Meat-Free! Feed four for under a fiver - Animal Aid

How to prepare tasty, nutritious, family-sized – and
completely meat-free – meals for under a fiver!
Meat-free
Feed four
for under a fiver!
money-saving tips ... simple meal solutions ... new foods to try
... delicious recipes ... four good reasons for going meat-free
www.animalaid.org.uk

Contents
When it comes to
feeding a family, price
is always an important
consideration...
Ethics are also playing an increasing role in
our food choices: whether it’s food miles
or animal welfare, most of us would llike to
be able to shop with a clear conscience.
But how do you shop ethically and eat
healthily whilst on a budget?
This guide will show you just
how easy it is to prepare
tasty, nutritious, family-sized –
and completely meat-free
– meals for under a fiver!
3
5
8
10
24
31
Money-saving tips
A series of handy tips for
shopping and budgeting
Simple meal solutions
Suggestions for easy-to-cook,
family-friendly dishes
New foods to try
A few of our favourites
Delicious recipes – one for
every day of the week!
Mexican Monday ........................10
Indian Tuesday ............................12
Chinese Wednesday ..................14
West African Thursday ................16
Italian Friday ................................18
American Saturday ....................20
British Sunday ..............................22
Four good reasons for going
meat-free
Animals..........................................24
The environment ..........................26
Your health....................................28
World hunger................................30
About Animal Aid
2

▲
Money-saving tips
Plan ahead
Before you go
shopping, make a
list and stick to it.
This will stop you
making impulse buys
and limit the amount
of food you throw
away because it
has gone mouldy
or soggy.
Always keep a supply of Stock up
rice and pasta (brown or
wholewheat is healthier than
white), frozen vegetables, tinned
or dried beans and pulses and a
good selection of sauces and
seasonings. Having basic food
items in stock will help stop you
spending money on takeaways.
▲
Buy the largest
▲
quantities of
tinned, dried and
long-life foods that you can store.
It works out a lot cheaper.
Bulk buy
Choose where you shop
▲
You might be pleasantly surprised to
find that your local greengrocer or
farm shop is as cheap, or even
cheaper, for fresh fruit and veg than
the big supermarkets. Shopping with
independent retailers means you’re
supporting the local community and
helping to keep small businesses alive.
Batch freeze
▲
Every time you cook, deliberately double (or
treble or quadruple!) up and freeze what you’re
not going to eat that night. You’ll soon build up a
nice selection of healthy, frozen ready-meals.
There are thousands of meat-free recipes online
to suit amateur and experienced cooks alike.
For more ideas and advice contact the Animal Aid office or visit www.animalaid.org.uk
3

▲
One pot meals
▲
Reduce your food waste
If your vegetables are looking a
bit tired, chop them all up and
make a big pot of soup.
Leftovers are often even more
delicious than the original meal
as the flavours really blend in.
Get into the habit of taking
leftovers to work for lunch instead
of buying convenience food in
plastic packaging. It’s better for
the environment and your
pocket, too. When eating out,
don’t feel shy about asking for a
doggie bag. It’s a compliment to
the chef! And lastly, don’t forget
the nation’s favourite, bubble &
squeak – a great way to use
up leftover veg.
You don’t have
to have the oven
on and several
pans on the go
to make an
interesting meal. Many
a tasty creation (see simple
meal solutions opposite) can be made by
throwing things into one pot. ‘One-pot cookery’
also results in less washing up, cuts down on fuel
bills and releases fewer greenhouse gases. A win
all round!
Back to basics
Make your own stock
by frying onions and
garlic with leftover bits of veg for a couple of
minutes. Cover with cold water and turn the
heat to high, bring to the boil and then simmer
gently for 15 minutes. Pour the liquid through a
sieve and it’s
ready to use. It
can be stored
in the fridge for
up to three
days, or pour
into an ice cube
tray and freeze
so you’ll have
individual portions
ready for future use.
▲
Grow your own
Growing your own
organic vegetables
is becoming an increasingly popular way to
cut down on food miles and cost. You do not
need a large garden – some varieties do just
as well in a tub. Look online for clever spacesaving
devices and techniques for ‘urban
gardening’. Easy foods to grow include
lettuce, spinach, runner beans, tomatoes,
potatoes and herbs.
▲
4
For more ideas and advice contact the Animal Aid office or visit www.animalaid.org.uk

