I had always been interested in becoming a vegetarian, but had never had enough incentive to do so until I read Eating Animals by Safran Foer. An interesting read, Foer describes factory farming and the benefits of vegetarianism for animals, Mother Earth, and us. Having struggled with the idea of giving up meat my entire life, I completely sympathize with the majority of people who are just not willing to stop eating meat. But in order to help people who have always played with the idea of being a vegetarian, I’ve listed different ways to lower the amount of meat intake and still attain the correct amount of protein.
I also researched and found out that it is more environmentally sustainable to become a vegetarian or to at least lower the amount of meat you eat. Becoming a vegan reduces a person’s ecological footprint more so than buying a hybrid car. So for all environmentally aware people out there, you should definitely try and sustain yourself on a more environmentally friendly diet!
1. Try buying animal products from family farms. Family farms take care of their animals and allow them to lead a normal life. The meat also contains less chemicals, so it is healthier for you!
2. Try putting beans and rice in your salad (sort of like a Chipotle burrito bowl) and guacamole too. This will allow you to have a healthy meal and get your daily protein without going hungry or needing to eat meat.
3. The Boylan Veggie Burger. Try it. It is amazing.
4. Instead of using cold cuts in your sandwiches, try putting cheese and beans and toasting the bread. Be creative, the results are amazing!
5. Experiment with tofu. I know it sounds scary, but I tried making Asian Red Curry with tofu from a recipe I found online and it came out delicious.
6. Come up with vegetarian snacks. Try cutting a cucumber in half horizontally, carving out the middle part, and then filling the cucumber with parmesan cheese. Squeeze some lemon juice over it and it’s ready!
7. And my personal favorite meal: freshly cut tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and balsamic vinegar.
There are so many vegetarian options that are good! Try and you’ll see that reducing your meat intake isn’t as daunting a task as you think.