any vegetarians out there?

eriquita

I'm in the process of becoming a vegetarian and all I have in my head is a huge question mark . I really want to do this and I know it will take time and effort but I am eager to learn as much as I possibly can to become one and be healthy. I haven't told my family yet and I don't know what my husband (almost obsessive meat eater) is going to say and most importantly what do I answer???
if you are a vegetarian reading this please HELP ME!!!!

ChantalGG

You can do it. Just have a meat option for the non vegans. And maybe start out with 2 meals a week that are vegan and then slowly add another each week, turn them without them knowing. lol j/k Find lots of tasty stuff online that your family will enjoy and good luck.

Moonbyebye

I've been a vegetarian my whole 22 years of existence! Add me

UrbanRunner81

Start out slow, a couple days a week vegetarian and increase from there. I was the only vegetarian, but I never cooked meat. If my husband wanted meat he would cook it up himself or if we went out to dinner. But now he switched and is a vegetarian as well. My children eat 99% vegetarian, but when they are out or with grandparents they can eat what they like.

monroe61

I am the only veggie in my entire family...literally...immediate, extended etc.
Most of the meals I make are adaptable for both. If we have spaghetti I make everything sans meat and then my hubby adds the hamburger in his own bowl.
Although I will admit that I have slightly turned him...he eats a LOT less meat now then before!
I have some yummy recipes if you want!

feel free to add me

Good luck!

jhnye85

I just made the decision to become a vegetarian too! It's not easy, as I have grown up on meat and potatoes. I would suggest cutting down first with your family, like meatless Monday's! Also start adding new things like fish, and maybe really lean proteins like turkey. From there you may slowly see everyone's eating habits change. Then you can start experimenting with fun things like tofu and soy protien, which really absorb the flavor of whatever they are cooked with. You can also try meaty vegetables like portobello mushrooms. If you're husband isn't on board, throw a burger at him and tell him to fire up the grill himself!! Good luck!

doobabe

here here!

I've been a vegetarian since I was 6- my family finally accepted it when I was about 10 lol. I simply dont care to eat meat- never liked the texture/ flavor or the thought that it was the flesh of an animal- yuck. Not that I have anything against those who choose to eat it, I just dont do it myself.

My husband is a big meat eater too and it really isnt a big deal for us. He eats his food and I eat mine- honestly I like to eat healthier things than him in the first place, so eating the same meal was never an option.

I get my protein from shakes, cottage cheese, greek yogurt, tofu, cheese and that sort of thing..... One other thing that may present an issue is your iron intake- so keep an eye on that. Make sure to keep your protein up though, or you will likely be hungry all of the time.

To your husband say: "Sweetie- I dont want to eat meat anymore. I dont care for it and therefore, plan to eliminate it for health purposes, because I want to be around for a super long time- JUST TO BE WITH YOU" )

Beckym1205

I became a vegitarian a few months ago. My husband is very suportive of me and he is happy to eat vegitarian dishes. My son on the other hand will love what I make until I tell him it's tofu... then he says it's gross lol. I ocasionally cook them meat (mostly its because I still have meat in the freezer). My son loves edamame in the pods, he thinks its fun to get the bean out of the pod. I don't find it hard at all to aeat a vegitarian diet, and it really doesn't take much extra time. I'm excited that it's getting into the cold season because I'll be making a lot of soups and those are super easy.

I have a few vegitarian dishes I can share with you if you'd like. (Spaghetti squash is amazing).

nettleboo

im veggie that eats free range eggs and cheese i love it and would never go back to meat even my meat eater partner loves my veggie food add me if you like

diddyk

I've been a vegetarian 12 years, (half my life!) I'm the only veggie in my entire family (close, extended.) Even my boyfriend (who I live with) eats meat. It's totally do-able! My parents weren't happy when their 12 year old decided not to eat meat anymore.

