Remember the days when going meatless meant only sacrifice or starvation? You either opted for cheese pizza instead of pepperoni on a Friday night or ate an iceberg lettuce wedge with diced carrots and celery and a light dressing as part of a diet.

My how things have changed. While many people still sacrifice meat throughout the year for religious reasons, no longer is the act relegated only to Fridays in Lent or when you can no longer button your pants.

In fact, according to a recent study, one in three American consumers consider themselves a flexitarian (someone who eats mainly a vegetarian diet, but who occasionally eats meat or fish). In addition, more than half of those interviewed said they swap meat for plant-based ingredients in their meals every day.

Whether you count yourself among the one in three or are simply curious to know more, together with Chef Dan we dug into what it means to enjoy a meatless meal.

Meatless Options Abound at Wings and Rings

While you can always find our popular seafood options like the Haddock Fish N’ Chips and the Fried Shrimp Basket on our menu, did you know that we have more than 20 meatless options from which to choose?

For starters, many diners love to choose our Cauliflower Wings (Korean Cauliflower Wings are Chef Dan’s pick!), which are hand-breaded, fried, and ready to get saucy. Other options include our Fried Pickle Chips, Korean Shrimp, Pretzel Bites, and our Loaded Cauliflower.

If you’re a salad type, we’ve got your plant-based number. Our Caesar and Garden Salads will leave you completely satisfied. If you’re more interested in something like a Harvest Salad or Classic Cobb, you will have to ask your server to hold the meat. However, you’ll still be served greens that are anything but sad, as our salads are piled high with other tasty toppings like candied pecans, dried cranberries, olives, blue cheese, fresh apples, and more.

You won’t have to flip right past the burger options on our menu, either. While all of our burgers can be made to order, we think you’ll find our Southwestern Veggie Burger paired with fries or our Loaded Cauliflower to be the perfect amount of plant protein to keep you smiling and satisfied all day long.

In the baskets section, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to discover not just our beer-battered haddock, but also our Fried Shrimp Basket. Add a side of steamed broccoli and your meatless meal becomes the real deal.

Why Choose Plant-Based Meals?

1. Plants are good for your health. Eating less meat is good for you. While we agree with everything in moderation, too much fatty meat can raise your cholesterol and your risk of heart disease. It’s better to limit these meat choices to once or twice a week, and mix it up with leaner meats like chicken and fish or go plant-based for one meal a day. Chef Dan recommends eating fish or seafood at least once a week.
2. Plants are protein-packed. While eating meat is a great source of protein and other nutrients, you can also get those same nutrients by eating plants. Beans, lentils, and even broccoli are all great plant-based sources of protein. Avocados and chia seeds are excellent sources of healthy fats, and oranges and kiwis are high in calcium.
3. Plants are good for the environment. Eating more plant-based foods can help combat climate change by increasing the amount of agriculture grown to feed a population that more often is choosing to go meatless.
4. Plant-based diets are anything but boring. We’ve come a looong way in the culinary field in the way we incorporate plants into our dining options. From cauliflower wings to vegetarian chili and from veggie burgers to chickpea croutons, people are quickly coming around to the plant side.

Wings & Rings crafts meatless menu items by bringing flavor to the forefront. “Flavor first! We try to develop items with flavor profiles that attract guests regardless of their dining preferences,” Chef Dan says. “Our Cauliflower Wings are a perfect example.”

While we can’t vouch for other restaurants, you can rest assured that at Wings & Rings we’ll not only satisfy your meatless needs, but go one step further to make sure they’re just as flavorful and filling as our meat options.

Ready to see what all the fuss is about? Don’t wait, go to your nearest Wings & Rings today or order online!