World Vegetarian Month: Cooking tips for new vegetarians
Ah, vegetables. They are the gift that keeps on giving. The best of what Mother Nature offers us, they are good for our health, skin, and general well-being.
Every October 1 since 1978, World Vegetarian Day has been marked to promote the “joy, compassion and life-enhancing possibilities of vegetarianism”.
It was started by the North American Vegetarian Society in 1977 and endorsed by the International Vegetarian Union in 1978. Thanks to the global popularity of vegetarianism, October is now regarded as World Vegetarian Month.
The desire to go meat-free is growing in many. However, many people are not quite ready to commit to a vegetarian lifestyle. some are worried that a vegetarian diet will be boring and tasteless.
All it takes is a little information to dispel these doubts. Read on to learn how to successfully adapt to a vegetarian regime.
Recreate old favourites
Just because you take the meat out of your meals, it doesn’t mean you suddenly need to be fancy. Take it from me, recreating your usual minus the meat is the key to your success as a vegetarian.
The common misconception is that you will have to give up your favourite things that taste good and start eating boring things that are difficult to cook, that’s not true.
Make changes at your own pace
The ‘all or nothing’ attitude can sometimes actually get in the way of making any progress at all - even if you’re not ready to start eating 100% vegetarian all in one go, that doesn’t mean you can’t start taking small steps towards reducing your meat consumption.
There are all sorts of different ways you can start to make changes. You can implement Meatless Monday, where you start with just one vegetarian day each week.
You can give up one meat at a time - perhaps start by just avoiding red meat, but still eating chicken and fish, then moving on to the next meat when you’re ready.
Or you can make sure you eat vegetarian breakfasts and lunches but still have a piece of meat at dinnertime. However, if you choose to start reducing your meat intake, make sure you’re doing it at your own pace.
Your vegetarian diet is far more likely to stick if you’re feeling comfortable with the changes, rather than feeling forced to have a total diet turmoil in one go.
Season vegetables the way you would meat
The herbs, spices, and rubs you would normally use for meat have a place in vegetarian cooking too. Love a good lamb fry? Carry those spices into spiced eggs with tzatziki or stuffed sweet potatoes with curried chickpeas.
Into jerk chicken? Take that seasoning blend and put it in a creamy potato salad or collard green-wrapped tofu.
Meal plan with a vengeance
When we don't have a plan, we often buy things we shouldn't at the market or grocery store. Am I right? We follow our cravings and often go for what's easy. Having pasta four nights a week, or more, is rarely the right choice, even if it's vegetarian.
Pick a day in the week, say Sunday, that you will always be able to plan out the meals for the week.
Make a grocery list, and head to the store. And don't forget to include protein snacks in your meal planning.
Incorporate plant-based substitutes
For a vegetarian diet to work, you should try to build in choices that don't make you feel deprived. If you love yoghurt for breakfast, try coconut milk yoghurt as a non-dairy option.
If letting go of red meat is challenging, meat alternatives may be perfect for you. Try your best to choose options with the fewest processed ingredients, and take note of sodium and added sugar counts too.