Just be prepared and non-meat options on hand for meals. It is much easier now with the variety of meatless products, and practice the art of preparing tofu, it is REALLY good when done right. When my boyfriend needs his meat fix we often cook vegetables for both of us, and on the George Foreman Grill he'll make chicken and I'll make chicken-less chicken.

When we go to friends/family for dinner I always bring my own meatless meat to make with their dinner - I hate having non-vegetarians fret over what to feed me. (Friend and family will appreciate this!)

devilblkdress

Personally I am not a vegetarian. I love meat. I went through a phase and was one for a teen as a few years so when my 11 year old decided she wanted to become a veggie (that is what we call her lovingly) I was completely supportive but honestly I never thought she would make it this long! She will be completely meat and fish free for 3 years on January 1st 2012. And trust me the rest of the family still eats everything right amongst her. Even her old favorites of seafood boil, bacon and cheeseburgers.....all of which she says after about 6 months she didn't even miss anymore. I won't let her give up eggs or milk until she is completely through puberty but that is my personal choice. She is not a huge fan of tofu but gets plenty of protein through things like cottage cheese, yogurt and beans. Plus loves the bocan, quorn and morningstar products (all frozen entrees). Plus Unjury protein powder makes an incredible chicken soup broth that our whole family just loves! YOU can do this :-) The internet and library are the best resources when embarking on these new adventures!

ladybug11

I'm a vegan in an omni house. This is how it works for us: I cook vegan meals and my husband eats that along with some chicken or lean red meat he cooks. Everyone's happy :happy: .

I'm proud to say he has eliminated all cow's milk and most cheese from his diet. Also, often I find him eating my vegan goodies and he thinks I don't notice!

caitindabx

First of all congrats on making the choice to go veg!!
Something that really inspired me in the beginning and got me on the right track was reading some books on the topic and watching some films. You should watch the documentary "Food Inc." and also check out "Forks over Knives". If you have Netflix I believe both of these are streaming

Also read the book "Eating Animals" It's very good and will make you think!

I have been a pescatarian for about 3 years, meaning I do eat fish and eggs and cheese. My diary is open if you want to check out the things I eat. I am on a low carb plan though which you may or may not be into.

Try eating quinoa, brown rice, and there are a lot of asian inspired recipes that are delicious when made without meat. A simple google search will do wonders. I also subscribe to the Vegetarian Times magazine which is really informative and comes packed with recipes and tips.

Hope this helps!

HeatherMarie1174

I have been veggie for almost 5 years now ... wow ... anyway, my husband still eats meat. I wouldn't force it on him ... tell him it doesn't have to affect the way he eats at all. The way we do it is we eat all the same side dishes - I just make me something non-meat and he has meat. So, if we make spaghetti, he adds meatballs to his portion. As he gets more comfortable with it, you could try to get him to try other things. Mine is actually very open to try anything I make ... well, once. If he doesn't like it, he will tell me he would rather not have it again, which is fine. He is very open minded about it. My family didn't think I was serious and made it a joke. Now that I have been for years, they are taking it more seriously. I just being my non-meat dishes to family gatherings because I don't expect anyone to buy food especially for me.

Feel free to add me!!! Us veggies need to stick together!

shovav91

I'm a pescetarian, I don't know if that helps at all. Feel free to look at my diary. Although it is a difficult transition, if you want it, you can definitely do it. You will have to deal with cravings, but try to find other things that satisfy them. Feel free to message me with any questions!
Make sure to take a vitamin B12 supplement and make sure to get enough protein

sapphiretyger

I am mostly vegetarian, with two kids who are total vegetarians, and there are so many options out there that do not involve meat. Way more than there were 15 years ago when we first went down this road. It seems most every place you go offers meat-less alternatives these days.
Be careful though and be sure to read labels. Even if something like a soup says "vegetable" they may sneak some beef or chicken stock in there ... for some stupid reason! Even flavored chips such as Doritos can add meat products to the mix. And watch out for tortillas that can have lard, which is beef fat, in them.
At family gatherings, some eat meat, of course, and that is fine. Just be sure to not "preach" at the meat-eaters. If asked "why don't you eat meat?" just say "personal choice" and leave it at that. I learned the hard way that talking about the un-healthiness of meat or the plight of factory farmed animals just makes people angry and defensive.

