New to pescatarian diet

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severina1900
severina1900 Posts: 2 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I'm very new to the pescatarian diet, so would like some tips on what food to avoid and what to try and different recipes that can be made on a budget

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  • zeejane03
    zeejane03 Posts: 993 Member
    edited March 2019
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    I eat a mostly pescetarian diet. Things to avoid are non-fish kinds of meat. No chicken, beef, pork, lamb etc.

    I get most of my fish and shrimp at Aldi, don't know if you have one nearby but their seafood prices are really good (4 servings of salmon for $4 etc).

    I don't do a lot with recipes-salmon, whitefish etc I just bake with spices. I use pre-cooked/shelled shrimp in salads, in rice and veggie bowls or by itself with cocktail sauce.
  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
    edited March 2019
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    A pescatarian diet is fish based excluding meat from other animals. Google fish recipes. Buying frozen fish is more economical. Fresh fish tastes wonderful, but it takes experience to judge it's freshness. My husband is pescatarian and I've been cooking for him for 33yrs--a little experience there.
  • zeejane03
    zeejane03 Posts: 993 Member
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    snowflake954 wrote: »
    A pescatarian diet is fish based excluding meat from other animals. Google fish recipes. Buying frozen fish is more economical. Fresh fish tastes wonderful, but it takes experience to judge it's freshness. My husband is pescatarian and I've been cooking for him for 33yrs--a little experience there.

    Yeah, I get all my fish frozen, way cheaper that way!
  • wilson10102018
    wilson10102018 Posts: 1,306 Member
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    Fresh trout here is $10.95 per pound skin on. Filets are typically 6oz, the perfect size.
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,885 Member
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    Isn't that just eating fish as your only meat?

    Tips would depend on how you've been eating -- has it been heavily non-fish meat based, so this is a big change? Are you struggling to get adequate protein? Are you inexperienced with cooking fish or non-meat dishes?

    I'm currently eating plant-based, but eat a good amount of fish at other times. I like to have mostly vegetarian meals and would include a fish based dinner just similar to any other dinner meal -- built around the source of protein (fish), vegetables, and then usually some kind of starch (corn, potato, rice, etc.).
  • Sebismom
    Sebismom Posts: 44 Member
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    Make ocean-friendly choices. The Monterey Bay Aquarium has a Seafood Watch App to help you make dietary choices that are healthiest for you and the ocean. Sometimes these choices will be more expensive than budget purchases, sometimes they are cheaper. Also consider joining a local fish coop if that's an option. Also, stores like Costco or Trader Joe's will carry a variety of salmon options, for example. Picking the wild frozen is often cheaper than fresh farmed, and better for you and the environment, so it's a win-win. (It's better because fish farming is an environmentally dirty business and the fish are pumped with antibiotics that then get into your body.) Also, I'm sure you know this already, but there's a whole wonderful world of legumes that serve as a nice compliment to any meat/seafood based diet.
  • nooshi713
    nooshi713 Posts: 4,877 Member
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    Be conscious of what type of fish you are eating if it is your main source of animal protein. Buy fish that is sustainably caught and low in mercury.
  • stricklee11
    stricklee11 Posts: 218 Member
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    Do you have a local fish market nearby? If you do, buy the fish that are on sale to save a couple bucks.
    Cheap seafood normally available in supermarkets are frozen tuna filet (or canned), cod fish, sardines, frozen shrimp, frozen salmon/tilapia/flounder.
    As far as recipes, I normally bake my fish wrapped in aluminum foil after marinating them for a couple hours in lime/lemon juice and seasoning. The same sides you'd have with other meats can be served with seafood.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,952 Member
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    Here's my recipe for salmon:

    Mix slightly more than 1:1 soy sauce and powdered ginger, perhaps about a tablespoon each. Consistency should be "easily spreadable but not runny". Spread over fish. I like to let it marinate for a little while, but this may or may not be necessary.

    Bake at 325 degrees F for 15-20 minutes, depending on how thick the fish is.

    I like my salmon "medium rare" which for me is to an internal temperature of 125 degrees.

    I serve with rice and green peas.
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 9,988 Member
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    zeejane03 wrote: »
    snowflake954 wrote: »
    A pescatarian diet is fish based excluding meat from other animals. Google fish recipes. Buying frozen fish is more economical. Fresh fish tastes wonderful, but it takes experience to judge it's freshness. My husband is pescatarian and I've been cooking for him for 33yrs--a little experience there.

    Yeah, I get all my fish frozen, way cheaper that way!

    Also, in the U.S. anyway, most "fresh" fish is thawed, previously frozen. I still buy "fresh" sometimes, when I want to eat it that evening, because I don't like to thaw outside the refrigerator.
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,885 Member
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    lynn_glenmont wrote: »
    zeejane03 wrote: »
    snowflake954 wrote: »
    A pescatarian diet is fish based excluding meat from other animals. Google fish recipes. Buying frozen fish is more economical. Fresh fish tastes wonderful, but it takes experience to judge it's freshness. My husband is pescatarian and I've been cooking for him for 33yrs--a little experience there.

    Yeah, I get all my fish frozen, way cheaper that way!

    Also, in the U.S. anyway, most "fresh" fish is thawed, previously frozen. I still buy "fresh" sometimes, when I want to eat it that evening, because I don't like to thaw outside the refrigerator.

    Yes, good point.
  • mstarks01
    mstarks01 Posts: 109 Member
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    nooshi713 wrote: »
    Be conscious of what type of fish you are eating if it is your main source of animal protein. Buy fish that is sustainably caught and low in mercury.

    ^^^^^^
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,742 Member
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    My husband has eaten a pescetarian diet for about 17 years, however he eats fish/seafood just occasionally. Most of the time he eats vegetarian/vegan. I know this isn't super helpful, but for some (like my husband) the idea is to use vegetarian/vegan recipes and eating plans for the most part...and enjoy having the "freedom" to supplement with foods like crab, tuna, shrimp, fish as desired.

    I think one of his biggest pet peeves is when people assume he has fish every day or as part of every meal.
  • probablynotavailable
    probablynotavailable Posts: 4 Member
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    Also a pescatarian here! But I stick to a predominantly vegetarian diet and usually just eat fish (mostly salmon and shrimp) on higher activity days when I need more calories.
    On what to avoid- it really depends on your priorities. Theres the suggestion to minimize your intake of fish that can contain high amounts of mercury (like tuna and other big fish) and you can google seafood watch to see what fish is the most sustainable to eat.
    And avoid overcooking your fish! That's usually a common reason why people dont stick to eating seafood, the texture just gets ruined.
    My personal suggestion would be to be mindful of portion size and make sure the majority of your diet is coming from whole plant foods- that's where the best nutrients come from! Also, if you find yourself craving certain meats, look for substitutes. Morning Star has some of my fave chicken subs and Quorn is pretty good also, but be mindful of your soy intake.
    I like to try vegan restaurants so that I can learn what they are doing and adapt what I like to my home cooking. If it's in the budget, I'd suggest doing the same. If not, maybe try and find a new recipe to test when you can to add some variety.
    Good luck on your journey!

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