Nostalgia and traditions are ‘major barriers’ to plant-based adoption, study finds

From theplantbasemag.com

A new study from the University of Stirling, Scotland, has identified nostalgia as a major barrier in preventing adoption of plant-based diets.

The research, led by Aga Kosla of the university’s Faculty of Natural Sciences, highlighted how links to childhood, cultural identity and a sense of home can make dietary changes feel like a loss of self or tradition.

Attachment is less often about meat itself and more about links to personal experiences and culture, the study revealed. It points out that current efforts to encourage people to adopt plant-based diets often focus on health, ethics, animal rights or the environment, while overlooking personal and social connections to food.

“Our research shows that dietary change is not just a practical or nutritional issue,” said lead author Kosla. “Food is tied to identity, belonging and family life, so vegan advocacy, activism and public health messaging needs to engage with those emotional and cultural attachments.”

The study interviewed 24 regular meat consumers to explore their attitudes and memories related to food. Data was analysed using a technique called reflexive thematic analysis, used to identify patterns. Researchers then developed themes to explain their findings.

The team explained that this method ‘embraces the positionality and lived experiences’ of the researchers to facilitate transparency about any bias or prior belief each researcher holds.

Traditional, nostalgic foods, such as turkey at Christmas, were strongly linked to family gatherings, celebrations and cultural identities, initially acting as a barrier to change.

However, the researchers found that participants became more open to vegan alternatives when asked to reflect more deeply, particularly if those alternatives could recreate the same social experience or emotional meaning.

The study also found that friends were seen as more flexible and accommodating of plant-based diets than family, where traditional food practices appeared harder to change.

Researchers believe the findings could help plant-based food producers, campaigners and public health organisations make plant-based options feel les like a loss by recreating nostalgic or culturally significant dishes using vegan ingredients.

Psychologist Carol Jasper, a vegan and primary supervisor for the project, said this could help reduce social barriers people face, particularly in family settings.

“Like culinary traditions from the past, the food of the future, crafted without the inclusion of meat and other animal-derived ingredients, may also evoke a sense of nostalgia and encourage the creation of new customs that can resonate with and enrich future generations,” Jasper commented.

https://www.theplantbasemag.com/news/nostalgia-and-traditions-are-major-barriers-to-plant-based-adoption-study-finds