Consumers prefer plant-forward dishes with familiar flavors and ingredients that offer good value when compared to meaty items. | Photo: Shutterstock
Close to 25% of consumers are limiting their red meat intake but worry about overpaying for what they perceive as “just vegetables” in plant-based dishes.
That was just one of the findings in the 2025 Plant-Forward Opportunity Report, released Thursday at the annual Menus of Change conference held at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York.
The groups most likely to cut back on meat are Baby Boomers, women and lower- and middle-income diners, indications that both health and price play a part in the decision. Millennials and Gen Zers, on the other hand, express the most reservations about ordering plant-based foods at restaurants, yet they are also the most open to being convinced—and flavor, price and presentation are factors that can flip the script.
But all consumers overwhelmingly trust whole foods—nuts, legumes, and grains—over processed plant-based meat alternatives. The latter have been losing favor recently.
Protein has become a dietary “darling” over the last year or two, and one of the perceived drawbacks of plant-forward eating is that it’s hard to get enough protein when meat, poultry, eggs or seafood are not at the center of the plate. All animal sources, including red meat, are rated by most consumers as the highest-quality sources of protein, according to those surveyed.
But his year’s report also provides a menu concept test that analyzes consumer responses to the same dish served with three different protein portions: All animal protein (meat or seafood), mixed animal/plant protein and all plant protein. One group saw three versions of a Mediterranean-inspired souvlaki plate, one made with grilled chicken, another with falafel and lentil souvlaki, and a third containing both chicken and falafel. A second group was given three poke bowl variations: Salmon, salmon and tofu, and tofu and edamame.
The mixed-protein dishes were consistently viewed as the most unique by consumers, and become more attractive when additional details were provided, including protein content and price. Between the two factors, price is a far more powerful driver of decision-making than protein content, prompting a shift away from fully-animal dishes toward mixed-protein and plant-based alternatives.
“It’s no surprise that affordability is a critical factor in motivating consumers to choose more plant-forward dishes. Our report found that one in five consumers would be more likely to try plant-forward dishes if they were cheaper or offered at a discounted rate compared to animal-based options,” said Sophie Egan, co-director of the Menus of Change University Research Collaborative. “Nearly a quarter of consumers would be encouraged to try a plant-forward dish at a restaurant if it was offered as part of a combo or meal deal. In general, diners are often looking for assurance of getting their money’s worth, and that bar is especially high for foods from the plant kingdom.”
For about a third of Gen Z and Millennial customers, taste satisfaction is also a barrier to eating less meat when dining at restaurants—they’re concerned about being hungry shortly after eating a plant-forward meal.
“Our report has also consistently shown that it’s critical to assure diners that a plant-forward choice at a restaurant will be satisfying, delicious and won’t leave them feeling hungry two hours later,” added Egan. “So, foodservice operators have a real opportunity to both allay concerns about satisfaction and satiety while overcoming many diners’ cost sensitivity by offering plant-forward dishes at competitive prices and in combo meals that round out a dining experience and demonstrate the value of a meal centering plant-based ingredients.”
The report also suggests that operators can introduce veggie-centric dishes as appetizers and small plates at a lower price point. Familiarity is also a selling point; 25% of consumers would feel more secure ordering plant-forward dishes if they contain simple, familiar ingredients and spell out nutrition information, including protein and sugar content.
The annual research report was compiled by The Culinary Institute of America, foodservice research firm Datassential, Food for Climate League and the Menus of Change University Research Collaborative. Data was collected from an online survey conducted in March, 2025 through Datassential’s Omnibus platform, polling 1,504 American consumers representative of the general population, ages 18 and above.
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