eriquita

thank u everybody! every bit helps. I'm so grateful for having you during this transition.

therapyruns

I was a vegetarian for a few years before becoming vegan this past year and family members are without a doubt the most critical and take any change the worst. My advice (as posted) would be to slowly incorporate vegetarian dishes, i.e. more beans, rice, pasta, quinoa, cous cous, and of course veggies into dinner. Most people think they need to wake up one day and just cut meat out completely - well it does not work that way. Minor adjustments to daily meals is your best bet.

Breakfast and lunch tend to be relatively easy to adapt to given most people eat some sort of bread/cereal/yogurt/fruit, etc at breakfast and either a salad or sandwich for lunch. Dinner is the toughest to tackle since you generally will share this meal with others. Your plate will look different while everyone else has meat, a veggie and some other side. I would just double up on veggies and tell them you want to feel better about yourself and that eliminating meat from your diet is your choice, not theirs.(and also that it does not effect them, because they can still eat meat).

One big tip would be to make it clear on whether or not you are a strict vegetarian - meaning some people still continue to eat seafood while claiming they are a vegetarian - this further confuses family members. Just be sure to make it known what you prefer to include/exclude in your diet.

Becoming vegetarian in the real world is not difficult, as most restaurant menus and other food places almost ALWAYS have some sort of vegetarian version of a dish that would normally contain meat, i.e. most pasta dishes, chicken parmesan (eggplant), veggies wraps with hummus, etc.

Remember to stick to your guns if you really want to become vegetarian. People will adjust, my family did eventually. For example, I would just bring a veggie burger to a family BBQ (and no one minded cooking it for me). If you show that you are serious about it and provide your own options rather than making them feel responsible that you have less on your plate than them, they generally will respond in a positive manner.

Hope this helps! Good luck!

eriquita

"personal choice"

this is the best answer to give. Thank you!!!

Beckym1205

Most people think they need to wake up one day and just cut meat out completely - well it does not work that way. Minor adjustments to daily meals is your best bet.

That actually is how it worked for me. I was reading a book trying to get motivation to lose weight and it shocked me into vegitarianism. This book had a couple chapters that went into great detail about what goes on on the farms (I'm not talking about a small family owned farm (although it could) I'm talking about the massive farms where most of our meats and dairy come from). I was grossed out. So, the next day I went out and bought a ton of fruits and veggie's and other vegan products (including the vegan cheese) and on the way home we (me, my husband, my son and my nephew) were all starving, so we went through the drive thru at Carl's Jr (we had a coupon). I got a burger... I ate it when we got home, and then about a half hour later I was relaxing and started reading more of the book. I almost threw up... at this point I was completely grossed out and I was thinking about what may have happened to the meat I just consumed and what may have been in it/in the cow... I have no trouble not eating meat now, and I don't feel deprived. There are so many non meat options out there that are so similar to the meat they are imitating that they are completely satisfying.

I do still eat eggs ocasionally, and I will have some milk in my coffee or when I cook. But I only purchase Organic milk and eggs (and I hope they're as "clean" as I am trusting them to be).

snailrunner

I've been vegetarian for 27 years and my daughters aged 12 and 14 are lifelong vegetarians. I have found it more difficult when eating out in the US than where I live in the UK but it wasn't impossible. Supermarket shopping took ages in the US though because I'm not at all familiar with the products and did a lot of label-reading!

I eat Quorn, tofu, soya, paneer, eggs and cheese for protein, and always have a mountain of vegetables on my plate - can't bear eating in restaurants where they give you a couple of green beans and an inch of carrot! I often have soup and wholemeal bread for lunch at work. Lunch and breakfast are easy, but sharing a meal with my meat-eating partner can be a bit tricky (although he always says "I'll just have the same as you!"

Feel free to add me