Simple meal solutions
Here are some suggestions for easy-to-cook, family-friendly
meals. We have listed just the main ingredients to help
creative cooks adapt old favourites.
Spaghetti
veganese
Ingredients:
packet of spaghetti
(wholewheat for extra
goodness), packet of dried or frozen veggie
mince, tin of chopped tomatoes, tomato
purée, onions, garlic, oregano/basil/bay
leaf. Throw in some peas, mushrooms or
grated carrot for extra nutrition.
Veggie
burger
with chips
and peas
Ingredients: veggie burgers, buns,
lettuce, onion and tomato to
garnish. Oven chips and a packet
of frozen peas.
Chilli ‘non’ carne
Ingredients: packet of dried or frozen soya mince, tin of
kidney beans, tin of chopped tomatoes, tomato purée, onion,
red pepper, cumin, garlic, chilli powder or fresh chilli peppers.
Serve with rice and/or tortilla chips. See pages 10-11 for chilli recipe.
5

Three bean
salad and
garlic bread
Sweet & sour
vegetable stir fry
Ingredients: your choice
of carrots, mushrooms,
broccoli, cauliflower, red
or green peppers,
beansprouts; a jar of
Sweet & Sour sauce; rice
(brown for added nutritional
value). Throw in a handful
of peanuts or cashew nuts
for extra protein.
Veggie bangers
and mash
Ingredients: veggie
sausages, potatoes,
non-dairy milk and
spread, veggie gravy
granules. Top with some
fried onions and serve
with a side of peas or
broccoli.
6
Ingredients:
tin of chickpeas,
tin of kidney beans,
tin of sliced green
beans, red pepper, onion,
celery, garlic, salad dressing. Serve with garlic bread.
Vegetable stew
with dumplings
Ingredients: parsnips, leeks,
carrots, swede, onions,
pearl barley, thyme, bay
leaf, vegetable oil,
vegetable stock.
Serve with dumplings
(make your own or
use a packet mix –
remember to check if the
mix is vegetarian as
some brands contain
beef suet).
Jacket potato
with beans and
green salad
Ingredients:
baking potato, tin of
baked beans, mixed
salad leaves and
dressing.

Roasted vegetables and couscous
or quinoa
Ingredients: parsnips, beetroots, red peppers, red
onions, olive oil, rosemary or oregano, packet of
couscous or quinoa.
Veggie sausage
casserole
Ingredients:
veggie sausages,
haricot beans, green
lentils, onion, tinned
tomatoes, tomato purée,
vegetable oil, garlic, bay
leaf, thyme.
© H MIIKKA
Baked sweet
potato with
sweetcorn and
hummus
Ingredients:
sweet potatoes, tin of
sweetcorn, tub of
hummus (one tub is
enough for 2 people).
Super salad
Ingredients: lettuce, spinach, tomatoes,
grated carrot, grated beetroot, sliced
avocado, watercress, spring onions plus any
other chopped raw veggies you want to
throw in. Serve with salad dressing and nuts
or seeds sprinkled on top.
Why not try some delicious sweet
and savoury vegan recipes?
Available from
Animal Aid
All these books and more are available from www.animalaidshop.org.uk 7

New foods to try
▲
Hummus
If you switch to a meat-free diet, you may come across
foods and ingredients in recipes that you haven’t heard of, let
alone tried, before. Don’t be afraid! These are a few of our favourites:
Any seasoned vegetarian will sing the praises of
this Middle Eastern purée, whose main ingredients are garlic
and chickpeas. It is highly nutritious, filling, and delicious.
Spread in sandwiches or on a baked potato, serve with
carrot sticks and tortilla chips for the perfect nibbles or lunch
at your desk. You can also use it to thicken and add flavour
to pasta sauces and soups. It is widely available now; even
garages and convenience shops stock it.
© REDWOOD FOODS
▲
Meat substitutes
Veggie burgers and sausages have been
around for a while, but the range of ‘mock meats’ is much more
extensive now. It includes veggie ‘beef’ chunks, meat-free ‘chicken’
strips and even veggie ‘fishless fingers’. These products can replace
their meaty counterparts in any meal and often pass the taste test
with meat-eaters who can’t tell the difference. Available in health
food shops and larger supermarkets.
▲
Soya mince aka TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein)
Soya mince
is a great substitute for mince and can be used in the same way – in
spaghetti bolognese, shepherd’s pie or in chilli. There are both frozen
and dried versions (dried is cheaper) and it can be found it health
food shops and supermarkets. It’s a great source of low-fat protein.
▲
Tofu
Before you say ‘yuk’, read on. Just as a meateater
wouldn’t eat raw chicken breast, so tofu needs to be
seasoned and cooked properly. It can be deep-fried,
marinated and grilled, even crumbled and ‘scrambled’.
You’ll find a myriad of suggestions online for using this
incredibly versatile,
protein-rich food.
8
Quinoa (pronounced ‘keen-wah’) This popular grain
is a ‘complete protein’ (containing all the essential
amino acids) and is also gluten-free. It can be eaten
as an alternative to white rice or couscous, added to
soups or, when cooked and cooled, added to salads.
▲

