From Thailand’s Vegetarian Festival to the Rise of Plant-Based Eating Among the New Generation

Thailand’s long-standing Vegetarian Festival may have laid the cultural foundation for today’s growing plant-based movement among younger generations.

Every year during the festival, cities across the country turn bright yellow, a symbol of devotion, as countless people simultaneously give up meat. Restaurants adapt to their menus, offering plant-based alternatives to meet the rising demand. But beyond being a religious ritual, this annual tradition reflects a deep-rooted cultural connection to plant-based living. It has made Thais naturally familiar with eating meals made entirely from plants, even if they are just for a few days each year.

Additionally, this is precisely what makes healthy eating and plant-based meals feel far from new to Thai people. During the Vegetarian Festival, it’s common to seek out meat substitutes that provide enough protein for daily meals. In that sense, adopting a plant-based diet is a natural extension of eating habits we’ve long been familiar with. What was once an annual practice during the festival has now evolved into a lifestyle that can be embraced every day, no longer driven solely by faith, but by new motivations such as health, wellness, and sustainability.    

For the new generation like Gen Z, choosing to eat plant-based food isn’t about imitating the traditional vegetarian culture, but about adapting it to their everyday lives. They seek food that supports their health and reduces dependence on meat without compromising taste. To them, healthy food must be nutritious yet still delicious. And if it looks cool and shows care for the planet when shared on social media, it becomes an image to be proud of. 

Healthy food entrepreneurs are seeing this shift clearly. Customers no longer wait for the Vegetarian Festival; they’re now looking for plant-based options all year round. Restaurants that can create plant-based dishes that are tasty, appealing, and on-trend are winning the hearts of this new generation of diners. Ingredients like plant-based cream have become a bridge between tradition and modernity, allowing chefs to craft savory dishes, desserts, and beverages that are just as creamy and delicious as those made with dairy, while being better for both health and the planet.

Introducing Flora Professional Plant-Based Cream, a plant-based alternative to dairy cream, made entirely from plants and free from allergens, yet offering the same rich taste and creamy texture as traditional cream. It’s perfect for every menu, whether for mixing beverages, whipping cream, decorating cakes, or making sauces and soups.

What was once simply the Vegetarian Festival has now become an inspiration for a plant-based lifestyle that’s increasingly part of everyday life. It’s not just a passing trend, but the beginning of a new way of eating — one that values great taste, good health, and care for the environment.