“It sounded so simple: reduce your meat intake and you reduce your impact on climate change. But where do you start?”
— Jenn, Founder of More Than Broccoli
Back in 2017, my partner and I wanted to change the way we eat in line with our values. But we soon realised that we did not know how to cook our meals differently. We had all the right intentions but felt lost and often fell back into old habits. We were used to cooking a limited number of meals and we weren’t sure how to adapt them. So we started experimenting — cutting out red meat first, then chicken, and slowly fish too. What followed were years of experimenting, learning about our food system and the impact of what we eat and drink, and a gradual shift to a fully plant-based diet.
I set up More Than Broccoli in late 2021 to help with this, and to share what I had learned with others. In the years since our first experimentation, I had created a red folder which was now filled with recipe clippings of favourite meals, dishes to try, and notes on how to adapt meals. I wanted to share this with family and friends and challenge myself to keep learning.
Initially, More Than Broccoli launched as a vegetarian blog in 2022 and I posted new, weekly recipes to encourage people to eat vegetarian at least once a week. Halfway through the year, I became vegan and all new recipes I published were fully plant-based.
I’ve since gone back to some of the older recipes to make them fully plant-based too and I have learned so many new recipes and dishes over the years. I love cooking for people and this passion has grown into showing friends and family how delicious, familiar and nourishing a plant-based meal is.
It’s not just about recipes. It’s also about preparation methods, trying new meat substitutes that come to the market, and trying new cuisines. Alongside this, I have learned much more about behaviour change and taking climate action. And I actively read up on new research and global developments relating to sustainable food.
All of this now features on More Than Broccoli. I hope to showcase that a plant-based meal is not only better for our planet, but it can also be a part of our culture, traditions and way of life.