Meat Dishes Dominate Recipe Sections of Mainstream Media, from NYT to BBC & The Guardian – New Report

A new report by the Better Food Foundation and Sentient Media analyzed recipe sections of eight mainstream news outlets in the US and the UK, finding that meat-based dishes dominate, with plant-based recipes making up a smaller percentage. The study suggests media outlets can play a role in encouraging climate-friendly diets by nudging readers towards more plant-based cooking through various strategies.

The report highlights disparities between US and UK outlets, with the US featuring fewer meat-based recipes but still predominantly omnivorous, while the UK skews more towards meat-heavy dishes. Recommendations include maintaining a 2:1 ratio of vegan to animal-based recipes, listing plant-based options first by default, and adding a climate score to each recipe based on ingredient emissions. The study emphasizes the importance of mainstream media embracing plant-based meals as the norm in food culture.