Entering the World of Vegetarianism

A vegetarian diet appeals to people in a variety of different ways. For some, it's an ethical choice. To others, it's for health reasons and still, other people give up meat for spiritual reasons. But whatever the reason, getting started on a vegetarian diet doesn't need to be a difficult thing. Of course, if you're a meat lover who eats steak or chicken every single day, it will likely be harder to give up meat. But, for those who only eat meat occasionally, it won't be much of a stretch to eliminate meat all together.

To ease your mind and body into a meat free diet, it's best to begin reducing your consumption of meat a bit at a time. Change one or two meals a day into a delicious meat free meal. Try a salad packed with veggies like cucumber, tomatoes, carrots, cheese, egg and a tasty dressing. A hearty salad won't leave you hungry and craving for meat. Since I mentioned cheese and eggs, this would be a good time to define the different types of vegetarianism. An ovo-lacto vegetarian eats dairy and eggs. Ovo for eggs and lacto for dairy (lactose). If you choose to keep dairy and/or eggs in your diet, then add egg or cheese into your foods for extra taste and protein. If you decide to eliminate all animal based products from your diet, then you will need to keep eggs and dairy products out of your diet.

Now, once you've started changing your diet, begin exploring vegetarian cookbooks for new and interesting recipes. Keep it exciting and fun so you won't become bored with bland foods. Some delicious and nutritious vegetarian main dishes include things like bean and nut loaf (instead of meat loaf) or a 'meat' loaf made with soy based crumbled non-meat. Grocery stores also stock a fair variety of meat free soy 'chicken' patties, 'sausage' patties and veggie burgers. I've tried most of these and find the taste great. Veggie burgers can be dressed up with lettuce, tomatoes, onion, dressing or ketchup or even mushrooms and barbeque sauce. Even some fast food restaurants, like Burger King, have veggie burgers. And if you want to de-meat fast food, just ask the counter person to make your burger or taco without meat.

After you've lightened your diet and started eating more veggie foods, eliminate another meat meal until you are completely vegetarian. You'll find it won't be too hard at this point, just another small step. One important thing to remember is that by eliminating meat, you must substitute the protein, iron and other vitamins in meat with alternatives. Broccoli, spinach and fortified cereals are great ways to increase your iron intake. Soy and tofu are high in protein, so are nuts and beans. It's a good idea to get a check up at the doctor to have your iron and protein levels monitored. Supplementing your diet with vitamins is an excellent way to keep your body healthy.

I've been vegetarian for more than six years and love to experiment with recipes. I make a wonderful vegetarian Sheppard's pie using cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, asparagus, onions and mushrooms and make the gravy using corn starch and vegetable broth. To boost the flavor of mashed potatoes, rice or soup stock, use vegetable broth. It'll enhance anything. With all the options and restaurants offering vegetarian choices, the switch to a vegetarian diet really won't be all that difficult. Good luck in your journey of becoming meat free!