Over 160 Million Plant-Based Wings Will Be Eaten During Super Bowl 2023

DronG/Shutterstock

By Arianna Endicott|Updated: Feb. 10, 2023 2:19 pm EST

Snacks are an essential part of any Super Bowl party. According to Better Homes & Gardens, some of the most popular party snacks are the classics: pizza, nachos, chips, and dips. The site reports that around 36% of Americans consider chicken wings to be a must-have for any Super Bowl party, with nearly 1.4 billion chicken wings eaten for Super Bowl Sunday each year, as per the National Chicken Council.

Chicken wings actually became a Super Bowl staple thanks to sports bars, according to NPR. Wings were cheap and convenient to cook for a crowd, so they became a go-to for bar patrons seeking a meal while watching the big game.

Now, thanks to some plant-based meat alternatives, it's easy for people following all diets to enjoy some kind of wings during their Super Bowl parties. One organization is predicting that plant-based wings are going to be present at quite a few parties this year.

Many will turn to plant-based options this year

JeniFoto/Shutterstock

Compassion in World Farming, an organization dedicated to changing the farming system for a more sustainable future, has just released its predictions for Super Bowl LVII. According to a press release from the organization, over 10 million Americans are expected to eat 160 million plant-based "chicken" wings during the celebration.

This number comes from a few calculations, according to the press release. Data shows that roughly 100 million Americans watch the Super Bowl each year. Around 6% of Americans follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, while 33.5% consider themselves "flexitarians," or have reduced the amount of meat they eat.

With brands like Gardein and MorningStar Farms offering plant-based options in grocery stores, and chains like Wing Snob and Buffalo Wild Wings selling meatless options on their menus, it's easier than ever for Americans to enjoy a plant-based meal. The plant-based meat alternative industry has grown over the last few years, as per the press release, with the entire industry expected to double in the next four years.