Amy Balcome, an almost naked PETA activist, was drizzled with barbecue sauce on a giant plate in downtown Vancouver Friday, asking people to "Try to Relate to Who is on Your Plate."

Balcome, 28, lay silently on the plate, emblazoned with the campaign slogan, alongside a salad and cutlery to scale, on the corner of West Georgia and Granville streets.

The registered holistic nutritionist joined PETA's international grassroots campaigns department in 2011 and volunteered for the street demonstration after seeing animals slaughtered in a video.

"I stopped eating meat, dairy and eggs. Getting the facts out to people and encouraging them to try vegan dining is the best way to save billions of animals from being abused and killed for food," said Balcome in a statement.

Balcome was accompanied by another PETA activist who stood nearby holding signs reading "Meat Is Murder" and "Save Animals Every Year — Go Vegan" in both English and Chinese.

PETA vice-president of communications Lisa Lange said the protest is designed to get people thinking about where their food comes from ahead of the EAT! Vancouver Food + Cooking Festival.

"PETA is challenging people to think about what 'meat' really is: the corpse of an abused animal who did not want to die," said Lange.

"With all the delicious mock meats and faux dairy products available these days, there's never been a better time to go vegan."

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is the biggest animal rights organization in the world. It is known for provocative campaigns, often targeting factory farming, the fur trade and use of animals in scientific research.

In December last year, actor and animal rights activist Pamela Anderson delivered an oversized stunt cheque for $1 million to the sealers association in St. John's as part of a PETA campaign to end the seal hunt.