Strategies in transitioning to a vegetarian diet.
Posted by UDhammaSammi on Jan 25, 2008 · Member since Jan 2008 · 3 posts
Hello all.
I want to become a full-time vegetarian but need some help. I was wondering if anyone has any suggestion on how to make the transition easier. Also in my job as a firefighter no one else at my department is a vegetarian I need some recipe suggestions that will appeal to them as well, because we rotate cooking duties.
Another wrinkle to the mix is that no one else in my family is a vegetarian or seems to want to join me on my quest to a healthier lifestyle.
Thanks to all who respond.
I have a yahoo group that has a few files that you will find useful. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/transitioning_veggie/ Just mention that you're coming from vegweb when you apply to join. I hope you'll post here often but for me it's easier to give you the link and point you towards the files section than to post all those links and info here. HTH ;)b
congrats on your journey. I'm a vegan, but I just went cold turkey. The hardest thing for me to shake was cheese, but I've won that battle. I wouldn't think it would be too hard a transition, make your meal like you usually would except leave out any meat when you cooking things like veggies, soups, etc.....My children still eat meat now and then, I just make a vegan meal and cook their meat on the side. Maybe once you start introducing veg dishes to the folks some of them will climb on board :-D
This site has some wonderful, simple, and easy recipes to start you off with. Introduce foods of different cultures.....if you are just starting to transition yourself, go slow and take foods out of your diet one at a time....it gets easier. Pls. also use this site, there is a ton on support to be found on vegweb, the pp are awesome and you get plenty of feedback with the recipes. Good luck!!!!
Congratulations on your decision! May you find good health and good taste all in one plate of delish veg*n fare!
To transition I would recommend making simple dishes that meat can be added to for other people in the house should you be cooking for more than yourself. Simple dishes like spinach lasagna, Ultimate Vegetarian Chili, Chickpea Casserole, and things like grains & legumes (rice & beans, quinoa & lentils, millet & split peas, amaranth & dal...).
Many Indian dishes, like Chana Masala, are already veg and they taste sooo good!
Good luck and let us know if you have any questions or how recipes turn out!
i just want to second the 'cook what you normally cook but leave out the meat' thing. when i went vegetarian in high school, my parents would make dinner for all of them (meat eaters) but leave out a portion for me before adding in the meat. so like, a pasta bake with no meat. or chili with beans instead of meat. what i would consider a side became my main meal. like, green bean casserole to me, is a main dish.
I don't know any firefighters, but the ambulance corp that my dad volunteers for LOVES pizza, pizza might be one of the easiest things to make vegetarian.
Great advice.
Check this out: http://www.engine2.org/
Thanks for all the quick help! And please keep the suggestions coming. You guys are like the 911 for vegies!
Take it at your own pace. Some people can do the complete transition thing, others find it easier (and more acceptable to a family if you're not on your own) to go gradually, like eating veggie at lunch or dinner and the other meal with the family. Even if they don't share your tastes, they'll get used to the idea, though it may take some time.
Of course there are a lot of "veggie" meals you can prepare that just don't happen to contain meat. Look on this site for chili recipes, pasta with say mushrooms instead of meat, soups (everybody loves good soup!) and the like. If you're the one to do most of the cooking of course it's easier to just make choices without a lot of fanfare.
Don't be afraid to experiment. Variety is key. Black beans instead of white or pinto. Try something with chickpeas. I tried a Ginger and Peanut soup from here that I was waaay dubious about, basically because I had some less-than-delicious peanut butter to use up. That soup is soooo good! And don't be afraid to modify. Throw in red onions if you prefer them, or whatever.
And remember, it's about you, your tastes and preferences. We're all on a different path, and there are no rules about what you do or don't put in your mouth. There are no tests to pass, you don't have to "make the grade" because there's no grade to be made. It's about healthy eating, at the end of the day. You may get flak from others about your choices, but that's what they are--your choice. Those same other people make different choices from yours or mine, and we live. So will they. Just keep going your own way.
When living with a true "die-hard omni" (more omni than my pescatarianism), I found this book titled The Ethnic Vegetarian, let me just say I LOVE this book! Cooking those recipes, along with my all encompassing lentil stew, made this guy forget about meat for over a month!!! It shows you basic "down home, stick to your ribs, comfort food" recipes that are normally done with meat with basic substitutions that make it easier for you to cook/convert your own family favorites later. When my omni aunt bought the book for me (off my wish list), she said she might get it, because the recipes looked so good!!
As others have suggested, pasta is a good one for large crowds. For potlucks, I will generally make a HUGE thing of "Baked Ziti" which consists of tube noodles, sauce and cheese baked until it gets oooey gooey and bubbly.
My mother's favorite book was the Vegetarian Epicure, which contains some of my childhood favorites.
Very awesome that you are a firefighter!
A lot of respect to you. (:
I would like to say that first , we should keep in mind that the true object of becoming a vegan is not to become "pure" in our diets , except to reduce creature sufferings.
Stressing over every ingredient in an meal is very troublesome for anyone new to a vegan diet. except taking small step, is easier and much more efficient.
as others have said there is many recipes on this site which makes vegweb an amazing site (:
When I transitioned my first incentive was to cold turkey, however it didn't work and made my cravings very worse. so perhaps a better idea (at least for me) would be to gradually work towards it.
If you're going vegetarian and not vegan may I suggest a few menus that your fellow fire fighters would enjoy.
-Macaroni and Cheese, baked beans, green salad with chickpeas, cooked vegetable(peas, carrots, broccoli, etc), garlic bread and dessert
-Baked Beans, fried potatoes, coleslaw with carrots, salad bar, whole wheat rolls, dessert
-Cheese Pizza piled with veggies (can use simulated bacon bits sprinkled over top for a meaty flavor), fries or macaroni salad, Caesar Salad with veggie dressing, and dessert
-Rice and Beans, Quesadillas filled with shredded cheese, veggies, served with guacamole, sour cream & salsa on the side, green salad,and dessert
-Any number of pasta dishes made with veggies and beans
Check this out: http://www.engine2.org/
The bios are fabulous.
Firefighter Derick Zwerneman: Born and raised in Austin,Texas and the son of a firefighter, Derick joined the fire department in 1997. Tall, dark and handsome, Derick is sweet, well intentioned, and about as All-American as baseball and apple pie. Derick is smooth as silk without being slick - a really solid person.
I just made "meatloaf" with mashed potatoes from the skinny bitch cookbook last night. It's one of my omni husband's favorite's. He even commented, you could give this meat loaf to any meat eater & they wouldn't tell. I'll bet the guys at your fire house would like it & you could do all the prep work at home. The key ingredeint is using "Gimme Lean" ground beef substitute. If you want the whole recipe, email me, lisaanddini at hotmail dot com.