Vegetarianism is not a new concept, in fact, people have been eating this way for thousands of years, with some of the earliest records dating back to ancient Indian civilisations around 3300 BCE. Whatever the reason; animals, planet, health or taste, we think it’s pretty cool so many celebrities and public figures, past and present, have led the way with this.
#1 – Pythagoras
Let’s start by transporting back to the 6th century BCE where the Ancient Greek philosopher Pythagoras – possibly the first documented vegetarian – advocated for kindness and compassion towards all animals. While he’s best known today for his mathematical discoveries, like the Pythagoras Theorem, he was also a pioneer of vegetarianism.
#2 – Leonardo di Vinci
The renowned Italian High Renaissance polymath and painter behind the Mona Lisa, Leonardo di Vinci, was also a nature lover with deep compassion for animals. His writings reveal that he had a strong concern for animal welfare and preserving nature, themes often reflected in his art.
#3 – Leo Tolstoy
Russian author Leo Tolstoy, famed for classics such as War and Peace and Anna Karenina, was one of the first outspoken vegetarians of the 19th century. He adopted vegetarianism for spiritual reasons later in life, believing it was immoral to kill animals for food. As he put it: “A man can live and be healthy without killing animals for food; therefore, if he eats meat, he participates in taking animal life merely for the sake of his appetite. And to act so is immoral.”
#4 – Mahatma Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi, a lawyer who led India to independence from British rule in 1947, was famous for his philosophy of nonviolence – not just towards people, but animals as well. He famously said: “The greatest of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way it’s animals are treated.” Interestingly, he was also a member of the London Vegetarian Society!
#5 – Albert Einstein
The mastermind behind the theory of relativity, Albert Einstein, was not only a groundbreaking physicist, but also a late-life vegetarian and civil right advocate. His words resonate today: “Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet”.
#6 – Rosa Parks
A prominent figure in the fight for racial equality, Rosa Parks earned the tittle ‘Mother of the Civil Rights Movement’ for her bravery in sparking the Montgomery bus boycott. Though she became vegetarian later in life due to health issues, she stated that even in her youth she was “not in the practice of eating a lot of meat”.
#7 – Jeff Beck
Guitarist Jeff Beck adopted vegetarianism in the late 1960s, maintaining this lifestyle for over 50 years. In 1994, he joined Paul McCartney in the studio to record an environmental message that began with the poignant question, “Why are they cutting down the rainforest?”. Watch his full message here:
#8 – Chrissie Hynde
Lead singer and co-founder of the rock band The Pretenders, Chrissie Hynde, has been a vegetarian and animal rights activist for many years. In 1994 she urged people to choose meat free, highlighting how much of the world’s edible crops are fed to livestock when they could instead be used to feed people: “If you made that little change in your diet, you’d be helping people to live.” Watch her full message here:
#9 – Elvis Costello
Singer-songwriter and producer Elvis Costello, has been vegetarian since the 1980s. In 1994 he pointed out that clearing the rainforest to rear livestock and produce feed results in thousands of species of animals going extinct. “I think the days when we could all eat, drink and to hell with the consequences are long gone.” Watch his full message here:
#10 – Billie Eilish
Singer-songwriter Billie Eilish is not the Bad Guy here, in fact she’s Happier Than Ever with her choice to not eat any animal products for Lunch. From having music venues go vegan and opening her own plant-based restaurant, we think it’s Lovely that she uses her platform for good. Watch Billie Eilish wish Meat Free Monday a happy 10th birthday back in 2019:
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#11 – Woody Harrelson
Award-winning actor, Woody Harrelson, known for his roles in TV series such as Cheers and True Detective and films such as White Men Can’t Jump, Kingpin, and The People vs. Larry Flynt is a long-standing vegan. About Meat Free Monday he said: “Try it, you might like it … and the planet definitely will appreciate it.” Watch Harrelson alongside Emma Stone and Paul, Mary and Stella McCartney, in our very own documentary short ‘One Day a Week’.
#12 – Gabrielle Aplin
Have you ever tried a Chickpea Omelette? Singer-songwriter Gabrielle Aplin cooks it up, along with other tasty dishes, in her vegan cookery series on YouTube, #FoodWithFriends. Aplin adopted a vegan diet after befriending a lost lamb. She supports Meat Free Monday, saying: “Even if you’re not veggie, vegan or plant-based, reducing our meat and dairy consumption, even for just one day a week, has a positive impact on our planet, the animals we share it with and our own personal health.”
#13 – Romesh Ranganathan
British actor, comedian and presenter Romesh Ranganathan uses humour to share the reasons behind his plant-based lifestyle. Watch him interview Meat Free Monday co-founders Paul, Mary and Stella McCartney about their cookbook Linda McCartney’s Family Kitchen.
#14 – Lucy Watson
Rising star since her ‘Made in Chelsea’ debut, Lucy Watson is a reality TV personality, model, animal right activist, businesswoman and author of cookbook Feed Me Vegan. Try four of the delicious dishes from the book: Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagne, Fajitas with Corn Salsa, Rocky Road and Chocolate and Coconut Bars.
#15 – Alicia Silverstone
‘As if’ actress Alicia Silverstone wouldn’t be on the list! Well known for her generation-defining role in Clueless, Silverstone is also an animal activist and cookbook author. On veggie eating she said: “We know that this is THE most important thing we can do to save our earth, and it’s also the best thing we can do for our health. Plus it’s so yummy!”. Try her recipe for Black Eyed Pea Croquettes with Dijon Glaze.
#16 – Joanna Lumley
Long-time supporter of Meat Free Monday Joanna Lumley turned vegetarian long before playing the iconic Patsy Stone on TV sitcom ‘Absolutely Fabulous’. Unlike her character, she is a compassionate human rights and animal welfare activist, earning an OBE in 1995. On Meat Free Monday, she said: “Just think how the world will benefit from fewer trees being cut to make way for grazing animals. Just imagine how many lives, both animal and human you will help to save.”
And let’s not forget the McCartney family, including Paul, Mary and Stella McCartney who founded Meat Free Monday!
#17 – Linda McCartney
Linda McCartney was a photographer, musician, cookbook author and activist who embraced kindness and compassion in everything she did. An original food pioneer, she founded Linda McCartney Foods over 30 years ago when vegetarianism wasn’t the mainstream movement it is today.
#18 – Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney changed the world forever with The Beatles before going on to continue to push boundaries and make music history with his group Wings and as a solo artist. He and Linda became vegetarians 50 years ago after seeing lambs playing on their farm while eating lamb, leading them to make the choice to stop eating meat. Read Paul’s life in meat free food’ interview here.
#19 – Mary McCartney
Mary McCartney is a world-renowned photographer, filmmaker, author and sustainable food pioneer. Brought up in a vegetarian household, she co-founded Meat Free Monday with her father Paul and sister Stella. She said: “The good news is that if you don’t want to go completely vegetarian, even reducing your meat intake has a significant effect towards helping curb climate change.” Watch Mary cook up a Modern Shepherd’s Pie here:
#20 – Stella McCartney
Stella McCartney is a fashion designer, known for her commitment to eco-friendly practices and cruelty-free designs. A lifelong vegetarian, she was honoured with a CBE by His Royal Highness King Charles III in recognition of her services to fashion and sustainability. About Meat Free Monday, she said: “We’re not perfect. This campaign is about changing your eating habits in a small way but it having a big impact. Something is better than nothing.”
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