Starting a vegetarian diet can be hard, as this transition might seem to be more difficult to complete than we think. However, the best way to do this is by gradually shifting from a meat-based diet to a vegetarian one. Otherwise, the change would be too abrupt and chances are we may end up going back to meat after a while. Therefore, we have gathered four simple tips that will help you start a vegetarian diet without missing beef and pork in the process.
Whenever we make the decision to start a vegetarian diet, chances are we might feel like there are really no alternatives for us and that this will be a long and difficult process. However, we should take baby steps when doing this transition, and start by looking for plant-based substitutes to our favorite meals. Tofurkey and veggie dogs are great alternatives for those who just can give up on turkey and hot dogs. Other options include finagling legumes, beans, tofu, and one of the best meat substitutes, soy meat.
If you are not ready to start replacing meals, we recommend adding fruits and vegetables to your favorite meals instead. We tend to think that vegetarian diets include nothing but fruits and vegetables, and this couldn’t be further from the truth. Instead of struggling during the transition, we should start looking for fruits and veggies that we enjoy and add them to our meals. Trying different pizza toppings beside pepperoni or Italian sausage sounds tough, but trying peppers, onions, and mushrooms, for example, to start getting used to the new flavors that we will enjoy.
It might take more than one attempt sticking to a vegetarian diet for some of us, but we must remember that more than a healthy diet, vegetarianism and veganism are a lifestyle. There is a type of vegetarianism that excludes every type of meat except fish and seafood. Pescatarianism can be a great way to switch to a vegetarian diet and getting used to a diet free of red meat will definitely help. Besides, fish is easy to cook, and there are many different types of fish and dishes we can prepare that will make us forget about beef, pork, and poultry without even noticing.
Lastly, we must remember that, nowadays, there are more than enough restaurants and dinners that offer healthy, tasty, and budget-friendly meals that contain no meat whatsoever. A couple of years ago, transitioning to a vegetarian diet seemed to be harder than it is today. However, more and more food companies are paying attention to the vegetarian and vegan market, which is great. Before we completely change our diet, we should try vegetarian take out once a week, figuring out what we like and what we can add to our regular diet. This way, we will get used to a meat-free diet sooner and more easily than drastically changing our habits from one day to the other.
