As far as I remember, yes!
Ah ok. Thanks! Appreciate the referral if I ever need it!
Transitioning to vegetarianism
- Thread starter dirtychinchilla
- Start date
As far as I remember, yes!
Ah ok. Thanks! Appreciate the referral if I ever need it!
Soldato
Who’s the girl?!
In all seriousness it’s a good thing and cutting down on meat is something that I should do again.
Indian cuisine is awesome for veggie meals as you can do tonnes with lentils and chickpeas which are very filling. And paneer… hnggg.
In all seriousness it’s a good thing and cutting down on meat is something that I should do again.
Indian cuisine is awesome for veggie meals as you can do tonnes with lentils and chickpeas which are very filling. And paneer… hnggg.
Had 2 mins so thought I'd show you some sample Gousto's...
Cheers, man. They all look pretty great! We did use to get Hello Fresh, which was alright. I can't remember why we stopped.
Hahaha, I'm married! But I'm hoping she gets somewhat on board - I think she will.
I wish I could have paneer
Had my first vegetarian day yesterday. I’ve still got meat to eat from the freezer so I’m doing that before moving over.
It was OK. We went out for dinner to a Thai restaurant, but I was honestly underwhelmed by the vegetarian selection. Of a 90+ item menu, about 15 were vegetarian. I had a nice mixed starter starter, and then sweet and sour tofu with sticky rice.
The tofu wasn’t great to be honest. They’d cooked it so that the outside was tough, and the sweet and sour sauce was unbelievably sweet to the point where I couldn’t finish it. That is completely abnormal for me, and I have a sweet tooth.
I didn’t feel great all night though. I’ve got Crohn’s disease and need to carefully manage my fibre intake. Too much or too little cause me all sorts of problems, so I’ve got to work out how to manage that.
All in all though, could have been worse.
It was OK. We went out for dinner to a Thai restaurant, but I was honestly underwhelmed by the vegetarian selection. Of a 90+ item menu, about 15 were vegetarian. I had a nice mixed starter starter, and then sweet and sour tofu with sticky rice.
The tofu wasn’t great to be honest. They’d cooked it so that the outside was tough, and the sweet and sour sauce was unbelievably sweet to the point where I couldn’t finish it. That is completely abnormal for me, and I have a sweet tooth.
I didn’t feel great all night though. I’ve got Crohn’s disease and need to carefully manage my fibre intake. Too much or too little cause me all sorts of problems, so I’ve got to work out how to manage that.
All in all though, could have been worse.
Soldato
My wife has been veggie for a while now and I've been having the same meals. We've been using this guys book recipes and then adapting them. Some nice recipes in there.
My wife has been veggie for a while now and I've been having the same meals. We've been using this guys book recipes and then adapting them. Some nice recipes in there.
Thanks! I think I’ll begin by just changing out meat for a vegetarian equivalent and go from there just to ease myself in.
Soldato
That's what I am appreciating at the moment. We were having meat alternative chicken fried up and put in to a kebab with a home made mint n garlic sauce, bread and chips which to me felt just like the real thing apart from there was no meat. We then switched the bread to a romaine lettuce leaf and brown rice instead of chips and it's great now as a saturday night cheeky 'take away' meal.
Last edited:
Soldato
I did try to become a veggie when i was 17. Despite me eating loads of fruit, veg, protein and taking supplements for vegetarians, I became unwell, unable to concentrate etc. I thought that my change was down to this and reintroduced meat and fish back into my diet gradually. Started with a bit of ham in a sandwich. Within a week of eating meat, I was back to how I was before vegetarian. No idea why this was.
I sometimes have a meat free day, not on purpose - every 10-14 days and don’t have problems.
I sometimes have a meat free day, not on purpose - every 10-14 days and don’t have problems.
I know it's just terminology, but I think what I'm aiming for is what has been coin "flexitarian" i.e. predominantly doesn't eat meat, but will eat it very occasionally. it seems as though I won't be giving up the small amount of fish I eat either.
