A Year of Being A Vegetarian
July 17, 2006 – 12:39 pmThis month marks one year that my husband and I have been vegetarian.
Funny enough we didn’t really set out to become vegetarians, we were just going to cut back on the amount of meat we ate for a couple weeks and see how it went for us. 52 weeks later it’s sticking.
Here are some of my observations from being a vegetarian.
1. Being a vegetarian isn’t the same as being a “starch-a-tarian.” Even though a lot of foods don’t contain meat and can be considered “vegetarian”, eating foods like chips, white pastas, white breads, and other high calorie foods can keep you chubby. Brown rice and Whole wheat breads are a healthier choice and fresh fruits make for a guilt free dessert.
2. Use your creativity or a cookbook to keep your dinner table interesting. I use a cookbook called “1000 Vegetarian Recipes” by Carol Gelles if I’m looking for something different to whip up for lunch or dinner.
3. I’m happy that I don’t have to shop at the meat counter anymore and I find myself feeling sorry for the poor little live lobsters and crabs that are for sale in the seafood department. 
4. It’s heart healthy. Cholesterol only comes from animal fat, and not eating animal fat would have to be a natural way to decrease it without seeing a doctor or taking prescribed medication.
5. I just feel better!
6. A lot of restaurants don’t offer many vegetarian choices. Most salads served at fast food joints are served with bacon, fried or grilled chicken. Garden salads can be hard to come by.
I know that being a vegetarian isn’t for everyone, but you should give it a try for a day or two and see if you don’t like it. It isn’t that difficult to do and helps to save a few bucks on your grocery bill, too. Remember.. lettuce is cheap and makes for a great salad!
4 Responses to “A Year of Being A Vegetarian”
I go vegetarian a couple days a week sometimes just for a change. I would go entirely meatless, but a) I like chicken a lot! and b) my husband is a true carnivore and would probably faint if he had to go a day without any meat. (or so he says)
I never really thought about how much cheaper it is, but you’re absolutely right. Meat’s pretty expensive.
By Spectra on Aug 8, 2006
What do you like to eat when you go veggie? Any favorites?
By Heather McLaughlin on Aug 9, 2006
I guess one of my favorites is lentil soup with rice. It’s very filling and tastes so good. Another thing I like is textured vegetable protein (you can buy it bulk at the grocery store in the natural foods aisle). It works almost like ground beef and is cheaper than soy crumbles (which I also love) but you do have to rehydrate it first.
By Spectra on Aug 19, 2006