Vegetarianism: A How-To Guide

Vince's preschool teacher was asking him if he ate meat (I'm assuming it was in reference to the Thanksgiving Feast they're planning for next week.)   She knows that I don't eat meat and I was so impressed that she thought to ask him if he did.  He does, but isn't really sure about it.  He's always asking, "Is this animal?" when I make steak for Evan and he gives Vince some.  He gets mad sometimes and tells me to stop making animal.  I'm not really sure how to approach this with him.  With Caden, I opted for the shock method--explaining exactly where the food came from and the process it goes through to get to your plate.  He quit eating meat for a few months in Kindergarten, but decided to  it wasn't for him.  It was the pepperoni that did him in.  Anyway, I started talking to Vince's teacher, Stephanie, about meat.  She said her family doesn't eat much meat anymore, just chicken.  She said they've discussed becoming vegetarians but are worried about--can you guess??---protein.  I was impressed that she was concerned about the soy content in "fake" meats which is a good thing to worry about--when you eat a lot of it.  So, I've decided to talk about how to transition to a vegetarian diet--again.  I know lots of people like the idea and would like to try it, but don't really know HOW.  I also know people who would like to incorporate MORE meat into their diets, but are limited by the number of meals in a day. Steak just doesn't lend itself to a snack.  So here goes:



The First Rule of Vegetarianism--there are no rules. There are no membership dues.  No one checks up on you.  It's not an all or nothing kind of thing.  If you decided that roasted chicken sounds really good to you--eat it!  I think a lot of people are afraid of "being vegetarian" because it's such a label.  It's what you want it to be.  I know people that call themselves vegetarian but still eat a lot of fish.  I say I'm a vegetarian but I still eat fish on occasion. I've even eaten bacon--not knowingly but it was mixed into some mashed potatoes.  I still consider myself a vegetarian.

Second Rule of Vegetarianism: To be healthy, you're going to have to stop eating the SAD (Standard American Diet).  I think this is the hardest part of being a vegetarian.  What's for dinner?  Chicken, with rice, and a salad.  Pot roast, with potatoes and carrots and onions.  Notice the order?  Meat first, everything else is a side.  You CAN replace the meat with a meat alternative--fake meat-- or you can change the way you eat.  Instead of making tacos with TVP (textured vegetable protein- a fake ground beef alternative) use beans and rice.  You can't just stop eating meat either.  That's also not healthy.  You can't just have the potatoes and carrots and onions and leave the pot roast.  You need to find a balance.  Eat your rainbow and eat a variety of all food groups.  You don't really need as much protein as you're used to eating.  Most omnivores in American vastly exceed the recommended daily amount of protein.  Here's a good exercise for those thinking about eating less meat.  Or even those who AREN'T thinking about eating less meat.  Everyone is so concerned about protein intake--what about your fiber, calcium, potassium (which is actually the most common deficit in most American's diets, I once read)?  Take note of how many servings of fruits and vegetables you eat.  Once you start really looking at what you're putting into your body, it's much easier to eat healthier.

Third Rule of Vegetarianism: Read my blog! When I'm not totally overwhelmed with moving, getting a new dog, returning said dog, and trying to get this current house show-ready, I post vegetarian recipes every Friday.