See overleaf for delicious recipes - one for every day of the week!
9

mexican monday
10
© ROBYN LEE

chilli ‘non’ carne
Serves 4
top tip
While it’s cheaper in the
long run to buy pots of
herbs and spices, if you
are making this dish as a
one-off, you might prefer
to buy a sachet of Chilli
Seasoning Mix, which can be
found in any supermarket
Ingredients
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion – peeled and chopped
• 1 large red pepper – de-seeded and chopped
• 1 large green pepper – de-seeded and chopped
• 2 garlic cloves – peeled and crushed
• 1 red chilli – de-seeded and finely chopped. Use more if preferred
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp dried oregano or marjoram (1 tbsp if using fresh herbs)
• 300g vegetarian frozen mince
• 400g can red kidney beans in chilli sauce
• 400g can chopped tomatoes
Method
Fry the onion, peppers, garlic, herbs, cumin and chilli in the oil in a largish
saucepan, covered, for 5-10 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
Stir from time to time to prevent them from sticking.
Add the mince, red kidney beans and chopped
tomatoes and mix well.
Leave to simmer gently for 15-20 minutes or until
the mince is cooked. Add some water or stock
if the mince is sticking.
Serve with rice, jacket potato, tortilla chips
or bread.
Adapted from Vegetarian GI Diet by Rose Elliot, published by BBC Books
11

12
indian tuesday

mixed vegetable curry
Serves 4
top tip
in a pot on a sunny window sill?
Fresh herbs can be expensive to buy, so
why not grow your own fresh coriander
Ingredients
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 2 onions – peeled and chopped
• 2 carrots – peeled and sliced
• 2 large potatoes – peeled and
cut into even-sized chunks
• 1 thumb-sized knob of fresh
ginger – peeled and grated
• 4 garlic cloves – peeled and
crushed
• 2 green chillis – de-seeded and
finely chopped
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 2 tbsp ground coriander
• 12 curry leaves or 1 tsp curry
powder
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 medium caulifower
– broken into florets
• 250g/8oz baby leaf spinach
(166g/5oz frozen spinach)
• 1 can chick peas (optional)
• Fresh coriander leaves
– chopped (optional)
Method
Heat the oil in a large saucepan, put in the onion, carrot and potato.
Cover and cook gently for 10 minutes.
Stir in the ginger, garlic and chilli, along with the turmeric, ground
coriander and curry leaves or powder. Stir well for 1-2 minutes to make
sure everything is coated with the spices.
Add 800ml (1 1 /2 pints) of water and a grinding of pepper to
the pan. Bring to the boil, then leave to simmer, covered, for
10 minutes.
Stir the caulifower into the pan, then cover and cook for 10-15
minutes, then add the spinach (and chick peas if using) and
cook for a further 3 minutes or until all the vegetables are
tender. If the mixture looks too liquid, turn up the heat
and let it bubble away for a minute or two. Then check
the seasoning and serve, scattered with chopped
coriander leaves if you have them.
Adapted from Meals in Moments by Rose Elliot, published by Harper Collins
13

