Student consumer acceptance of plant-forward burrito bowls in which two-thirds of the meat has been replaced with legumes and vegetables: The Flexitarian Flip™ in university dining venues

Negative health and environmental implications call for a shift from the traditional Western diet to a healthier, more sustainable diet; a suggested method for implementing such a shift is the consumption of more plant protein and less animal protein. This research tested the Flexitarian Flip™ with student consumers (n = 150) in a full meal-sized mixed dish (burrito bowls) in the dining venue context, by partially replacing meat (two-thirds replacement) with legumes and vegetables. Hedonic, satisfaction, and satiation measures were collected for three versions of a burrito bowl recipe: HM Mild (high meat control, with mild salsa), LM Mild (low meat, with mild salsa) and LM Spicy (low meat, with spicy salsa). Overall, the dishes that were lower in meat and higher in vegetables and legumes (LM Mild and LM Spicy) were found to be just as acceptable, satiating, and satisfying as the control meat-centric dish (HM Mild), demonstrating parity in student acceptance of the plant-forward dishes. Five consumer preference segments were identified and characterized using the preferences in this study as well as information collected in an extensive exit survey. Based on the outcome of this work and previous research, a mixture of legumes and vegetables is recommended as a partial replacement for meat in mixed dishes such as burrito bowls, with a trigeminal boost to maintain consumer acceptability and perceived saltiness and flavor complexity. The present study demonstrates that this concept translates to full meal portions. Further testing of the Flexitarian Flip™ is recommended in other recipes and cuisines.