How to quit cold turkey
Whether you’ve recently read our ‘Real Cost of Meat’ article, or have been thinking of reducing the amount of meat in your diet for a little while, we’re here for you! Switching to a vegetarian diet can be daunting for many, but fear not! We’ve put together 7 tips to help, whether you’re going for more veggie days, or simply quitting meat cold turkey (sorry, couldn’t resist).
First of all, you should have good reasons. It may be more difficult than you think to change certain dietary routines in your life, especially if it’s something culturally significant to you, so it is best to lay out one or two solid reasons for becoming a vegetarian. Write them down somewhere, in case you start having doubts! The more meaning you attach to your vegetarianism, the more likely you are to stick to it.
Do the research. Before diving into this, you should read up on the subject as much as you can. Look into different testimonials, read different books, or read up online on it. There are tons of resources on the internet that can guide you further on your path to being a vegetarian! Check out the plant-based app aBillionVeg for more inspiration!
Find good recipes that you will love. You don’t necessarily need to stock up on new cookbooks, though there are certainly plenty of excellent options out there. Again, in this instance, the internet can become your best friend! There are countless bloggers out there to outline delicious recipes. Try a few of them out, and build a repertoire of easy vegetarian recipes to start with. We’ve got a couple great articles on the Capture blog, one focused on vegetarian Mediterranean food, and the other geared towards budget vegetarian recipes that can get you inspired…
Substitutions can be great, especially when you’re first transitioning into eating a vegetarian diet. Try all the regular recipes that you love, but use a meatless substitute instead! So, if you love spaghetti bolognese, substitute a ground-beef alternative and cook the recipe the way you normally would. That way, you can go on eating what you normally eat, but meatless! Easy!
Transition to a vegetarian diet slowly. Usually, it is easier for people to quit red meat first, and then keep going from there, to pork, poultry, fish, etc. After going a couple of weeks without eating red meat, you may find it easier to then reduce your poultry consumption a few weeks later, and eventually, you may be able to cut out seafood too! Take your time with the process if you need to.
Make sure you get adequate protein. One of the common misconceptions about being a vegetarian is that people won’t be able to get enough protein from this diet. However, the protein requirements for the average adult are lower than people might think. Check out these amazing high-protein vegan & vegetarian foods!
Tell your friends and family. Don’t be afraid to let your loved ones know your reasons for going vegetarian and why you’re getting started on this journey! You will still be eating out with them, eating at their homes, or cooking for them yourself - so it will be easier for you to make the switch if you’ve got a good support system in place.
No matter what you decide to do, take your time and be patient with yourself! Have fun with it, test out different recipes and methods, or create your own. You might even be able to convert some people along the way. If you are interested in reducing your impact on the planet, but don’t feel ready to fully commit to a vegetarian diet, you can try adopting a flexitarian diet, or a semi-vegetarian diet, also called a flexitarian diet, is one that is centred on plant foods with the occasional inclusion of meat.
Interested in learning more about plant-based diets or how the planet will thank you for your eco-awesomeness? Keep in touch with us via our Instagram channel and feel free to get in touch with the team at hello@thecapture.club