The Real Barrier to Eating Less Meat? It’s Not Conviction, It’s the Kitchen Table

At Solid Stash, we recently asked 105 of our customers about their biggest challenges in eating more plant-based meals. The results were clear: most Flemish families want to eat more sustainably, but not if it means extra work, more arguments, or cooking two separate meals.

Nearly a quarter of respondents said their “partner/kids don’t like it” is the main barrier to cooking plant-based more often. Others mentioned it’s “too much work” or that they “don’t know what to choose.” As our founder Lily Imschoot puts it: “Resistance to plant-based food is rarely ideological. It’s practical. It’s about family dynamics. At 6pm, dinner just needs to work.”

Nostalgia as a Gateway to Small Shifts

Instead of radical changes, families are looking for micro-shifts: familiar, tasty dishes that just happen to be plant-based. Our survey showed a clear demand for plant-based versions of classic comfort foods. Customers specifically asked for “spaghetti with meatballs in tomato sauce,” “more kid-friendly dishes,” and “plant-based versions of classics.”

On busy evenings, families still often turn to fries or quick supermarket meals, even if it doesn’t always feel great afterwards. As one respondent shared: “We get fries or something easy from the supermarket, but it doesn’t really make me happy afterwards.”

From Ballet Class to Plant-Based Pioneers

This insight led to a collaboration rooted in more than just business. Lily Imschoot (Solid Stash) and Caroline Vercauteren (BonMush) have known each other since childhood ballet classes in Lokeren. Today, they each run their own food company in West Flanders, united by a mission: making plant-based eating mainstream, without polarization or hassle.

Their “BonStash” collaboration brings a plant-based version of one of the most nostalgic and family-friendly Flemish dishes: meatballs in tomato sauce with kid-approved veggie mash.

Locally Made, Comfortingly Familiar

BonMush creates plant-based products from locally grown oyster mushrooms. For this collaboration, their vegan mince (not available in stores) forms the base of handmade meatballs, oven-roasted and served in a mild, creamy tomato sauce.

The accompanying veggie mash tastes just as comforting and looks like the classic version, but “accidentally” includes cauliflower, celeriac, parsnip, and legumes for extra nutrition and a happier gut.

No extreme reinvention—just a subtle shift towards more plants.

Plant-Based Without Polarization

“With this collaboration, we want to show that plant-based food can be delicious, easy, and bring the whole family together,” say Lily Imschoot and Caroline Vercauteren. “Everyone deserves nourishing comfort food that makes everyone at the table happy—and if it’s good for the planet too, that’s a great bonus.”