I'm having my last intentional meat-based meal today, which will be Mapo Tofu. Then, it's on to being meat-free. I can't say I'm massively looking forward to it, but it feels right at the moment. Friday will be a big test as I'm going to a beer festival = mcdonald's after...
I'm having my last intentional meat-based meal today, which will be Mapo Tofu. Then, it's on to being meat-free. I can't say I'm massively looking forward to it, but it feels right at the moment. Friday will be a big test as I'm going to a beer festival = mcdonald's after...
Soldato
Good luck with this - after being mostly vegan at home for a few years due to partner, I tried Veganuary in 2020. Then I just sort of... Didn't stop
I presumed I would maybe treat myself to a fancy steak once a month or something, but I honestly just don't know how to insert a random meat meal into an otherwise meatless lifestyle.
I actually don't feel any healthier - I think meat is a food that makes me feel very satiated and well/nourished. So for now I consider myself someone who eats vegan food, but won't be difficult about it if you've only got cow milk for tea. Or if I'm a guest and you've cooked a meal I won't be so rude as to refuse it. Even on this basis, I think I've only had dairy a handful of times in 20 months and no meat AFAIR. Being stuck at home a lot helps!
Without wishing to dissuade the OP, there's no-one I've seen who has moved from being a meat-eater to being a veggie/vegan who has kept it up. They manage it for a few months, or even a couple of years, but they always go back to eating meat.
The only strict veggie I've known was my ex-gf, who had been raised as a veggie by her mum, so she never touched any meat.
It's a very hard thing to do, especially when the substitutes are so poor. I bought some Quorn mince the other day, having read the reviews that it was just like beef mince, it tasted nothing like it, nor was the texture the same. It was horrid.
Good luck to the OP though, there is a tonne of amazing veggie recipes out there. I think that semi-vegeratarianism/flexitarianism is far more realistic - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semi-vegetarianism - but good luck on your venture
The only strict veggie I've known was my ex-gf, who had been raised as a veggie by her mum, so she never touched any meat.
It's a very hard thing to do, especially when the substitutes are so poor. I bought some Quorn mince the other day, having read the reviews that it was just like beef mince, it tasted nothing like it, nor was the texture the same. It was horrid.
Good luck to the OP though, there is a tonne of amazing veggie recipes out there. I think that semi-vegeratarianism/flexitarianism is far more realistic - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semi-vegetarianism - but good luck on your venture
Soldato
I really don't mean to be rude but that's nonsense
Do you mean people need to be raised vegetarian? To be fair, most of the lifelong veggies I know did go veggie as a teen usually. But then I definitely know people who have been vegetarian for 10, 20 years etc who quit as an adult.
Don't get me wrong, I also think that minimising and flexitarianism is the way forward. I don't really want to become intolerant of meat or dairy either so I'm concerned of the long term effects. But plenty of people go veggie and stay veggie!
Good luck with this - after being mostly vegan at home for a few years due to partner, I tried Veganuary in 2020. Then I just sort of... Didn't stop
I presumed I would maybe treat myself to a fancy steak once a month or something, but I honestly just don't know how to insert a random meat meal into an otherwise meatless lifestyle.
I actually don't feel any healthier - I think meat is a food that makes me feel very satiated and well/nourished. So for now I consider myself someone who eats vegan food, but won't be difficult about it if you've only got cow milk for tea. Or if I'm a guest and you've cooked a meal I won't be so rude as to refuse it. Even on this basis, I think I've only had dairy a handful of times in 20 months and no meat AFAIR. Being stuck at home a lot helps!
Thanks, and well done. I don't think I'll be inserting meat into my life, but I think there will be times when I inevitably eat meat. As you say, being a guest and having just to eat what you're given. I'm also lactose intolerant, so getting a nice vegetarian meal will be made more difficult without the ability to eat cheese.
Without wishing to dissuade the OP, there's no-one I've seen who has moved from being a meat-eater to being a veggie/vegan who has kept it up. They manage it for a few months, or even a couple of years, but they always go back to eating meat.