14
chinese wednesday

stir-fried chinese vegetables
Serves 4
top tip be replaced with a stir-in sauce
The cornflour and soy sauce could
Ingredients
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 packet firm tofu – drained
and cubed (use more if desired)
• 4 cloves garlic – peeled and
crushed
• Thumb-sized knob fresh ginger
– peeled and grated
• 2 tsp chinese five spice
• 2 onions – peeled and sliced
• 2 carrots – peeled and sliced
diagonally
• 250g/8oz broccoli – cut into
small florets
• 250g/8oz baby button
mushrooms – sliced
• 1 red pepper – de-seeded
and chopped
• 150g/5oz bamboo shoots or
beansprouts
• 1 tsp cornflour (cornstarch)
• 3 tbsp tamari or soy sauce
Method
Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok. Fry the tofu cubes until golden,
turning them frequently so they brown evenly. Once browned, remove
the tofu using a slotted spoon and drain on absorbent kitchen paper.
Add the onion, garlic, ginger, chinese five spice, carrots and broccoli to the
frying pan and fry for 10-15 minutes, until they are just beginning to soften.
Add the mushrooms, red pepper and bamboo shoots and
cook for a further 5 minutes to heat through.
Meanwhile, blend the cornflour with the soy
sauce or tamari, then, when the vegetables
are ready, add the mixture to the pan, stirring.
Add the tofu and stir gently until heated through.
Serve with rice or noodles.
Adapted from Vegan Feasts by Rose Elliot, published by Thorsons
15

west african
thursday
16
© FLAVOURPHOTOS

west african stew
Serves 4
top tip
Why not add a tin of chick
peas to this delicious stew?
Or you can add in any
leftover vegetables
Ingredients
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 medium onions – peeled and chopped
• 2 yellow or red peppers – de-seeded and chopped
• 4 cloves garlic – peeled and crushed
• 4 tsp fresh ginger – peeled and grated
• 2 chillis – de-seeded and finely chopped
• 1 litre water
• 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
• 2 medium size sweet potatoes – peeled and cut into 1 /2 inch pieces
• 3 tsp dried thyme
• 3 tsp ground cumin
• 300g/12oz chunky peanut butter
• 150g/6oz shredded fresh spinach or 100g/4oz frozen spinach
Method
In a large saucepan, heat the oil over a medium heat.
Add the onion, pepper, garlic, ginger, chilli and cook,
stirring for 5 minutes.
Stir in the water, tomatoes, sweet potato, thyme and
cumin and simmer over a medium heat for 25-30
minutes until the potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally.
Add a little more water if the stew becomes too thick.
Add the peanut butter and stir until completely blended.
Then stir in the spinach and return to a gentle simmer,
stirring frequently.
When the spinach is cooked, remove from heat
and serve.
Adapted from 150 Vegan Favourites by Jay Solomon, published by Prima Publishing
17

18
italian friday

chunky oven baked ratatouille
and pasta
Serves 4
Pre–heat oven to 180˚C/350˚F/Gas Mark 4
Ingredients
• 1 large red onion – peeled and
cut into chunks
• 1 large courgette – cut into
chunky pieces
• 1 large aubergine – cut into
chunky pieces
• 2 red peppers – de-seeded
and cut into chunks
• 2 yellow peppers – de-seeded
and cut into chunks
top tip
Could also be served with
warm bread, rice, couscous
or any other grain you fancy
• 8 garlic cloves – peeled
• Juice of 1 /2 lemon
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 400g can plum tomatoes
• Several sprigs of fresh basil
• Your choice of pasta
Method
Put all the vegetables into a roasting tray or large shallow casserole dish,
sprinkle with the lemon juice, oil and pepper.
Mix so that all the vegetables are coated.
Bake, uncovered, in the oven for 20 minutes, giving the
vegetables a stir after about 10 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and cook for a further 15-20 minutes.
Then cook the pasta whilst the vegetables cook for
another 10-12 minutes.
Season the vegetables with more pepper if necessary,
tear the basil over the top and serve with the pasta.
Adapted from Vegetarian GI Diet by Rose Elliot, published by BBC Books
19

