News Release
Contact: Leslie Raabe, 202-527-7319, lraabe@pcrm.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | Sept. 3, 2026
BOSTON — As Massachusetts families face a significant increase in food costs, a new statewide survey finds strong support for expanding access to affordable plant-based proteins. Nearly three-quarters of Massachusetts adults (72%) say public institutions should offer meals with plant-based proteins alongside animal-based options when it saves taxpayers money. In addition, 61% are already aware that plant-based proteins tend to be more affordable sources of protein.
"People are looking for ways to make their food dollars go further, and beans, lentils, peas, and tofu can help do exactly that," says Xavier Toledo, MS, RDN, of Cape Cod, a dietitian with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, a public health nonprofit that commissioned the poll.
The poll showed overwhelming support (74%) for legislation known as the Bean New Deal , which lawmakers are expected to revisit. The bill would expand access to plant-based protein options in public institutions throughout the state, expand access to plant-based options in senior nutrition programs and WIC food packages, and incorporate nutrition education related to plant-based proteins into culinary arts education and other nutrition programs.
The survey also found:
"Protein doesn’t have to come with a high price tag,” Toledo says. “Beans, lentils, peas, and tofu are affordable staples that can make satisfying, nutritious meals. If we know these foods can help stretch food budgets, people should have the opportunity to choose them alongside other protein options."
Plant-based diets have been shown to help improve childhood obesity , an epidemic that increases the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease, conditions that are increasingly common among Massachusetts children . A low-fat, plant-based diet also lowers the risk of heart disease in obese children by improving weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels, according to a Cleveland Clinic study .
Morning Consult conducted the poll Aug. 4-8, 2026, among 530 Massachusetts adults. The margin of error is plus or minus 4 percentage points.
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Survey
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