Growing up, my parents used to call me a carnivore because of how often I ate and how much I loved meat. Yet, one day, I randomly decided to go vegetarian after getting a glimpse of a meatpacking facility. After seeing the facility, I could not bring myself to eat meat. My parents thought I was joking when I said I wanted to be a vegetarian. But, six years later, I have not changed my mind.
The past few years as a vegetarian have definitely been challenging at times. Over the years, I have gathered tips and tricks that make living a vegetarian lifestyle significantly easier. It may seem daunting to completely commit to a vegetarian lifestyle. However, there are small steps you can take to cut back on your animal product consumption that make a huge impact on the environment! Keep reading to learn my tips and tricks.
- Meatless Monday.
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A simple way to cut back on meat consumption is setting aside one day a week to start where you prepare vegetarian or vegan meals. Now, this doesn’t actually have to be on Mondays, but it’s an easy way to begin to dabble in the world of less meat. There are so many delicious vegan and vegetarian options that you can hardly even tell the difference!
- Try a meat substitute.
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There’s a meatless option for just about every type of protein nowadays. Granted, some are definitely better than others, but it is always fun to try out something new! The more you try, the more likely you are to find a product or two that you like… maybe even better than the meat version!
- Dabble in other cuisines.
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There are countries around the world that hardly eat any meat in their diets due to religious or moral reasons. These countries have mastered amazing tasting food without having to incorporate meat at all. I love Indian and Greek cuisine. Find a local restaurant and try it out as a fun date or girl’s night!
- Cut back on one animal product at a time.
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I think people assume that going vegetarian or vegan happens overnight. There is no proper timeline for making the transition. Do what works best for your lifestyle and take it one step at a time. Make the transition slow and steady if you have to! It is not a race, and everyone is different. Try cutting back on chicken (or whatever animal product you prefer) and when that feels natural, cut back on something else!
- Educate yourself.
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The more you know about the meat industry and how it affects the environment, the more likely you’ll be to cut back on animal products. A quick Google search will show dozens of documentaries about these industries and the impact they have on the environment. It is so important to be educated on this topic, even if you don’t commit to the vegetarian lifestyle.
- Have fun!
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Changing your diet doesn’t have to be scary or intimidating. In fact, it can actually be really fun and exciting. I love trying new foods and experimenting with my cooking. Don’t look at it like you are missing out, instead try focusing on all of the new foods you get to try!
If everyone takes small steps and limits their meat and animal product consumption, the environment will thank us. We only get one planet, so why not treat her the best we possibly can?