![In the 19th century, farmers mainly ate Gschwellti – potatoes cooked in their skins – and Emmental cheese, and drank milky coffee. Meat was rarely on the menu.](https://blog.nationalmuseum.ch/app/uploads/essen-vegetarismus-titel-300x225.jpg)
A brief history of vegetarianism in Switzerland
Vegan and vegetarian diets are considered healthy and sustainable. A look at the history of vegetarianism in Switzerland shows how giving up meat created a market of the future.
![Vegan ragout.](https://blog.nationalmuseum.ch/app/uploads/2021-03-19-11-24-00-outlawz-food-auf-instagram-269x300.jpg)
Muesli avant-garde
![Bircher grater from the 1950s.](https://blog.nationalmuseum.ch/app/uploads/bircherraffel-dig-6399-lm-73537-225x300.jpg)
![Portrait of Maximilian Bircher-Benner (1867-1939).](https://blog.nationalmuseum.ch/app/uploads/maximilian-bircher-benner-225x300.jpg)
Green food
![J.C. Müller AG, Veget. Restaurant, A. Hiltl, Vegetarierheim, poster, 1932.](https://blog.nationalmuseum.ch/app/uploads/hiltl-plakat-snl-tour-1066-web-214x300.jpg)
Meat – An exhibition on the Inner Life
![Meat – An exhibition on the Inner Life](https://blog.nationalmuseum.ch/app/uploads/fleisch-grafik-web-258x387-1-200x300.jpg)
In the exhibition ‘Meat – An exhibition on the Inner Life’, the National Library takes the current discussion about meat-based, vegetarian and vegan nutrition as an opportunity to explore historical, literary and artistic perspectives on this special substance.
For a look at the exhibition, visit the website www.nationalbibliothek.ch.