It is that time of year again, where a portion of the population observes the Christian season of Lent. For those unaffiliated with the Christian faith, one of the traditions of Lent is to abstain from something, or give something up, for 40 days. This can be anything from TV time to sweets to biting your nails. One common lifestyle change people make for Lent is giving up meat or going vegan. Because you are already expected to abstain from meat, with the exception of fish, on Fridays of Lent, it seems totally reasonable to make the jump and cut meat out for the entirety of Lent—or take it a step further and go vegan. This is not an easy feat, however, and many people struggle to make it through the full 40days. From one vegetarian to another, here are some of my suggestions for making it through a meat-free Lent.
First, Some Health Concerns
Cutting an entire food group that is often a large part of people’s diets naturally leads to some health and wellness concerns, so one of the biggest things I tell people is to talk to your doctor. For some people, changing their diet is not going to be a healthy and safe option, and discussing with your primary care physician can prevent a ton of problems stemming from abruptly changing your diet. They can also provide you with tips on how to make it work for you and how to stay as healthy as possible!
Another thing you might want to do is take an iron supplement while you’re trying out no meat. You can buy one at Target or Walmart or incorporate a multivitamin with iron and, even better, B12. This can act as a preventative measure to common nutritional deficiencies from the vegetarian and vegan diet. You can also naturally add iron into your diet with iron rich foods, such as dark leafy greens, beans and apricots!
Now Some “Don’ts” For Cutting Out Meat
The first thing I would recommend is to refrain from relying on fake meat. I know this may sound counterintuitive, but let’s be honest: fake meat will never compare to real meat. This makes sense, of course, since they are wildly different things, but that means you cannot expect fake meat to be meat, and it is going to disappoint you. On top of that, fake meat is extremely expensive in comparison to other things you can buy, so it will save you some money to skip the Beyond Burgers.
Another big thing is to utilize the internet! The internet is your friend when you are anywhere on your vegetarian or vegan journey because it gives you thousands of resources. There are tons of vegetarian and vegan recipes online that range from more complex to five ingredients or fewer. You can find different restaurants that are vegetarian- and vegan-friendly. You can also find content creators that provide their tips and tricks for beefing up the satiety factor in vegan meals or what ingredients to keep stocked in your pantry as a vegetarian. There are so many other ways you can make the internet work for you, since it connects you to the whole world of plant-based living!
Some of My Personal Favorite Ingredients
There are some ingredients and snacks that I like to keep in my pantry as a vegetarian that are staples in my diet. The first thing is probably going to be nutritional yeast. This is especially good for vegans, since it has a lot of the nutty and funky notes that cheese has. Not only is nutritional yeast a great source of a variety of nutrients, but it is also just delicious on its own! I love to sprinkle it on pasta, salads, and popcorn! Another big thing that I keep around is chickpea or lentil pasta. First of all, this is a great way to get a boost of protein and iron in your diet without changing your routine too much. This is also a super easy switch to make even if you’re still eating meat, since it tastes pretty much the same as regular pasta! For one more dinner and lunch item, I would recommend keeping frozen veggies around. There are a million ways you can use frozen veggies, and it is a great thing if you are having a lazy day and want to get some extra nutrients in your diet.
For some breakfast items, I would highly recommend grabbing some steel-cut oats. This is another great way to add a little extra iron to your day, and I love the versatility of oats. You can blend them into a smoothie, make some overnight oats or just make a satisfying, Pinterest-worthy oatmeal bowl. Another sweet item to keep around are dried apricots. Dried apricots are packed with iron and nutrients, and they are a super easy snack that lasts forever in your pantry!
Going Out? Here’s Some Tips to Have The Most Success!
The biggest thing I am going to tell you about going vegetarian is to research restaurants prior to going. The best thing you can do is find the menu online, and find some things that you can eat before you go. This can save you a load of annoyance if you get there and there is nothing that sounds good. If you do not feel like you can eat something at the restaurant, speak up! There are plenty of restaurants in the world, and you should not have to suffer through a night just because your friends are set on a sushi place! If you are going out with people who genuinely care about you, they won’t have any problem with changing their plans a little to accommodate you.
Going plant-based is by no means an easy task. If you are thinking about trying out a vegetarian or vegan diet, you will likely mess up at least once, and that is totally OK! Your journey is just that: yours! You can take as many or as few of these tips as you want, and you can still take them even if you are not planning on going plant-based anytime soon. Good luck on whatever lifestyle journey you are embarking on!