Please Help - considering becoming vegetarian

tlcur107 · 07-12-2004, 03:17 PM

Hi everyone,

For a while now I've seriously considered becoming a vegetarian. I do enjoy the taste of meat, but I am a very big animal lover and have a hard time with it. So, I'm considering switching over. The question is.. how do you do it?? I have no recipies, how do you deal with the family/hubby? what do you eat for protein?

I'm sorry if these questions seem so stupid, but I really want to do this and need help. No one in my family is a vegetarian, and I don't know where to start. Any help would be great. TIA!!

Terri

Bethann · 07-12-2004, 07:37 PM

I don't have a lot of time, but feel free to pm me with any more questions.

1. I strongly suggest going to your local borders and looking for cookboooks, there's alot of variety in vegetarian cooking as in any other. My current favorite is The Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen, wonderful, wonderful food, and none of the harder to cook stuff like tofu.

2. Protein: most Americans eat way too much protein. To get a rough idea how many grams you'll need, multiple your weight in pounds by .4, and that's your rough intake for the day. I easily get enough, and I don't eat eggs or dairy. Good sources of protein include low fat dairy, beans, tofu, tempah, meat substitutes.

3. Personally, I don't care for meat substitutes, but they help alot of people (and there families) transition to a meat free diet. You can get vegetarian meatballs, ground beef, chicken nuggets, etc. These will usually be kept in the produce section, not the meat section, of the grocery stores.

4. Family stuff: what my Dh volunteered was that we would keep the house vegetarian, and I wouldn't bug him about what he ate while he was out. This worked perfectly, until he became a vegetarian. Other couples I know, make a shared dish, that the non-vegetarian can add meat too (e.g. tacos, yours made with vegetarian ground beef or refried beans, his made with beef or chicken.) You'll have to think about how you feel about cooking meat for your family (some vegetarian's do, personally, I won't) and about how you feel about meat being cooked in the house.

At the end of my way too long message, I wanted to say good for you, you're taking a positive step for the environment, for animals, and for your health. Once I stopped eating meat, I came to enjoy cooking and eating so much more, because there wasn't any guilt associated with it anymore.

rushgirly · 07-12-2004, 08:14 PM

Unfortunately I don't have a lot of time either....but... here is a link for a vegetarian starter kit: http://www.vegetarianstarterkit.com/

I think the mock meats are a great way to start. Personally, I find Boca products to be the best/most realistic. I use them all the time (however, I've been veggie for a very long time-so I don't remember what most meat tasted like).

I eat eggs (free-range, vegetarian fed, hormone free) and cheese as well-both of which are great protein sources.

I basically base my meals around a protein source (because of being insulin resistant) and add veggies to it. I do eat some whole grains (once a day at most).

PM me as well with any questions or tips (and I'll add more to the thread soon!)
Best wishes!

Gingiesue · 07-21-2004, 11:33 PM

First of all, congrats on your decision to go veg!

My suggestion, coming from a family of carnivores, is to take it slow! Bethann's arrangement with her husband sounds like a good starting point. I don't use cook books, I have no time, I love the frozen vegetarian entrees put out by Amy's and Linda McCartney's company.

I am single and keeping meat out of my place is easy, but when I visit family- it gets tricky. The best way to introduce friends and family to the vegetarian way is by playing up to vegetarian tastes they already have. For example, my parents love vegetarian lasagna- they do not complain of missing meat if I pair this with a nice salad. Soy milk can also be as creamy and rich as the cow variety, and you can experiment with your favorite flavor.

Egg dishes are good too. To wean you from meat, you may want to drop all meats except fish, eggs and milk, then drop fish as well and so on. As far as protein goes, I love the baked tofu that comes in little blocks- you can find it in most decent sized grocery stores and it is cooked and flavored. I like to add it to pizza, pasta and vegetables and casseroles, it gives the texture of a chicken-like substance (sounds gross- I know).

Most importantly, if you do go vegan be sure you are getting all you need vitamin-wise, and an eduation in soy protein and legumes.

I also went veg for animal rights, way to GO!!!!!!!!

Good luck,
Ginger

Here are some good recipe sites:

http://www.vegkitchen.com/

http://vegetarian.allrecipes.com//

Bethann · 07-22-2004, 06:41 AM

As far as protein goes, I love the baked tofu that comes in little blocks- you can find it in most decent sized grocery stores and it is cooked and flavored. I like to add it to pizza, pasta and vegetables and casseroles, it gives the texture of a chicken-like substance (sounds gross- I know).

This stuff is fabulous to cook with, very easy to use and has a lot of flavor. If you have a whole foods near you, they carry a large variety of it in a couple of brands.

specialness · 07-23-2004, 04:16 AM

Having gone veggie over 4 years ago now, I don't miss meat but I guess it depends how good/adventurous a cook you are. Like any diet provided you have a wide variety of food you will get all the nutrients you require, if you continually have the same the diet will be lacking.
As for where to start - I would ask, what sort of meals do you currently eat? I can recommend tonnes of receipes but without know what you eat now its really hard.
If you can give us an idea of what sort of meals you have now I would be happy to recommend alternatives.

melloyello · 08-27-2004, 02:21 PM

Hi
well im no longer vegetarian unfortunately, when i got married my husband insists on eating meat everyday (he is trying to gain weight and really needs to) i cook for him and just eat what i cook because i dont want to make 2 meals, i dont think he would be too happy if i said i wanted to be a vegetarian again.
I was a vegetarian for about say 3 years or so.
I didnt eat fish or chicken or any meat or things with meat fat in (like fires from macD's and stuff like that) however i wasnt very educated about what i did need to eat to keep myself healthy and i became a bit sick from not eating what i needed to eat.
The advice i can give you is make sure you learn about what your body needs in order to remain healthya nd strong, if you notice sores appearing or that wounds heal slower then double check you are eating all you need to be eating. i think the ladies here have given you better advice than i could and im sure they will be able to help you to make sure you know what you need to know to stay healthy.
I sometimes wish i could go back to my vege lifestyle but its so hard now that im married and living here int he US its not as vege friendly as my country.
Anyway good luck and i sure hope that you are happy with your decision *smile* i never regretted my decision even when i was sick.
sincerely
Emman