Calling Vegetarians

[beth6395]

Okay, If someone were interested in becoming vegetarian what advice would you give them? and how would they begin? Is it expensive?

What is the difference between eating clean and vegetarians.

Is fish allowed? what do you substitute for at restaurants?

Thank you or just point me in a direction for truthful info from any of you that are experienced.

 

[hriacobacci]

There are many different "types" or categories of vegetarianism. Some do eat fish (pescatarians). Some eat eggs but no dairy, some eat eggs and dairy, etc.

Being vegetarian does not equal clean eating b/c many of the meat substitute products are highly processed.

I have been vegetarian for over 16 years now and do eat cheese and eggs. Restaurant substitutions are depend on the restaurant. I am trying to eat cleaner and use fewer meat substitution products like the frozen veggie burgers, etc.

I think it's really important to look at the reasons you're wanting to be vegetarian as well. Is it health related, religious based, or humanitarian?

I know there are many vegetarians on here that will have tons more info and advice. I would start by searching the web though and think about why you want to be vegetarian.

Hope that helps
Heather

 

[PhyllisG]

There is an excellent book available titled "Becoming Vegetarian" . I forget the authors name but check your library. It has lots of nutritional information.

 

[Jennifit]

I have been a veggie head for 17 years and it is so easy. Check out www.goveg.com

It is a great site for anything vegetarian. You will be doing yourself, animals, and the planet a huge service if you decide to stop eating meat!! According to the EPA, the greatest carbon, water, and land contaminator are factory meat farms. they kill the land, torture the animals, and produce cheap, poor quality meats. They are terrible places.


To answer your questions - I eat no meat of any kind (that includes fish) and any dairy products must come from free range, eco-friendly, animal friendly sources...There are many nowadays. At restaurants I can always seem to find a protein source :beans, nuts, tofu...I also ask if there are any veggie selections or specials that the chef can make. You will be AMAZED how many have things that are not on the menu. It is definitely a lifestyle choice, but it becomes very easy. The family worries more about what I am going to eat out than I do...it is cute.

It is NOT expensive...You are not buying expensive meats. Veggies and plant proteins are a lot LESS expensive.

It is great for your body and soul!! Good luck!!!!

 

[darine]

My first advice is that you should not be a "meat mentality" vegetarian. Otherwise, you would eat like meat eaters but no meat and that would be unhealthy. You have to switch your mentality and look at cultures outside North America.

In fact, since I am vegetarian (10 years), I have discovered what food really is! There are so many amazing spices, veggies and beans and I honestly feel that I eat a lot more variety than meat eaters. When people ask me what do I eat, I ask them "no, what do you eat other than meat, fish and chicken.

Spices are really the secret for cooking. I can bet you if we take a human part, cook it and put spices on it, people would like it. But if you tell them that it is human, they will freak. So this is how I feel about meat. people tell me that it taste good... well... spices can make anything taste good but the truth is, cooking meat is cooking blood. You actually see it! No wonder why there is iron, it's BLOOD! Wash! I prefer getting my iron and protein from veggies and beans than from animals.

I discovered the art of cooking since I am vegetarian and I LOVE LOVE being vegetarian. You realize the amazing veggies that come in different colors, shape and sizes. And veggies are not only salads! cooking veggies is wonderful. I love preparing meals with all kind of different veggies and beans. Beans also come in so many different types (I include lentils, quino, bourgol, couscous)

Look around the world, we are missing on so much here by focusing on meat.

Expensive? no!

I don't eat fish or anything alive.

In restaurants, you can take pasta, and now most restaurants have vegetarian dishes, sandwiches.

I just find it funny that we think that we have to substitute meat, but in reality we don't eat meat, it's not natural and it's blood. anyone can see that.

being vegetarian makes so much sens for health, environment, and the poor animals.

Why do we focus so much on meat when there are so many other choices that kill no one.

I honestly would LOVE to bring awareness to being vegetarians to the society. If I had the money, I would start an organization.

I was very impressed last time when I saw a lot of people here at this forum understand about being vegetarian. I hope soon, someone respected will publicly talk about that issue.

We are used to meat and changes is hard but if we understand it, then you will NEVER want to eat meat again.

I have the book "Becoming Vegetarian" and it's great.

For recepies, I would look to foreign dishes since North America is focused on meat. I have the 3 main books of a wonderful cook called Kurma (kurma.net). he is simply amazing. all his recepies that are influenced from around the world are great.

Since I am vegetarian, I understand what food is and the reason for all these plants and variety of veggies available. Why eat meat when there is so many other options?

I wrote too much, but this is a subject I want to share with the world... but not everyone is ready to hear it.

