How often do people eat meat with their main meal?
Adults in the Netherlands eat meat with 63 percent of all their main meals. That means that out of 7 main meals per week, they eat an average of 4.4 meals with meat. Of the remaining main meals, 1.8 are vegetarian or fully plant-based (vegan), and 0.8 meals include fish. The main meal is the most important meal of the day, and many people eat it in the evening.
Men are more likely to eat meat with their main meal than women, and women are more likely to eat vegetarian or vegan meals. Both are just as likely to eat a meal with fish. The biggest difference between men and women is in the 18–24 age group, in which 71 percent of main meals eaten by men include meat, and 19 percent are vegetarian meals. Women in that age group eat meat with 60 percent of their main meals, and 31 percent are vegetarian. On average, men eat 81 grams of meat per day with their main meal, and women eat 52 grams.
Older people in particular are eating less meat
Among those aged 18 and older, 35 percent said they had started eating less meat over the past year, while 2 percent stated they had actually eaten more meat than before. Older people were more likely to say they started to eat less meat, while younger people were somewhat more likely to say they had eaten more. The percentage of people not eating meat is highest in the 24–34 age group.
| Leeftijd | Less meat | More meat | About the same | No meat | Do not know |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total 18 yrs and over | 34.9 | 2.2 | 56.7 | 4.9 | 1.3 |
| Age group |
. | . | . | . | . |
| 18-24 yrs | 27.8 | 6.3 | 58.1 | 4.7 | 3.1 |
| 25-34 yrs | 29.5 | 4.5 | 57.3 | 7.5 | 1.2 |
| 35-44 yrs | 30.8 | 2.4 | 58.8 | 5.9 | 2.0 |
| 45-54 yrs | 34.1 | 1.2 | 59.4 | 4.3 | 0.9 |
| 55-64 yrs | 39.0 | 0.8 | 55.7 | 4.0 | 0.5 |
| 65-74 yrs | 42.6 | 0.1 | 51.9 | 4.3 | 1.1 |
| 75 yrs and over | 40.9 | 0.4 | 54.6 | 2.9 | 1.1 |
Eating less meat for the sake of the climate and the environment
Concern about the impact of meat on the climate is the most frequently mentioned reason for giving up meat or eating less meat. Health benefits and animal welfare are also mentioned relatively often (18 percent in both cases). Among those aged over 75, the health benefits are the most frequently cited reason for eating less meat or none at all. Concerns about the climate and the environment play less of a role for this age group than other age groups. For younger age groups, the cost of meat is a more common reason for eating less meat or no meat than for older age groups.
7 in 10 adults not prepared to stop eating meat
Among adults aged 18 and older who eat meat, 34 percent said they should consume less meat, while 70 percent said they would not be prepared to stop eating meat. Adults aged under 55 are more likely to say they should eat less meat than those aged 55 and over. At the same time, they are also slightly more likely to say they do not want to give up meat: this number ranges from 64 percent in the 65–74 age group to 74 percent in the 25–34 age group.
| Leeftijd | I think I should eat less meat | I do not want to give up meat |
|---|---|---|
| Total 18 years and over |
34.2 | 70.0 |
| 18-24 years |
34.0 | 72.6 |
| 25-34 years |
37.8 | 74.5 |
| 35-44 years |
37.6 | 72.3 |
| 45-54 years |
35.2 | 71.4 |
| 55-64 years |
31.0 | 67.2 |
| 65-74 years |
32.7 | 63.8 |
| 75 years and over |
30.2 | 68.0 |
Relevant links
RIVM – Food Consumption Survey
News release – A quarter of main meals eaten in the Netherlands are vegetarian