american saturday
20
© RYANN SALIK, WWW.MYWHOLEDEAL.COM

‘chicken’ pot pie
Serves 4
top tip
Use whatever vegetables
are in season to keep
costs down
Pre-heat oven to 180˚C/350˚F/Gas Mark 4
Ingredients
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion – peeled and chopped
• 4 cloves garlic – peeled and
crushed
• 2 carrots – peeled and chopped
• 4 potatoes – peeled and cubed
• 1 packet meat-free ‘chicken’
pieces (available from most
health food shops) cut into
smaller pieces if necessary
• 200g/8oz frozen corn
• 200g/8oz frozen peas
• 2 tbsp plain flour or cornstarch
• 2 tbsp vegetable stock powder
• 1 sprig parsley – chopped
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 packet filo pastry
Method
Fry the onion and garlic in the oil. Add carrots and potatoes
and enough water to just cover the vegetables. Bring to
the boil and simmer until all the vegetables are soft.
Add the ‘chicken’ pieces, sweetcorn and peas.
Mix the flour in a few tbsp of water and add to
the vegetables.
Cook until mixture thickens. Add more flour if still
too thin.
Add the stock powder, pepper and parsley to
taste. Pour the mixture into a pie dish and allow
to cool slightly.
Roll out the pastry and place on top of the vegetable
mixture. Cut a few slits in the top to allow steam to
escape. Bake for 40-60 minutes, until crust browns.
21

22
british sunday

shepherd’s pie
Serves 4
top tip
To thicken the sauce, stir in
a tablespoon of vegetable
gravy granules towards the
end of the cooking time
Pre-heat oven to 220˚C/430˚F/Gas Mark 7
Ingredients
• 1 tbsp oilve oil
• 1 onion – peeled and finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic – peeled and crushed
• 400g frozen vegetarian mince
• Vegetable stock cube
• 400g can chopped tomatoes
• 50g frozen peas
• 1 carrot – peeled and finely chopped
• Mixed herbs
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 700g medium potatoes – peeled and diced/quartered
Method
Fry the onion and garlic in a little oil until softened.
Add the mince, vegetable stock, tomatoes,
carrot, peas, herbs and pepper. Simmer for
about 20-30 minutes.
Peel the potatoes and quarter them. Boil them in
a separate pan for about 15 minutes until soft.
Mash the potatoes.
Pour mince mixture into an ovenproof dish, and
place mashed potato on top. Smooth down
with a fork.
Cook in the oven for about 20 minutes until the top
has browned.
Serve with vegetables of your choice.
23

Four good reasons for going meat-free
▲
Animals
Approximately one billion animals are farmed and
killed every year in the UK alone.
They are regarded as somehow being different
from the animals we keep as companions, but
every chicken, lamb, pig and turkey is capable of
experiencing fear and distress – just like every cat
and dog. Most chickens, turkeys and pigs in the UK
are farmed intensively. They are kept inside barns
for their entire lives. Mutilations – such as beak
trimming, tail docking and teeth clipping – are
routine and commonplace, and done without
anaesthetic. Increasingly, cows, sheep and goats
are ‘zero grazed’, meaning they get little or no
time outdoors either. It is more convenient for the
farmer but what price do the animals pay?
Millions of animals do not survive inside these
units. They die from infectious diseases or crippling
injuries, and their bodies are incinerated. Those
who survive are transported to the slaughterhouse.
CRIPPLING LAMENESS IN BROILER SHEDS IS ENDEMIC
Fish
Fish are not ‘swimming
vegetables’. They experience
pain, fear and the natural
impulse to survive. Billions of
fish each year are dragged
out of the oceans in huge
nets and tipped onto the
decks of industrial trawlers.
They are frequently gutted
alive. Farmed fish are caged
in crowded, unhealthy
conditions and are killed by
being clubbed, gassed, or
having their gills slit so that
they bleed to death.
© ANIMAL EQUALITY
For details of Animal Aid’s
investigations into typical
UK farming practices, visit
www.animalaid.org.uk
24

CONSCIOUS CHICKENS ARE SHACKLED FOR SLAUGHTER
© VICKY ALHADEFF
The ‘cruelty-free’ myth
There is no such thing as ‘cruelty-free’ meat.
Higher welfare schemes, such as Freedom Food,
still allow thousands of animals to be crammed
inside huge industrial sheds for their whole lives.
As for free-range, there is restricted access to
the outdoors, and some birds may never get out.
Organic farming is primarily for the benefit of
people who do not want to ingest chemical
residues. Organic farms typically provide better
conditions in order to prevent the animals from
getting sick and requiring medication, but these
animals – like all farmed animals – are subjected
to the trauma of being transported to the
slaughterhouse and the horror of being killed there.
ESSEX SLAUGHTERMAN TORMENTING
A PIG WITH THE STUNNING TONGS
Animal Aid has filmed
secretly inside nine randomly
chosen slaughterhouses, and
found widespread cruelty
and flouting of animal
protection laws. We filmed
animals being kicked,
stamped on, burnt with
cigarettes, punched, and
picked up by their fleeces or
ears and thrown. We filmed
widespread incompetence
and thousands of animals
being improperly stunned
before their throats were
cut. A number of the
slaughterhouses where we
filmed these abuses were
certified by Freedom Food
or the Soil Association. All
slaughter – whether
conventional, organic,
kosher or halal – can cause
terrible suffering, and is
completely unnecessary.
To see Animal Aid’s slaughterhouse
investigations, visit
www.animalaid.org.uk/slaughter
25

