PAIt’s officially Veganuary, and even the most carnivorous of your mates are chucking a bit of Quorn mince in their lasagne.
But I must say, I never expected to see Meat Loaf browsing the Linda McCartney section. With a name practically oozing meatiness, I kind of imagined the 72-year-old rockstar would feast on buckets of bat wings come the weekend.
However, it turns out there’s a very caring side to the Real Dead Ringer For Love singer behind the scary jewellery and dramatic music videos. And this January, he’s encouraging fans to go vegan.
PAMeat Loaf has joined forces with Frankie & Benny’s to promote its new vegan menu during Veganuary, a menu including tasty dishes such as Vegan Loaded Skins, a Vegan Hot Dog and the Calzone Vegano.
However, with the sort of trademark stubbornness we first encountered with his epic goth-dad anthem I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That), Meat Loaf has point blank refused to change his name to ‘Veg Loaf’. And absolutely fair enough.
You can watch the trailer for this cruelty-free collab below:
Even though Meat Loaf isn’t too keen on changing his name, it’s clear cutting down on meat consumption is a cause he’s passionate about, and rightly so.
Meat Loaf has made the following statement:
When Frankie & Benny’s first approached me to rebrand to Veg Loaf I said no way in hell – I won’t do that.
But, I’d do anything for our planet and dropping meat for veg, even for just one day a week, can make a huge difference – which is why I’m backing Frankie’s new vegan menu.
He continued:
I’ve had a sneak peek at the new menu, and after hearing you folks went crazy over a vegan sausage roll last year, I know you’ll love this.
Frankie & Benny'sElise Ash, Director of Strategy & Brand at Frankie & Benny’s, has made the following statement:
We wanted to encourage diners to swap Meat for Veg this January, so who better to sign up than one of the most recognised artists on the planet.
Funnily enough, our new video isn’t far off the original real-life pitch to Meat. While we couldn’t convince him to rebrand to VEG LOAF, we’re just delighted he’s the headline act for our new vegan menu and helping spread the word on the benefits of tucking into our meat-free dishes.
PAIt’s not clear whether or not Meat Loaf himself has opted to completely commit himself to veganism this month. However, he was once a vegetarian for 11 years so no doubt he can already make a mean tofu stir fry.
Speaking with the Mirror, Meat Loaf recalled how a grisly meal he was served in 1981 led to him going veggie for over a decade:
I ordered rabbit and they served it with its head on, no ears and its eyes closed. I said, ‘Take this away and I want vegetables and a salad,’ and from that moment I became vegetarian for maybe 11 years.
Eventually, Meat Loaf ended up bringing meat back into his diet for health-related reasons:
I stopped because I wanted to lose weight. The carbohydrate diet worked to a point, I lost 30lb but it went right back on. I lost 70lb on the low-fat no-sugar diet. You don’t need calories, you need a lifestyle change… and less fat.
PAMeat consumption is one of the biggest environmental concerns facing our planet. According to PETA, animal agriculture produces more greenhouse gases than all the planet’s transportation systems combined.
The production of just one hamburger uses up enough fossil fuel to drive a small car for 20 miles, while an average pig factory will generate the same volume of raw waste as a city populated with 12,000 people.
With so many delicious meat-free meals readily available at your local supermarket or high street chain, it’s never been a better time to try going vegan and reduce your smudge on our beautiful planet.
If you have a story you want to tell, send it to UNILAD via [email protected]
Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.