The only strict veggie I've known was my ex-gf, who had been raised as a veggie by her mum, so she never touched any meat.
It's a very hard thing to do, especially when the substitutes are so poor. I bought some Quorn mince the other day, having read the reviews that it was just like beef mince, it tasted nothing like it, nor was the texture the same. It was horrid.
Good luck to the OP though, there is a tonne of amazing veggie recipes out there. I think that semi-vegeratarianism/flexitarianism is far more realistic - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semi-vegetarianism - but good luck on your venture
I think flexitarian is exactly what I'm going for. Quorn mince is horrible, fully agree. I've got no desire to eat it. My sister has been veggie for about 15 years though. About 2 years ago she ate some fish, and that's it. She just doesn't eat meat. No idea why though.
The secret with vegetarianism/veganism is not to replace your meat with meat substitutes. Lynsander's post is just rubbish and sounds like people have tried to replace meat with fake meat rather than embrace vegetables.
Vegetables, pulses, fungi, etc are all delicious and incredible ingredients. You have endless combinations. You don't need fake meat. (Though, I do enjoy a fake sausage)...
Vegetables, pulses, fungi, etc are all delicious and incredible ingredients. You have endless combinations. You don't need fake meat. (Though, I do enjoy a fake sausage)...
Soldato
- Joined
- 11 Sep 2013
- Posts
- 12,308
Correction- BADLY faked meat.
The good stuff is pretty good, and I even tried the Plant-Based Whopper the other week, finding it to be surprisingly yummy.
Soooo many jokes I could throw at that... Fnar fnar!!
Guess depends on ones social circles too, know a few people who went vegetarian and pescetarian and stuck with it. Even did a 40 day vegan thing myself last year, definitely not ready to make the jump but working towards a flexitarian/pescetarian approach now.
Have discovered quite a few new dishes and staples since then, my Instant Pot went from something I never used to almost daily use with various beans and pulses and as others mentioned, Indian cuisine has plenty of choice. There's also tofu which is basically a blank canvas to do what you will with it and more exotic things like seitan if can get a hold of it or can be bothered to make it.
I'm at a point now where I rarely eat red meat and even end up having vegetarian days without planning them but would like to get to a point where I'm a pescetarian with red meat and poultry for special occasions only or when cravings really hits.
Have discovered quite a few new dishes and staples since then, my Instant Pot went from something I never used to almost daily use with various beans and pulses and as others mentioned, Indian cuisine has plenty of choice. There's also tofu which is basically a blank canvas to do what you will with it and more exotic things like seitan if can get a hold of it or can be bothered to make it.
I'm at a point now where I rarely eat red meat and even end up having vegetarian days without planning them but would like to get to a point where I'm a pescetarian with red meat and poultry for special occasions only or when cravings really hits.
Soldato
- Joined
- 21 Sep 2020
- Posts
- 3,358
I’d love to be plant based and have all the benefits from it - right across the board.
I try to cut out as much meat as possible but it’s difficult. I go fishing quite a lot as a hobby and have started to do C&R but half the time a lot of the lochs here don’t allow you to release them once caught (I’m not entirely sure why, maybe pollute the loch?), I’ve started giving the fish to my dogs who love it but at least that means I’m cutting back myself.
I try to cut out as much meat as possible but it’s difficult. I go fishing quite a lot as a hobby and have started to do C&R but half the time a lot of the lochs here don’t allow you to release them once caught (I’m not entirely sure why, maybe pollute the loch?), I’ve started giving the fish to my dogs who love it but at least that means I’m cutting back myself.
Soldato
TBF this might be a good way to taper down your meat intake - if you catch it you can freeze it and spread it out across your meals? Then just don't buy meat. If it ties into your hobbies that's not a bad thing
I have made one or two exceptions in veganism when I've been gifted eggs by people who have rescue hens. It was a nice treat as we were exchanging favours! I have considered hens as pets, so I reckon "self produced" is a nice flex on the strict veganism.