▲
The environment
The meat industry is having a devastating
effect on our environment, both here in the
UK and globally. Climate change, water
shortages, environmental pollution and
deforestation are all huge problems – and
they are all linked to animal farming.
‘Animal products cause
more damage than
[producing] construction
minerals such as sand or
cement, plastics or metals. Biomass and
crops for animals are as damaging as
[burning] fossil fuels.’
Professor Edgar Hertwich, lead author of the United
Nations’ 2010 report, Assessing the Environmental
Impacts of Consumption and Production.
ANIMAL FARMING CONTRIBUTES MORE
TO CLIMATE CHANGE THAN EVERY
CAR AND PLANE ON THE PLANET
Climate change
Animal farming produces massive
amounts of climate-warming
gases. Methane, which has the
potential to warm the earth 23
times more quickly than carbon
dioxide, is produced during the
digestive processes of sheep, cows
and other ruminants. It is also
released in their untreated manure.
The impact of animal farming
should not be underestimated. The
United Nations Food & Agriculture
Organisation has told us that
animal farming contributes more
to climate change than every car,
plane, ship and bus on the planet.
It has urged us all to move towards
a vegan diet in order to save the
world from the worst impact of
climate change.
26

Water scarcity
The meat and dairy industries are
among the biggest contributors to
global water scarcity. Farmed
animals require large quantities of
drinking water, and huge volumes
are needed to grow crops that
are fed to them. It takes 1,000 litres
of water to grow a kilogram of
wheat, but 15,400 litres to produce
the same quantity of beef.
Manure from farms oozes into
waterways, polluting and killing
aquatic life.
Fish farms also pollute the environment. It has
been estimated that the amount of pollution
in Scotland due to the ammonia caused by
fish farming is comparable to the sewage
produced by 9.4 million people. Pesticides
used to kill sea lice on fish farms are toxic to
other marine species, chiefly prawns, lobsters
and other crustaceans, but also other birds,
fish and mammals.
Pollution
Animal wastes – including
antibiotics and hormones,
chemicals from tanneries, fertilisers
and pesticides used to spray feed
crops – leach or are discharged
into the water table. Pollution
caused by agriculture can have
serious effects on rivers, lakes,
estuaries and coastal waters.
Increases in nutrient levels can
result in toxic ‘algal blooms’,
leading to the deaths of fish and
those birds and mammals who
depend on them to survive.
Deforestation
Large areas of natural forest are currently being
destroyed to grow feed and provide grazing
for farmed animals. A varied vegan diet
requires just one fifth of the land needed for a
typical omnivorous diet. And since a lot less
space is required to grow vegan foods, there
would be a lot more space for wildlife to
flourish. We could reverse the trend of devastating
wild spaces – including the Amazon – just to
grow animal fodder. By changing to an animalfree
diet, we will help to preserve the planet for
future generations and other species.
THE RATE OF DEFORESTATION IN THE AMAZON INCREASED
BY 28 PER CENT BETWEEN AUGUST 2012 AND JULY 2013
27

▲
Your health
The evidence keeps coming: the saturated
fat found in meat and dairy products is
increasingly being linked to a range of serious
health problems, including heart disease,
diabetes and obesity.
One of the largest studies looking at the effects
of diet on health (The China Study) indicated a
direct link between animal protein and cancer,
with one study published in the British Medical
Journal revealing that vegetarians suffer 40 per
cent less cancer mortality than the population
average. Processed red meat (such as
sausages, bacon and pepperoni) is strongly
implicated as a cause of bowel cancer, the
second most lethal type of cancer. The
evidence is so compelling that the World
Cancer Research Fund recommends that
people avoid it altogether.
28

