We are seeing the change. Animal meat consumption in the U.S. is slowing and in the U.K., for example, that rate is actually declining. Can we as a people really be animal meat free in our lifetime? What needs to happen to facilitate that shift?

Here at Asanté we think one of the keys is making plant-based options available to everyone. This has started to materialize on menus in both North America and around the world. Plant-based options are becoming more readily available, everywhere from fast food chains to high end dining establishments. It is quickly becoming the norm rather than the exception to have vegan options on restaurant menus.

But we need to see that availability extend past dining rooms, fast food menu boards or specialty grocers and into local supermarkets and food outlets in the so-called “food deserts”. A food desert is defined as “an urban area in which it is difficult to buy affordable or good-quality fresh food.” Food deserts are, unfortunately, a way of life for a large percentage of Americans.

Most people who haven’t tried plant-based in these inner-city establishments say that the primary reason for this is their local grocer simply doesn’t carry healthier, sustainable, plant-based foods. Or if they do there is a very limited selection and/or they come with a higher price tag. We can’t make inroads in this scenario.

We believe that the sooner that we as a society understand that good health for ourselves and our children is a right rather than a privilege, we can start making plant-based options available to all citizens, not just those who live near an upscale grocery store. 

That’s how you create a healthier society and a more sustainable planet.