Let me tell you something, eating vegetarian is not hard or challenging or difficult or any of it! It just takes a little practice! This week, I am sharing with you my top 5 tips to make going plant-based easier for vegetarians or vegans, novice or expert! It really can be easy! I can show you how!
Tara’s Tuesday Tips:
September Quick Tips
5 Tips to Make Going Plant-Based Easier
1. You don’t have to make everything from scratch
At first, if plant-based meats or bottled sauces + a few cans make your life easier, go for it! There is no right or wrong here. Do what works for you + stop worrying. Eventually, you might be able to transition to making more of those things yourself! START HERE: What Is Plant-Forward Eating?
2. Don’t eliminate … substitute
I went on and on a few weeks ago about adding not subtracting! So, if your normal dinner is chicken + rice + veggies, don’t make just rice + veggies! Substitute the chicken for tofu, tempeh, lentils, chickpeas, soybeans, or a mock meat! Get to know your swaps! CHECK OUT THE FULL ARTICLE HERE: Improve Your Health By Adding Not Subtracting or Guide To Plant-Based Meat Alternatives
3. Keep the flavor
BIGGEST. MISTAKE. EVER. We don’t eat animals is not equal to we don’t eat flavor. New vegetarians don’t miss the meat, they miss the seasonings! Your meat + fish were just a vehicle for flavor. Now, your beans + tofu are the vehicle! READ THIS: How To Stop Meat Cravings As A Vegetarian
4. Being inflexible is not an option
You MUST be flexible. Your plate will not look the same as your carnivorous friends in most restaurants. When eating out or while traveling, you might need to eat breakfast foods for dinner or dessert foods for lunch or simply order a plate of sides. Inflexible and plant-based do not go together at all! READ THESE TO GET STARTED: 10 Things I Wish I Knew Before Going Plant Based or 10 Things On My Grocery List Every Week
5. Explore New Cuisines
The more diversity you have in your cooking + eating, the longer you will stick to plant-based eating! Swap out your favorite American cuisine for incredibly Indian dishes, Asian, and even Mexican and you will see how delicious your food will be with very little effort + you won’t miss the meat! THESE ARTICLES MIGHT HELP: Easy Food Substitutions For Plant-Based Eating or How To Order Plant-Based At A Restaurant
Food For Thought
I started this blog so that new (and old) meatless eaters could see how easy it is to be vegetarian. If all you do is open a can of chickpeas + pour them over a bowl of spinach every night for dinner, yes it’s vegetarian, and yes it’s boring, and yes you are going to be looking for that salmon you are craving, I would be too!
Be patient + kind + curious. Being vegetarian is not a diet. Looking at it as a restrictive way of life is setting yourself up for failure. Instead, know your why. This is a big one with vegetarianism. If you don’t know why you are cutting out meat, you won’t have a purpose to do so. Saving the animals, the environment, for health reasons are all a great example of ‘why’. Vegetarianism is not a diet + is not a fad + you will fail if you don’t know why you are doing it!
Need more help? Reach out to me: tara@myvegetarianfamily.com 💚 Let’s chat!
⭐Did you learn from my 5 Tips to Make Going Plant-Based Easier? Leave a comment below!
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