TEN PER CENT OF CHILDREN IN THE UK ARE
OBESE BEFORE THEY EVEN START SCHOOL
Bug-laden animal products
Thousands of people suffer
vomiting, stomach cramps
and diarrhoea from eating
bug-laden food products
every year. The worst culprits,
according to the NHS are:
• raw meat and poultry
•
‘ready to eat’ foods such
as cooked sliced meats,
pâté, soft cheeses and
pre-packed sandwiches
•
animal products, such as
eggs and milk
THERE ARE MORE THAN TWO
MILLION UK DIABETES SUFFERERS
Switching to a nutritionally balanced
plant-based diet is a great way of
boosting your health and reducing your
risk of heart disease, diabetes, obesity
and certain types of cancer.
29

▲
World hunger
The world is facing a global food crisis but,
even though there are more and more mouths
to feed, we can feed everyone if we eat less –
or better still, no – meat. Currently, much of the
world’s harvest is being fed to farmed animals,
and the amount of food we get back is less than
they eat. Quite simply, instead of adding to the
amount of food available, meat creates more
mouths to feed: those of the farmed animals.
A 2013 study found that 36 per cent of the total
calories that come from crops are allocated to
farmed animal feed, but only 12 per cent of
those calories actually make it to people’s
dinner plates. The researchers concluded that if
all of the world’s crops were directly consumed
by humans, there would be approximately 70
per cent more food available, providing
sustenance for four billion additional people.
As resources become ever
more scarce, experts agree
that the human population
must increasingly rely on a
plant-based diet. Patrick Wall,
chairman of the European
Food Safety Authority, questions
whether it is ‘morally or ethically’
correct to be feeding grain to
animals while ‘people starve’.
The Health Editor of the
Independent states that to
‘maximise food production, it is
best to be vegan’.
30

Animal Aid campaigns peacefully
against all forms of animal abuse
and promotes a cruelty-free
lifestyle. We investigate and expose animal cruelty, and our undercover
investigations and other evidence are often used by the media, bringing
these issues to public attention.
About Animal Aid
Our campaigns include:
▲ ▲ ▲ ▲
exposing the shocking plight of farmed animals through
years of undercover footage on many of Britain’s pig,
chicken, turkey, dairy cow and dairy goat farms.
Visit www.animalaid.org.uk/farming to see what we found.
revealing the terrible suffering of animals killed inside UK
slaughterhouses through years of undercover work. Visit
www.animalaid.org.uk/slaughter to see what we uncovered.
encouraging people to end their meat consumption
via Veggie Month in March, and eliminate all animal
products from their diet via the Great Vegan Challenge
each November. Animal Aid offers help, advice, an online
community for support and daily updates to everyone who
takes part, plus a prize draw. Visit www.VeggieMonth.com
and www.GoVegan.org.uk for more info or to take part.
▲
taking to the road to encourage people to try meat-free
diets. With our customised ‘Battle Bus’ we travel the length
and breadth of the country handing out free recipe
packs and chatting to people.
sponsoring and supporting vegan fairs all over the country.
We are proud to help local groups put on cruelty-free
events. To find out if there is one in your area, visit Animal Aid’s
online Events Diary www.animalaid.org.uk/go/events.
Animal Aid campaigns for wild animals, domestic
animals and those used in laboratories, too.
If you would like to know more about our
campaigns, visit www.animalaid.org.uk
and sign up to receive E-news. You will
also find us on Facebook and Twitter:
www.facebook.com/AnimalAid
@AnimalAid
SHOP
We also have a shop, which sells
vegan cookery books, crueltyfree
cosmetics and toiletries and
delicious dairy-free chocolates.
Order a FREE catalogue or visit
our online shop:
www.animalaidshop.org.uk
31

Animal Aid exposes and
campaigns against all
animal abuse, and promotes
a cruelty-free lifestyle
Animal Aid, The Old Chapel, Bradford Street, Tonbridge, Kent TN9 1AW
Tel: 01732 364546 info@animalaid.org.uk | www.animalaid.org.uk
www.facebook.com/AnimalAid
@AnimalAid
Re-published by Animal Aid, April 2014. ISBN No: 978-1-905327-18-8
Incorporated under the name Animal Abuse Injustice and Defence Society Limited, a company limited by guarantee.
Registered in the UK no. 1787309. VAT no. 395 2761 19.