When you’re looking to adopt a healthier and more sustainable lifestyle, going vegetarian can achieve all that and more. Many people choose to go vegetarian for various reasons that can be religious or wanting to avoid excessive hormones in animal meat.
Deciding to go vegetarian can be a simple decision but requires careful thought and consideration before you adopt it in reality. When you’re looking for ways to start a vegetarian lifestyle, here are some tips that can help you out.
Research Thoroughly
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If you are living a lifestyle where you eat meat every day, you need to know what kind of food and recipes you can make once you decide to go vegetarian. Whether you’re looking for simple options like Linda McCartney Vegetarian Burgers or complicated dishes, you need to know what you’re getting into.
There are also different lifestyles you can adopt depending on what type of vegetarian you’re planning to be. Some vegetarians don’t eat eggs or milk, while others give up all kinds of animal-derived products (vegan). Before beginning a vegetarian lifestyle, you should also know what you’re willing to give up and what you can’t.
Knowing what products are meat-derived and which are safe for vegetarians to eat is also crucial before you start making switches. Ensure that you’re reading the labels of any food item you end up buying or already have in your pantry.
Start Gradually
It can be quite difficult to completely give up everything you’ve been accustomed to eating, especially if you have been living a mainly meat-led lifestyle. Instead of opting to give it all up in one go and relapse a few weeks later, it’s ideal for making gradual replacements so you can transition easily into becoming a full-time vegetarian.
You can begin by switching out one meal a day for a completely vegetarian option. Keep vegetarian snacks on hand, so you don’t reach out for beef jerky or jelly when you’re feeling hungry. If you use a lot of broth or other meat bases, switch them out for vegetarian alternatives as well.
Find Good Staples
You can’t start your vegetarian lifestyle without having good vegetarian staples for each type of dish. Whether you need to switch out your daily bone broth for vegetarian stock or cubes or need non-animal sourced gelatin, there can be different staples for all types of needs.
You also may need to find out what exactly your current staples consist of. Your regular go-to jelly juice may have animal fat as one of the ingredients. Find out which staples have meat or meat-derived ingredients and which ones you can use even when you’ve become a full vegetarian.
Look for Alternatives
Finding alternatives for some of your favorite meat dishes is no easy feat. For instance, Linda McCartney Vegetarian Burgers make a great and nutritious alternative when you’re craving your favorite beef burgers.
You can also find other meat alternatives like tofu, cottage cheese, jackfruit, etc. Depending on where you live, you can even find ‘fake meat’ created in labs and tastes exactly like the real animal-sourced version.
If you’re having a hard time adapting to your vegetarian lifestyle, finding good alternatives that taste similar to meat or other non-vegetarian dishes can help make the transition easier and make it less tough for you.
Explore Recipes
When you’re looking to transition into your vegetarian lifestyle successfully, it’s crucial that you step out of your comfort zone. It includes not only looking for international ingredients but also trying out other cuisines that you may not have been exposed to before.
Many countries that follow specific religions like Buddhism and Hinduism tend to have a majority vegetarian population. You can find a lot of ingredients and dishes from these countries that are mostly vegetarian, like Indian, Thai, Japanese, and Korean food.
You can also look for international recipe books that can help expose you to different cultures and more vegetarian dishes without you needing to research constantly. It can make planning those Friday night dinners much easier as well.
Don’t Shy Away From Trying New Things
Deciding to be a vegetarian can be a monumental decision, not just for your lifestyle but for your health and peace of mind as well. If you want to ensure that you don’t have a hard time adjusting to your new lifestyle, don’t be afraid to step out of the box.
For days when you’re feeling lazy, you can always opt for easy options like the Linda McCartney Vegetarian Burgers. Whether it’s trying new cuisines or alternatives that have just been released in the market, keep an open mind so you can enjoy your transition into becoming a vegetarian.
You’re bound to miss aspects of being a non-vegetarian, but the longer you sustain this type of lifestyle, the more satisfied you will feel.
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