Vegetarianism

californiansun

Hi all,

I've never been a big fan of meat, I hate beef, unless it's ground beef, I don't like ham or turkey that much, and I only eat chicken if I have too. I would really like to be a vegetarian, but I have NO idea what to eat. I don't want to be a "strict" vegetarian, like I will eat meat occasionally, just not all of the time.

I eat little to no meat a week as it is. I'm just worried about protein consumption, I eat a lot of peanut butter, protein shakes and eggs.

What foods would you recommend me eating to start out as a vegetarian? I would like cheap, good source of fiber, protein, etc. type of foods! Thanks!

Elizabeth_C34

Beans are super cheap and you can cook them in batches and use them as ingredients in other meals later.

mitti82

Broccoli, cauliflower and asparagus are vegetables that are "rich" in protein...

I guess if you eat a good amount of leafy green vegetables and a generally varied vegetarian diet you shouldn't have to worry too much about not getting enough protein, vitamins or minerals etc..

Le_Joy

Quinoa is the grain with the highest protein. Also you can combine legumes (beans, nuts) with grains to make complete proteins. And there is always dairy & eggs for protein since you aren't being a strict vegetarian. http://nutrition.about.com/od/askyournutritionist/f/protein_combo.htm

sholay123

Nuts (raw almonds, walnuts, peanuts and not rosted) only handful.
Seeds (Flax seeds, Pumpkin seeds)
Tofu and soybeans is good source of protein.
Lentils and check peas
Quinoa has good amount protein.
Broccoli 2 has good protein.

kj40

Quinoa, tofu, beans/legumes, eggs, cottage cheese/other dairy/yogurt...
Might be worth investing in a vegetarian cookbook (Vegetarian Times has a good one, with introductory pages on 'becoming vegetarian', and nutritional info with every recipe).

I've been vegetarian for 20 years and have never had a problem with protein or iron (I do full blood analysis every few years). I personally find B12 much more challenging!

justlynzo

Beans, nuts, seeds, and high-protein grains like quinoa are good protein sources. Pasta has more protein than one would think. Assuming you're not thinking vegan, milk, lower fat cheeses, and greek yogurt are all high in protein. Soy products are good too. If you like fish and are not morally opposed to eating it, you can usually buy frozen fish fillets pretty cheaply. Tilapia is generally cheap, very mild, and versatile. Some breads are pretty high in protein. I love Alvarado Street Baking Co. They make a "complete protein" bread that is super tasty and has 5g protein per slice.

I'm making myself hungry now...

PetitePerfection

being vegetarian is really not all that hard at all! i've been vegetarian since I was 12. nut butters, avocados, VEGGIES!!! a lot of the time people go vegetarian thinking its the key to losing weight and end up gaining because of a high refined carb intake so just be careful of your carbs if you do decide to go vegetarian since its very easy to go over. hummus is awesome too, especially the flavored ones. trader joes sells a tomato basil hummus and its amazing!! beans are supposedly pretty good but im not a huge fan. same with lentils although im not sure if theyre a bean or a grain lol. ' and protein powder smoothies are great too and completely meat freegood luck!

PeasNLuvLety

I've been vegetarian for 7 years now (I've had meat twice) and trust me, there's plenty of food out there. You definitely need to keep a balanced diet to get all your nutrients including fruits, vegetables (particularly green leafy ones like spinach), tofu and any soy products (soyrizo, veggie burgers, etc.), rice (brown is my favorite), beans (black, pinto), whole grains (oatmeal, bread), raw nuts, and I like almond milk or soy milk over cow milk. I've actually been doing the vegan thing for nearly 2 months (indulging in dairy only on special occasions). Vegan sandwiches are a great, especially with avocado, mushrooms, bell peppers, spinach or kale, tomato, onion, and mustard. Just remember that you can have any food just by substituting the meat with cheese, veggies, or tofu. Good luck!

unsuspectingfish

You could try pescetarianism. It's a mostly vegetarian diet in which the only meat you eat is fish and seafood. It's been working pretty well for me.

Kym1610

Beans, chickpeas, salad and vegetables, lentils, pasta, fruit.

My husband is vegan, there are some receipes on the link on my signature. Feel free to take a look

californiansun

Thanks all! I'm not doing this purely for weight loss purposes, I'm doing it to be healthier! (I guess weight loss goes hand in hand, but I'm not one of those peoples who go "This is my way out!")

Prettyinpaisley

You could try pescetarianism. It's a mostly vegetarian diet in which the only meat you eat is fish and seafood. It's been working pretty well for me.

I too have found pescetarian to be a healthy diet. Eating seafood is a great way to get protein and other vital nutrients.