Darine

Okay, If someone were interested in becoming vegetarian what advice would you give them? and how would they begin? Is it expensive?

What is the difference between eating clean and vegetarians.

Is fish allowed? what do you substitute for at restaurants?

Thank you or just point me in a direction for truthful info from any of you that are experienced.

 

[hriacobacci]

Darine - you state the point way better than I did in suggesting looking at the reason for being vegetarian. You really do have to get out of the "meat mentality". I often find that's where the communication breakdown occurs when meat eaters are trying to understand my choice in not eating meat. They think you must eat meat to be healthy, that it is a staple for any complete meal. Just dropping meat doesn't equal healthy.

Heather

My first advice is that you should not be a "meat mentality" vegetarian. Otherwise, you would eat like meat eaters but no meat and that would be unhealthy. You have to switch your mentality and look at cultures outside North America.

Darine

 

[kathryn]

Okay, If someone were interested in becoming vegetarian what advice would you give them? and how would they begin? Is it expensive?

What is the difference between eating clean and vegetarians.

Is fish allowed? what do you substitute for at restaurants?

I've been vegetarian since 1978, vegan since around 1992, and raw vegan for the past 4 months.

As others have said, there are many types of vegetarians, though
fish is not vegetarian, nor is poultry. Some people eat them and still call themselves vegetarian, but this is incorrect. If you don't call yourself a vegetarian, you can eat fish or poultry. (And I'd like to find the guy who, in the 80's, invented the terms "pollo-vegetarian" and "pesco-vegetarian" to refer to "almost-vegetarians" but whose terms became misused. I read his book, but I can't remember who it was!)

General advice:
To find out 'what to eat,' start with recipes that you already have and like that are vegetarian. Then look at recipes you have that could easily be made vegetarian (like pasta sauce, etc.). Then start exploring new recipes and tastes. You can find recipes at www.vegsource.com .

Often, new vegetarians tend to eat a lot of meat substitutes, like soy 'burgers' or 'hot dogs' or seitan. These can help with the transition, but they are very processed, and best to phase out and limit. Instead, concentrate on fresh veggies and fruit, seeds (especially) nuts (to a lesser extent), beans and whole grains.

A good general guidebook is helpful. "Becoming Vegetarian," as recommended already (it's by Vesanto Melina and Brenda Davis) is a good one. You can also do a search on this site under "vegetarian" or "vegan" and find quite a few threads talking about it.

It's also important to keep your motivation and expand your knowledge through reading, IMO. "The China Study" by T. Collin Campbell, "Eat to Live" by Dr. Joel Fuhrman (and the latter's "Eat for Health" which is not 100% vegetarian) are good resources for the health benefits of a vegetarian diet. Both Dr. Fuhrman and the Physician's Committee for Responsible Medicine offer their own food pyramid for a plant-based diet that can help you plan meals.


As for expense, a vegetarian diet is generally less expensive than a meat-based diet, but veggie diets can range from the very simple and cheap (beans, grains and veggies, bought in bulk from a coop or home grown as the base of the diet) to pricey (exotic fruits and veggies, prepared food, superfoods).

 

[darine]

And in other countries, it's less meat oriented. However, even if people cook great food, they have a tendency to add meat, not sure why. But there are so many other options. In fact, I tell meat eaters "what do you eat other than meat"?

Darine - you state the point way better than I did in suggesting looking at the reason for being vegetarian. You really do have to get out of the "meat mentality". I often find that's where the communication breakdown occurs when meat eaters are trying to understand my choice in not eating meat. They think you must eat meat to be healthy, that it is a staple for any complete meal. Just dropping meat doesn't equal healthy.

Heather

 

[kathryn]

My first advice is that you should not be a "meat mentality" vegetarian. Otherwise, you would eat like meat eaters but no meat and that would be unhealthy. You have to switch your mentality and look at cultures outside North America.

An excellent point!

Some people still think of a veggie diet as the 'meat and potatoes' plate of food, with just the meat missing. That leaves a wimpy iceberg lettuce salad, mashed potatoes, etc. Not very nutritious.

It's easy to be a junk-food veggie these days (even a junk-food vegan), because there are so many veggie processed foods available, but many of them (like most vegan 'cheeses') are not that nutritious.

A whole-foods vegetarian diet with an emphasis on fresh raw foods is optimal, IMO.

 

[NY25]

I recently made the switch, although I do still very occassionally eat some seafood (I've been phasing that out slowly)and had been pretty much on this path for years. I just subscribed to Vegetarian Times magazine (the July/August issue is amazing), and if you go to their website they have a Vegetarian Starter Kit which you can print and it just gives you some good information and a few starter recipes. I also went out and bought some vegetarian cookbooks - the Moosewood Collective is a good one. I've found the eating to be less expensive, quicker and cheaper to prepare, and YUMMIER!!! Good luck and welcome aboard!

