Lent rolls around every year, and like clockwork, Catholics everywhere find themselves staring longingly at a cheeseburger before remembering—no meat on Friday!

meme of a piece of steak on a fork with a red cross over it, accompanied by the text 'THE BEST NO MEAT ON FRIDAY MEME DUMP' against a dark radial background.

That’s right, during Lent, Catholics abstain from eating meat on Fridays as a form of fasting and sacrifice. But let’s be honest… the real sacrifice is when you realize too late and have to awkwardly pick the pepperoni off your pizza.

But fear not, because while your plate might be missing a juicy steak, your timeline doesn’t have to be dry. The internet delivers no meat on Friday memes every year, and they are chef’s kiss if, of course, that chef is making fish sticks or a questionable fast-food Filet-O-Fish.

A meme showing a distracted boyfriend looking at another woman labeled "MEAT" while his girlfriend labeled "FRIDAY DURING LENT" looks at him disapprovingly.

From Catholics debating if chicken counts (it doesn’t) to last-minute McDonald’s runs for a fish sandwich, these Lent memes perfectly sum up the struggle.

Some people embrace the tradition with gourmet seafood feasts, while others are scraping together a meal with a single can of tuna and a prayer. Either way, the memes make it all a little more bearable.

A man with a mustache in a maroon suit leans over a news desk, holding a microphone. The text above reads 'BREAKING NEWS...' and below reads 'IF YOU'RE CATHOLIC, PUT DOWN THAT CHEESEBURGER! THAT'S RIGHT NO MEAT ON FRIDAYS. IT'S LENT, PEOPLE! STAY CLASSY... AND STICK TO THE FISH!' The setting has a wooden backdrop with clocks displaying different time zones.

So, if you’ve ever found yourself Googling “Can I eat bacon during Lent?” or staring at a BBQ menu in despair, this meme dump is for you. Grab your fish tacos, avoid the deli section, and let’s laugh through these 40 days together! Onto the No Meat on Friday memes!

1. Catholic Guilt is Real

Text on a black background that reads, "Catholic guilt hits different when you realize you just ate a steak on a Friday."

As a former Catholic, I can testify that Catholic guilt is real – even after you have left the religion. It goes especially hard between Ash Wednesday and Easter!

2. Fish on Friday

A man with a stressed expression captioned 'When you realize it’s Lent and you’ll be eating fish every Friday until Easter.'

How many ways can you eat fish? Now’s the time of the year to find out!

3. Only Celebrating Lent

A meme featuring a man tapping his temple, with text above and below him saying, "If you don't celebrate Lent, you can eat meat on Friday."

Your body, your choice!

4. Catholic During Lent on Fridays Be Like

A threepanel meme featuring a woman in a red outfit enthusiastically pointing and holding a microphone. The caption reads: "Catholics on Friday be like: You get no meat, you get no meat, everybody gets fish!" referencing the Catholic practice of abstaining from meat on Fridays.

Friday fish fry, anybody?

5. Jesus Never Said Don’t Eat Meat During Lent

A stylized image of Jesus with the text, "psst... I never said to not eat meat on Fridays during Lent, that was the Catholic Church," beside him.

The Catholic Church’s practice of abstaining from meat on Fridays commemorates Jesus Christ’s crucifixion on Good Friday, encouraging acts of penance and reflection among the faithful.

Traditionally, this Friday Fast or abstinence to meat applies from warm-blooded animals, while cold-blooded creatures like fish were permitted. This practice has been observed for centuries and continues to be a meaningful tradition for many Catholics.

6. Forgot About Lent Fridays

A cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato, pickles, and cheese in a sesame seed bun, with the text above reading, "I'm not saying I forgot it was Friday, but this cheeseburger says otherwise."

That light bulb that it’s Friday during Lent usually pops in my head 3 bites into a delicious cheeseburger or taco.

7. Just Say No to Beef on Meatless Fridays

A closeup of a cow looking curiously at the camera with the text 'NOPE, NOT ON FRIDAY' in bold white letters above its head.

8. Fridays During Lent While Catholic

Meme with a man gesturing with his hand, captioned "A Catholic simply does not eat meat during Lent on Fridays."

While the no meat is predominantly a Catholic ritual during the Lenten season, there may be others who choose to go meatless on Fridays for other reasons.

9. Restraining from Meat