more of it for longer.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maddison said she usually goes to a butcher’s to buy her meat but has noticed the prices have jumped significantly and had to find a new way to save money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNow that it is Veganuary it has been easier for me to be able to try a vegan diet as almost every shop I have been in has been selling vegan products,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Although she isn\u2019t completely happy with having to leave her meat diet behind, she does feel that proud that she knows she is cutting carbon emissions down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Olivia Spalding, a student said when it comes to doing her weekly shop, she has noticed the increase of price in meat, \u201cI think its disastrous the increase, I\u2019m a struggling uni student and I barely afford to eat as it is, but a plant-based diet is not the option I want to go down.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI enjoy going to the gym which requires a lot of energy but I\u2019m struggling to fit in the protein into my diet because it\u2019s just so expensive, how is an expensive society, a healthy society\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI cannot imagine how it must be to feed a family of four or bigger as I struggle to make it work now and it doesn\u2019t give me high hopes for the future, I wonder what my life is going to look like in 15 years if I cannot afford It now\u201d, she added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When trying to find alternative ways to be able to afford meat, Olivia does not see going plant based as an option. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
She said she thinks it\u2019s good for the environment to be plant-based and is a viable option for those who can\u2019t afford meat, but it should be an option and not a last resort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI think It feels like the less well-off you are financially the less control you have over your body and what you put into it, and our government don\u2019t seem to care about this.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n