 

[caseysmomgo]

Everyone is giving such great advice here. I've also been attempting to go vegetarian, and have been trying to wean myself off of meat, and also trying to not eat anything processed. I don't mean to hijack this thread, but do any of you vegetarians have a spouse/kids/signif. other who refuse to go vegetarian and who you have to cook meals for that include meat? I feel discouraged having to make healthy meals for myself and additional meals for DH that aren't so healthy.

Any advice is appreciated.

 

[andtckrtoo]

Denise - I'm going to preface this with saying that I am not vegetarian, but I do try to eat a lot more vegetables and a lot less meat. So with my family I deal with that issue a lot. What I do is figure out a base menu for myself, then add to it for the ones who want meat.

The easy one is making tacos - I use beans (and other stuff - great tacos recipes out there) and cook turkey meat for the family.

Pasta - spaghetti for me - with lots of extras like zucchini, spinach, etc - cut small so the family doesn't notice. I'll get my serving out, then put meatballs for everyone else.

But so many others you can basically serve what you are eating and add a piece of chicken, or a hamburger or whatever. No need to cook completely separete meals. It's really not that difficult.

 

[maddiesmum]

Vegetarianism is not a religion. Therefore the question of "what is allowed" is moot.

Don't let anyone tell you how to eat, what to eat, or that eating the occasional piece of fish because you like it, it is good for you and it can be hard to find dishes to eat for vegetarians in most restaurants, means that you can never call yourself "vegetarian."

I am not a purist. I am not here to spread messages to the world, because that would be to mistake vegetarian eating as a religion and to accordingly prosletyze. That is nobody's job.

I am vegetarian, have been since I was 15, my husband is also and we have raised our 2 children as vegetarians since birth. They are incredibly healthy girls, following normal bodily development and my 12 year old athlete with a well-muscled body is certainly a poster child for how well you can eat and grow as a vegetarian.

Vegetarianism is a question of taste and eating for life. If you like meat you will find it difficult to "convert" and eat exclusively vegetarian. If you really like meat, you should ask yourself why you would even try and you should be flexible about what you expect of yourself, i.e., it is perfectly feasible to eat healthily when eating meat. If you like meat, you don't have to give it up. I like the poster who said to "get out of the meat eating mentality." Even if you stay a meat eater 3 days of the week, say, you could still reap enormous benefits from eating a wider range of foodstuffs people regard as vegetarian (pulses, beans, fruits, vegetables) the other 4 days of the week: benefits for the body and for your taste buds.

If you do decide that you want to try eating as a vegetarian, think about not going anywhere near "meat replacement products." They are usually so bland and lacking in flavour it is like eating cardboard. Even if chock full of protein, etc, why would anyone want to eat a substitute food when you can reach the same nutritional targets and delight your taste buds with a simple bowl of home made lentil and vegetable soup, for example?

As for expense, I disagree with the others. Given the ridiculously cheap cost of meat in this country, it is in fact often way cheaper to eat as a meat eater. This is just something you will have to experiment with. In MI right now, I could buy 3 red peppers for $5, or buy a 16 oz package of chicken pieces. If feeding a family, a mother would not be stupid to choose the chicken over the red peppers, for example.

I do not buy organic as a matter of principle, because I do not have the budget for it. Vegetarian does not equate to buying organic. Again, whether to buy organic or not is a choice you make when you weigh the equation health versus pocketbook.

However, I do not think it is difficult to eat well as a vegetarian, especially if you eat eggs and dairy products. In the beginning, a lot of vegetarians do not meat well, because they have not learned to plan for it, shop for it and prepare different dishes. so early days of vegetarianism often include a lot of junk food, empty calories and boring old plates pf pasta.

Invest in a great cookbook, aimed at every day cooking for vegetarians, rather than fine dining. Learn a repertoire of 6-10 dishes that you can easily make, enjoy eating, that are good for you and tasty, don't require relentless hours of hand rolling nut cutlets (what a bore and a stereotype) and whose ingredients are either readily kept on hand or readily available, this will make the ingredients cheaper.

As the poster who suggested avoiding "meat mentality" suggested, eating as a vegetarian often does open your eyes to the cuisine of other nations. Indian cooking is fabulous for vegetarians, includes a huge range of pulses/beans and is the tastiest in the world, I reckon, a treat for the taste buds.

Did this answer your questions?

