Wanting to go vegatarian , but seems like a uphill battle?

Question

I have been trying to go vegetarian off and on for 10 + years . But every time I try I seem to go back , due to the choices that are out there. It seems like I don't know what to make and everything is bland. And when I go out it seems like the choises for vegatrains are very slim. I hate to see the death of any animals. I belive that animals are not lower in the food chain then us , we are all equals with feelings and emitons that the same as humans.

Was thinking of trying vegatarism again , but need some good advice to get me off and running . My last attempts were not as good and not as prepared.

Hope to hear all your great advice !

Answer 1

I eat meat, but my diet is mainly vegetables. There are so many different ways to cook vegetables. If you feel the food is bland, then may suggest it's your cooking skills that are at fault.

For lunch today I had fried rice with vegetables with soy sauce and hoi sin sauce. Boy that was tasty.

Answer 2

You may want to try building up your recipes before going vegetarian. When I first began my recipe selection was limited and pretty bland. As time went on I was able to gather more recipes(by tweaking old ones, and finding new ones). I think I know more recipes now than I did when I ate meat.

I collect recipes off the internet, from friend/family, and from vegetarian cookbooks. There are so many cookbooks out there, you'd be surprised. Not only are there many cookbooks, but they range from simple easy meals, to fancy dishes.

You could try going slowly vegetarian over the coarse of a month. Limit your meals with meat to a few times a week and gradual reduce until you are no longer eating any meat. This will give you a chance to find recipes you enjoy, while not getting discouraged that your meals may be bland at first(while your still learning what meals you enjoy).

Answer 3

Eat a dark green vegetable (broccoli, spinach, kale, collard greens) at least three times a week. These nutritional powerhouses are packed full of vitamins such as calcium and iron. On the run or hate spinach? Try drinking your greens. I recommend Naked Juice’s Green Machine—its made with fruit juice as well as greens, so it tastes better than others.

Take a vitamin supplement that contains B12 or include nutritional yeast in your diet regularly, especially if you're vegan or mostly vegan.

Water water water! It’s been said over and over again for a reason—because its true! Most people don’t drink nearly enough. Bring a water bottle with you wherever you go and invest in a simple filter for your home. Water is especially important when adjusting to a new way of eating, as it will help curb any cravings you may experience.

Make it a goal to eat at least one piece of raw fruit or a handful of raw vegetables every dayI try to eat an apple first thing in the morning to get it out of the way.

Reduce your refined sugar intake. I’ve got as much of a sweet tooth as anybody, but I try to keep it under control by using such sugar replacers as maple syrup, stevia and agave whenever possible (such as in coffee and tea) and indulging in the refined stuff only occasionally.

Keep your favorite salad dressings on hand. I find that I’m much more likely to eat my greens or some raw veggies when my favorite salad dressings are in the fridge. A little variety is great too--I try to keep at least two kinds, either store bought or homemade on hand at all times. Some of my favorites are homemade goddess dressing, Thai peanut sauce from my local Asian grocer and rasberry vinaigrette. A vegan ranch dressing was helpful as well when I was trying to wean myself off dairy.

Eat the rainbow! Fruits and vegetables all contain different nutrients. A simple way to remember to eat a range of vitamins and minerals is to vary the colors of the vegetables you eat. Of course, greens are always good, but try eating a rainbow of tomatoes, yellow squash and purple cabbage!  

Answer 4

meat.org- watch it

Answer 5

if you eat out a lot try Indian food, they have some of the best food (meat or vegetarian) out there.  If you are cooking at home, try using different spices like cumin turmeric and chili powder.  if you get very hungry one day do what I do and just throw random veg in a pot add some of your favorite seasonings and make a soup.  always a good choice if you have not been to the store in a while.

Answer 6

I'm surprised that you say you're a foodie but you can't figure out how to cook tasty dishes. Being a vegetarian is super easy to do, being a vegan is a bit more challenging when eating out, but not impossible. The problem here is your habit energies - you're so used to the meals that you grew up with or are in the habit of fixing that you haven't broken those habits when you only eat vegetarian for a short time. Getting some good cookbooks will get you started - try ethnic foods, experiment with the wide variety of grains, beans, and rice, and stock your pantry accordingly.

Answer 7

It seems like you have an all-or-nothing mindset about this, and it doesn't have to be that way.  If you would like to eventually become a vegetarian, and stay that way, then you can do it at your own pace.

You can slowly work your way up to it by cutting out beef one week (or month, however you want to do it), pork the next, etc., etc. until you are a vegetarian.  This also gives you more time to slowly learn recipes and which vegetarian products you like best.

As far as bland food, you're eating the wrong food.  There are a few things I've tried that I didn't like, but I have my favorites that I enjoy.  And if you're a foodie, then you should also have some culinary skills.  If you don't like other people's food, you can always make your own.  Being a vegetarian doesn't mean you have to live on tofu, either.  Actually, I never make the stuff, and only eat it rarely at Asian restaurants.  You can have all of your favorites with modifications...  pizza with veggie toppings, bean and cheese nachos/burritos, etc., etc.

Answer 8

Organic is the only way now, even for me because I am so afraid of GMOs!!! Now our sugar is next!

http://www.responsibletechnology.org/GMF...

Answer 9

Hey there,

I found it slightly difficult at first but settled in once I discovered the vast amounts of foods I had never discovered before and all of the recipes and advice out there on the Internet. I'm now a vegan and look forward to cooking and eating, it's rather a hobby of mine.

There are just tons of recipes out there. They're not hard to find at all, the best advice I can give you is to try some of the colourful and nutritious recipes out there, it doesn't have to be complicated if you're not that confident, but all regular dishes can be imitated if you want something familiar.

I would guess you're bored of your diet because of the lack of variety in restaurants, supermarkets etc. Eating out is the main difficulty of being vegan, to me, but I can find anything I want to buy if I look hard enough. For some specialities, I resort to mail order. I'm a vegan and I only eat organic food, so if I can do it, I'm sure you can!

If you feel yourself faltering again, I'd suggest watching some videos about the suffering that farm animals endure. Earthlings is very good, as is a video called Peaceable Kingdom.

I hope this helps,

Tim