News No Meat May 2025: The reset you didn’t know you needed

Thinking about ditching meat? Sign up for No Meat May 2025 – the month-long meat-free food challenge that does good, feels good, and tastes even better!

Let’s be real: Your phone battery is low, your rent is high, and the world feels like it spins a little faster every time you check the news. Like the rest of us, you’re probably one minor inconvenience away from selling everything and moving into a shack in the woods. 

Yet, despite these frankly cooked conditions, you obviously still care about the state of the world, and you’d do something about it all right now if you could. So, here’s your sign! It turns out there actually is a way to make a meaningful impact, and it doesn’t even require quitting your job to live off-grid (yet) 😅

Enter No Meat May – the 31-day meat-free challenge where tens of thousands of people commit to doing some real good for their health, animals, and the planet. It’s just a happy bonus that it tastes great, too!

Here’s what you get when you sign up (all for free, by the way):

📬 Weekly emails full of meal ideas, tips, and support.

👥 Access to a community of fellow meat-leavers who will absolutely gas you up.

✨ A free digital cookbook full of easy plant-based recipes.

🧡 The satisfying sense that you’re doing something that really matters.

🤤 A foolproof excuse to try out a bunch of new vego snacks and food spots.

Wait – why should I give up meat? I’m just a little guy

Excellent question. Although the bulk of the blame for our fun global crisis lies with the animal agriculture industry – not individuals – for pumping out emissions like there’s no tomorrow, the only thing actually keeping that beast alive is our appetite for cheap meat, eggs, and dairy 😬 

Environmental experts have crunched the numbers and found that cutting back on animal products is quite literally the single most powerful choice any of us can make to help shape a better future for people and the planet. And our choices really add up when we make small changes together – collective consumer power packs a punch!

Here are some other big reasons to try No Meat May in 2025: 

🥰 It’s good for you: Going meat-free can help lower your cholesterol, improve digestion, reduce inflammation, and boost your energy levels. Bonus side effect: A faint sense of culinary superiority (jk… unless…?)

🐷 It’s kind to animals: Factory farming is every bit as bad as you think it is and probably worse. Opting out for a month = a direct hit to that cruel system.

🌎 It’s better for the planet: Going meat-free is one of the most effective ways to reduce your personal footprint. (Yes, even more so than adding yet another keep cup to your collection.)

🌾 You’ll do your bit for world hunger: Studies have found that embracing plant-based eating is key to improving global food security and building a sustainable food system for future generations.

🍔 It’s not even hard anymore: Truly. With all the amazing, innovative plant-based options available today, you’re not missing out – you’re levelling up. 

But what will I eat?

The same thing you usually do, just veg-ified! No Meat May isn’t about deprivation – it’s about discovery, and there are delicious meat-free versions of literally all your favourite foods and recipes out there to explore. 

From flavour-packed nachos, schnitzels, and dumplings to satisfying pasta dishes, stews, stir-fries, curries, and pies… You get the picture. All the comforting classics are still on the table, just made meat-free with a few easy swaps. 

And no one’s saying you have to break up with meat forever. This is just a pause, a little what-if experiment. Like downloading Duolingo and actually using it for a month – except instead of learning (and promptly forgetting) how to say “the duck drinks water” in Spanish, you’re unlocking new recipes, new habits, and a new respect for all the classically ‘meaty’ flavours you can create with plants alone.

Also, vegan nuggets exist. And burgers. And sausage rolls. You’ll be fine 😉

Real talk: Will one month really make a difference?

Honestly? Yeah. And not in a vague, motivational-poster sort of way. Last year, over 76,000 people took the No Meat May challenge, and together, they saved an estimated 2.3 million animals over the course of the month.

Even better? 91% of participants felt empowered to keep eating less meat after the month had ended. That’s a seismic vibe shift with a massive ongoing impact 💪

You can read more about how it all adds up in No Meat May’s 2024 impact report. 

The reality is that every single plant-based meal is a vote for animals, for the planet, and for a future that doesn’t feel like a dystopian fever dream. So even a day of meat-free eating makes a real, tangible difference – let alone a whole month!

What happens if I slip up?

Rest assured: There are no meat-free police. It’s all about progress, not perfection! Whether you’re plant-curious, already flexitarian, or literally opening a new tab on Google right now to see if fish counts as meat (the answer: yes), No Meat May is for you.

It’s not a diet. It’s not a guilt trip. It’s not a personality transplant. Just a really solid idea – and a great excuse to shake things up.

Final question… is this a cult?

Only if you count flavour, compassion, and food-based rebellion as cult leaders. In which case, yes, and we’re bringing snacks.

Okay, I’m in! Where do I sign? ✍️

Yay! You can sign up for No Meat May 2025 right here, and they’ll send you everything you need to get started – plus loads of mouthwatering recipe ideas and tips to keep you inspired all month long… like this Lentil Shepherd’s Pie 😋

And if you’ve got any veg-curious pals who are keen to take part, you can sign up as a team and take the challenge together! 🤝

Sign up today to make your May more fun, more meaningful, and more food-filled than ever. If you’ve been looking for a low-effort, high-impact reset that does real good and tastes great, No Meat May is the challenge you’ve been waiting for!

Header image: © No Meat May/Nicola Bailey (Photography)