Clare

 

[Afreet]

Everyone is giving such great advice here. I've also been attempting to go vegetarian, and have been trying to wean myself off of meat, and also trying to not eat anything processed. I don't mean to hijack this thread, but do any of you vegetarians have a spouse/kids/signif. other who refuse to go vegetarian and who you have to cook meals for that include meat? I feel discouraged having to make healthy meals for myself and additional meals for DH that aren't so healthy.

Any advice is appreciated.

I have an omnivorous SO - I am the primary food-preparer in our household, so we usually eat vegan food. Sometimes he'll pick something up that he can prepare himself or use as an add-on (he likes sour cream and cheese on vegetarian chili, for example).

I also look after my 4-and-a-half-year-old nephew pretty often, and he's very receptive to vegan food as long as the flavors aren't too complex for his little palate - so, I like Vegan Dad's blog for solid, kid-friendly recipes. The nephew is pretty easy, because he mostly likes cookies and "chicken" nuggets, whether they have chicken in them or not .

My SO is more open-minded and adventurous, and will try anything. Our main food fight is about the spiciness of certain foods. I'm all for nuclear-hot chili and curry, while he prefers less spiciness. It's easy enough to set some of his bland food aside and then ramp up the hotness in the remainder!

I definitely had to learn to cook. But thanks to the internet, learning to cook is easier than ever.

Some more blogs that include recipes, tips, etc:

http://urbanvegan.net/
http://veganyumyum.com/
http://www.theppk.com/
http://www.fatfreevegan.com/
http://www.veganchef.com/
http://www.veganvillage.co.uk/school.htm

 

[kathryn]

But thanks to the internet, learning to cook is easier than ever.

Isn't it great?

I've found SO many raw-food recipes online, as well as good video demos on youtube (which are very helpful, because it's easier to understand some recipes when I see them made than when I just read them).

 

[RapidBreath]

Back when I was a vegetarian (was for 10 years) it was not expensive at all. Meat costs way more than vegetables, fruits, grains, and legumes. Whether or not you choose to eat finish is up to you. A true vegetarian would not eat fish. But, its up to you as to how far you wish to go. Some people choose to eat vegetarian most of the time and allow some foods that are not once a week. As for eating clean, a person can eat vegetarian cleanly or not. If I were to go back to that way of eating, its not that complex. Just be sure to get plenty of foods with protein (legumes) and to eat enough healthy fats so that your calories are not too low (olive oil, coconut oil.) You might want to check out some books on the subject from the library.

 

[RapidBreath]

one more thing, it was commented that one of the vegetarians does not eat anything thats alive, but don't be confused, vegetables were alive. If it had grown at some point it was most definitely alive (I'm a gardener, my plants are alive unless I mess up and they die which is very distressing.)

 

[Afreet]

Isn't it great?

I've found SO many raw-food recipes online, as well as good video demos on youtube (which are very helpful, because it's easier to understand some recipes when I see them made than when I just read them).

YES. It is SO great! And with comments and ratings on so many blogs and websites, it's easy to figure out if a recipe is worth trying before you spend the time and money.

 

[darine]

Yes, plants are alive.

However, like milk, you are not killing the plant when you take tomatoes from it. And you are not killing the cow when you are taking milk. Vegetables like potatoes and carrots that are root kill the plant.

but anyone can watch someone picking a potato... I can't imagine many people can watch an animal being killed. everyone knows it's different. There is a difference, that's it! An animal bleed and cry. I am not grossed out by a potato... but meat is meat. It's blood. Anyways, it might not make sens to people, but it defensibly makes sens to me.

When I was a child, I saw a sheep being killed in front of me. Believe me, I didn't eat any. But I've seen potatoes and carrots picked up, it didn't shocked me or traumatize me at all. But the sheep's head was half cut off and I swear it was crying. His eyes looked sad and the rest is blank to me

But vegetables would never traumatize anyone.

that's my thoughts

one more thing, it was commented that one of the vegetarians does not eat anything thats alive, but don't be confused, vegetables were alive. If it had grown at some point it was most definitely alive (I'm a gardener, my plants are alive unless I mess up and they die which is very distressing.)

 

[Jennifit]

one more thing, it was commented that one of the vegetarians does not eat anything thats alive, but don't be confused, vegetables were alive. If it had grown at some point it was most definitely alive (I'm a gardener, my plants are alive unless I mess up and they die which is very distressing.)

Plants do have nervous systems or spinal cords. They do not feel pain. They do not have cerebrums, which dictates pain to animal and human bodies. They do not have temporal lobes, which cause emotions. (although some would argue that because they say singing to plants help!) The main thing is that they do not feel pain.

Some people, however, only eat fruits and veggies that fall off and die. (Tomatoes, strawberries...things that grow on a tree, bush or vine that come off without killing the entire plant.)