Meatless Monday provides a simple, effective approach to educating customers about the consequences of meat consumption and providing them with opportunities to make dietary changes. When implemented carefully and in collaboration with staff and customers, many food service operators have found it valuable and well-accepted. Key themes to successful Meatless Monday implementation include collaboration, education, promtion, staff engagement and attention to the culinary aspects of the meatless meals. While there is little concrete data about the cost effectiveness, most implementers believe it lowers food costs slightly or does not affect it at all. Most implementers also believe that over time customers do
choose more meatless items as a result of Meatless Monday. More research and evaluation is needed to assess the impact of Meatless Monday on business practices, food costs and customer food choices.
This report summarizes an evaluation of best practices for implementing Meatless Monday in food service operations.
