What is the best way to start becoming a vegetarian?

Question

I have been a meat eater all of my life but want to make a change. All of this year I have only been eating fish and poultry weekly to make the transistion. I would like to drop this down to only once or twice a week but, I need recipes and ideas to help with the transition.

Answer 1

i would slowly cut back because i'm sure your body is dependent on many of the nutrional items that come out of meat...this is just my personal opinion, and in no way shape or form do i have any sort of medican background but I have been a vegetarian all my life....

Answer 2

Step 1:- Research. This involves finding out all about the vegetarian diet and the strictness of the diet. You would need to read up on nutrition, finding out what you have to be aware of in your diet. You would also need to read up on the finer details - like what additives you cannot eat e.g. gelatine. You should get an informed and correct view on all the aspects of vegetarianism so you know what it involves.

Step 2:- Observe. This simply means looking around your local supermarket and local food shops to see what range of food is available to you.You should try and find out as much as possible about the range of foods available to you.You should see what you like and what you don't like and what you have never tried before. See how much food actually appeals to you and how feasible the vegetarian diet is for you.

Step 3:- Buy a vegetarian cookery book. Go to a good reputable bookshop and buy yourself a straight-forward vegetarian cookery book. If your an experienced cook - you can obviously buy yourself a more complicated book, but whatever your level buy a cookery book that is easy for you to use. There are many vegetarian cookery books on the market and there are always new ones coming along. One excellent cookbook that I would recommend is The New Sijmoly6 Delicious by Rose Elliot. It is an excellent comprehensive straightforward book - perfect for new vegetarians, including vegetarians new to cooking. But you will also realise that some of your favourite meals are vegetarian - like omelettes, baked beans on toast and many others. Here are one or two from the Vegetarian Society of the U. K.

Step 4:- Try a vegetarian recipe. If you have just bought a vegetarian cookery book or have some vegetarian recipes - pick one and try it out. Read the recipe, buy the ingredients and try it out. If you're stuck for a recipe there is a page on this website that provides a few. They are quite easy and taste very nice.

Step 5:- Convert. If having tried a vegetarian recipe and all has gone well try and change over to being a vegetarian. There are two ways of doing this - quickly and gradually. I found that gradually worked best for me. Quickly works best for other people - you know what's best for you. The two options are described in a and b below.

a) Gradually- start having a vegetarian meal once a week. Then build it up to twice a week, three times a week until your vegetarian. You could spread it out over a few weeks or so, whatever you like.

b) Quickly - just throw yourself into it and start having vegetarian meals all the time. It may be a little bit hard because you lack some knowledge and information but buy some cookery books and research some more for information.

Step 6:- Ensure. Be aware that all the foods you are eating are vegetarian. The best way of doing this is checking the ingredients of the food you eat. You may be surprised and find that some of the stuff isn't actually vegetarian. But a quickened handy way to know that something is fully vegetarian is if you see the Vegetarian Society seal of approval. It looks a little like this.

But if you are unsure of what ingredients to be wary of - there is a page called Animal Ingredients telling you all about them.

Hope you enjoy being vegetarian as much as I do and if there is any way I can help just contact me using the correct page!

Answer 3

I would just go ahead and quit now. In the beginning make sure to eat a lot of protein and take some mineral supplements to be sure that you're replacing everything you would be getting with the meat. When I stopped eating meat I was fine for about three months and then started feeling hungry all the time. I thought that meat would be the only thing to fill me up so I tried some turkey. As time goes on my body gets more used to being without meat. I wasn't being careful enough in the beginning to account for the change.

Answer 4

I was a meat eater for almost 19 years, but when I decided to stop eating meat, I found it took only a few months to completely adjust. I bought a few vegetarian recipe books, which helped me realize that there was more to vegetarian cooking than pasta.
You may want to consider using some meat substitutes, especially while you are in transition.
A good source for recipes is www.vegweb.com

As long as you do a little research on vegetarian nutrition and don't eat a bunch of junk food, it shouldn't be difficult for you to have a healthy vegetarian diet. I have been on a healthy vegetarian diet for 14 years.
Good luck!

Answer 5

There are great chicken substitutes on the market that are very close to the real thing. I suggest starting with those. In my opinion, Veet is the closest for unbreaded "chikn".

There are millions of recipes all over the internet and countless cookbooks.

Someone stated above that it was hard to maintain a healthy vegetarian lifestyle. That is simply not true. Google the "vegetarian food pyramid".

Answer 6

Make your main meals from rice and beans. There are many receipes, but actually beans and grains. If you eat bread or corn,etc. then you dont need the rice. The combination gives you all the essential Amino acids to provide your protein and also is very satisfying. If you dont get enough protein then you will remain with the craving for the meat. I make a big batch and then put them in 1 qt siploc jars with the screw on lids and store them in the freezer and take them out one at a time.

Answer 7

I suggest doing it - pardon the expression - cold turkey. To prepare yourself, line up a bunch of really great-sounding recipes, along with any veggie food you now eat. The great meals will take your mind off of the meat you're "missing" until you lose your craving for meat.

Another thing you can try is buying those frozen meat-like foods such as are made by Morningstar Farms. Their meatless links are great, as are a number of other items, depending on your taste.

Answer 8

Eating no animal by-products makes you Vegan, not vegetarian.

Your best way is to take all of the meat, fish, and poultry you have and ship it to me. I'll make sure that you never have to eat meat again (if you could buy sirloin steak, I'd really appreciate it).

Answer 9

You are on the right path to becoming a vegetarian. But with al major choices you should look up the necessary information to make sure this is a change you can follow(and that it won't affect your health). For example, are you just going to be a vegetarian or are you going to be a full vegan? These are things you have to think about
I posted a source for you to get started.

Answer 10

Quit eating meat