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Due to new coronavirus restrictions in place in the United Kingdom, farmers are adjusting the diets of turkeys to fit the smaller-sized gatherings that are expected for holidays in 2020. The new “rule of six” that says only six people can gather together means farmers are adjusting their expectations and trying to adjust their animals.

Farmers usually begin fattening up turkeys in summer and early fall in preparation for large Christmas gatherings. A farmer in South Wales has been watching the pandemic changes and has adjusted his own plans accordingly. Nick Davis, a farmer in South Wales told The Sunday Times, “We have to decide what size people want and you can’t even tell me today what size that might be. We can play around with rations a bit, and we can slaughter them a week or 10 days earlier, so we can reduce the size to a certain extent.” Other farmers are putting turkeys on diets to keep them fresher but still the right size for the holiday menu for six.

The only good news about this is that Davis is raising fewer animals, which means fewer animals will be needlessly killed for Christmas dinner. Overall, demand for plant-based meals in the UK continues to rise and the demand for turkeys has been doing down since the mid-2000s. In 2003, 22 million birds were consumed, and by 2019, last year, only 14 million were bought for consumption.

Did you know that 40% of UK households last year skipped the turkey? Reducing your meat intake and eating more plant-based foods is known to help with chronic inflammation, heart health, mental wellbeing, fitness goals, nutritional needs, allergies, gut health and more! Dairy consumption also has been linked many health problems, including acne, hormonal imbalance, cancer, prostate cancer and has many side effects. Learn about some Common Health Concerns That May Disappear Once You Ditch Dairy and 10 Calcium Supplements For Healthy Living on a Dairy-Free and 10 Carrageenan-Free Non-Dairy Products!

Check out these awesome recipes for a turkey-free Thanksgiving:

For those of you interested in eating more plant-based, we highly recommend downloading the Food Monster App — with over 15,000 delicious recipes it is the largest meatless, plant-based, vegan and allergy-friendly recipe resource to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy! And, while you are at it, we encourage you to also learn about the environmental and health benefits of a plant-based diet.

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