What would lunch in a net zero world look like? Plant based lunches contain less meat and dairy and are mostly made up of plants. Meat should only make up a third of the meal at the maximum and should be a garnish to the meal rather than the main thing. Pescatarian, vegetarian and vegan meals are naturally plant-based diets. Also, in many countries, a large part of their cuisine is plant-based, such as the Mediterranean (Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal), India, Japan, Mexico and Ethiopia. Here are some examples of plant-based meals you can have for lunch.

Greek salad

Greek salad is a very healthy meal often recommended by nutritionists. It is made up of mixed greens, tomatoes, kalamata olives, parsley, and feta cheese. Although feta cheese is a dairy product, it is usually made of sheep or goat’s milk and has a lower carbon emission than other cheeses made from cow’s milk. Greek salad can be combined with quinoa and a bit of chicken to bulk it up. Chicken acts as a garnish rather than being the main ingredient, which still makes it a plant-based meal.

 Tomato soup with whole-grain crackers with tabbouleh

Tomato soup with whole-grain crackers and tabbouleh has a wide range of vegetables. Tabbouleh is a middle eastern salad made of parsley, bulgar wheat, tomatoes, mint, lemon juice and olive oil. Avoid having instant soup otherwise you will not get the full health benefits of this lunch.

Falafel Wrap

Falafel wrap with hummus, cucumber, tomato, red onion is a classic combination. Often people add cheese, such as feta and halloumi. This is fine because the amount of cheese added is not much. It is also possible to get vegan feta and halloumi.

Vegetarian pizza

A pizza topped with lots of vegetables and mozzarella is considered a plant-based meal. The only animal product is the cheese, but this is not a problem if you are only using some cheese. It is only a concern if you are putting lots of layers of cheese, such as four cheeses pizza. This would make a vegetarian pizza like a pepperoni pizza in terms of carbon emissions produced. Vegan mozzarella is also widely available as a substitute.