Visit vegetarian restaurants to find new foods you like, then try to recreate those dishes at home. Get creative—the more variety you can include in your diet, the more likely you’ll be to get all the nutrients you need.
The texture and taste of these products usually aren’t exactly the same as their meat-based counterparts, but you may find that you develop a preference for them anyway. Tofu, tempeh, and seitan can be used as a substitute for meat in a lot of conventional recipes. Avoid basing your whole diet on these meat alternatives—they’re usually highly processed, and you usually won’t get the same nutritional benefits as you would from adding in more veggies to your meal. [3] X Research source
For instance, if you love to eat spaghetti, you can still enjoy it—just leave out the ground beef. Instead, load up your pasta with hearty veggies like zucchini, mushrooms, yellow squash, carrots, and red peppers. If you love chicken stir-fry, try substituting extra-firm tofu instead.
For instance, you might start by cutting all red meat from your diet, like beef, lamb, or venison. After a week, you might eliminate pork, such as bacon and ham, followed by chicken, then fish and shellfish.
Vegan: No animal products, including meat, dairy, eggs, gelatin, or honey. Lacto-ovo vegetarian: No meat, including poultry and fish, but can eat eggs and dairy Lacto vegetarian: No meat or eggs, but can have dairy Ovo vegetarian: No meat or dairy, but can eat eggs Partial: May eat fish (pesco-vegetarian), poultry (pollo-vegetarian), or fish and poultry (pesce-pollotarian).
2 1/2 cups (around 400 g) of vegetables 2 cups (around 220 g) of fruits 6 1/2 oz of whole grains (the equivalent of 6 slices of bread or 650 g of cooked rice or pasta) 3 cups of dairy (equal to 237 ml of milk or 83 g of shredded cheese, for instance)
Iron: Eat legumes (like chickpeas and lentils), tofu, dried fruit, broccoli, and iron-fortified cereals. Calcium: Drink milk, fortified soy milk, and fortified orange juice; eat tofu and leafy greens like kale. Vitamin D: Drink milk or fortified soy milk and eat fortified breakfast cereals. Also, spend time outside—your body produces vitamin D when you’re exposed to sunlight. Protein: Eat eggs, dairy, nuts, tofu, beans, whole grains and cereals, and tofu. B12: Consume eggs, dairy, fortified soy milk, fortified breakfast cereals, and nutritional yeast. Zinc: Eat dairy, dried beans, tofu, and fortified cereals. Omega-3 fatty acids: Vegetable oils like soybean, canola, and flaxseed, as well as eggs, walnuts, and chia seeds. Iodine: Use iodized salt to season your food.
Cheese—may be made with rennet, which is made from the stomach lining of young animals Worcestershire sauce—contains anchovies Curry pastes—may contain fish sauce or shrimp paste Desserts—may be made with gelatin or colored with cochineal, a food coloring made from beetle shells Alcoholic drinks—may be filtered using animal products
You might even find that it’s easier for you to eat a mostly plant-based diet, but to still have meat or fish occasionally. If that’s the case, don’t fret—you’ll still get many of the same health benefits as you would from following a fully vegetarian diet. [12] X Trustworthy Source Harvard Medical School Harvard Medical School’s Educational Site for the Public Go to source One study found that as many as 84% of vegetarians have a relapse after a year, so if you do give in and have a meat-based meal, keep in mind that you’re definitely not alone. [13] X Research source If you suddenly start craving meat, you might not be getting enough food. Be sure you eat at least 1200 calories a day, and include legumes, nuts, and seeds in your diet so you’ll get enough healthy fats. [14] X Expert Source Tara ColemanClinical Nutritionist Expert Interview. 22 October 2020.
Don’t be surprised if you’re met with a little resistance when people find out you’re a vegetarian. There can be a lot of reasons for people to be critical—they might feel defensive of their own choice to eat meat, they might be ill-informed about vegetarianism, or they might have concerns about your health. Offer to cook for the people in your life—they might be surprised how delicious a plant-based meal can be! If you’re invited to gatherings, bring vegetarian-friendly foods so you know there will be something you can eat. [16] X Research source
If you’re going on vacation, take some time to research any vegetarian-friendly restaurants in the area before you leave.
