Is going vegetarian hard?

[ProstatePuncher]

Get a slow cooker and a cookbook for it. You'll be able to make zero effort gigantic meals that will last you days, cost you pennies and fill you up like mad. The only hard part is not eating bowl after bowl of the stuff you make.

A lot of people think they're only useful for stews but you can do so much with a slow cooker. I even did an overnight porage in my one once, and by god it was amazing stuff.

 

[Amnixia]

I went vegan overnight a couple of years ago. It really isn't hard.

 

[Sec0nd]

If you really want to be vegetarian, it's really easy. Plenty of alternatives and you'll learn amazing new recipes and discover new foods. If your mind or heart isn't 100% on board with the decision it could be a bit hard but still easily doable.

 

[JustTom]

I'm a fan of meat though. I enjoy eating it, its a staple of my diet.

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I stopped two weeks ago. I really is not that hard. I discovered plenty of new meals which are super delicious (Pinterest is your friend). The reason was on the one hand the environmental change and on the other hand the way animals are being held captive which is just disgusting (Joaquin Phoenix releases a documentary about this but it is heavy stuff). From a rational point of view I couldn't find a reason to continue eating meat because it is pretty easy to replace the proteins with other stuff. I came to the conclusion that I only ate meat because I was used to it. Most of the time it wasn't the meat I wanted but whatever goes with the meat like a fruity sauce or something. It was not the meat's taste that I liked.
If you really want to go vegetarian, it's not that hard, there are plenty of ways to get all the things you need with appropriate replacements :)

 

[AzorAhai]

Meat I could drop any day. I'm already eating it only on social occasions.

Vegan is a nope. Never giving up on cheese. The animal cause is a big concern for every election though.

 

[infinitebento]

It really isnt difficult.

Commitment is important and educating yourself on protein/vitamin intake is crucial.

Make sure you're a healthy vegetarian and arent just not consuming meat.

 

[Orin_linwe]

Cooking can be a little tricky, because you have to sorta "work around" not having the naturally flavor-enhancing juices from meat. I now tend to use wine, sambal oelek, parmesan and other "taste-complex" ingredients in small quantities to dishes that don't tend to list them as ingredients (though I rarely cook straight from recipes; usually just use it as a vague suggestion because they are almost always off in some way).

You'll quickly get a feel for it though. Vegetarian dishes being bland is entirely the fault of the cook/chef, and not because of it not having meat. You basically have to learn how to add and combine "background tastes" to give the dish a more deep, three-dimensional taste (parmesan is great for this, for example).

If you learn about 10-15 dishes (with a lot of "quick and dirty" ones) you have a great base. It's mostly the initial hump of "hmm.. what do I do without meat? Is it just going to be this undifferentiated heap of warm vegetables?".

I've been a pescetarian for three years now. Originally did it partly for ethical reasons (and partly to challenge my cooking), but now I just do it cause it's the new normal, and just "what I do".

 

[ClickyCal']

Would be for me, I just have chicken too much. When I go without it for days I feel less energized.

 

[Rassilon]

You know when you buy food? Don't buy the food that is meat.

PLANET SAVED

 

[thesoapster]

I grew up ovo-lacto and it's not bad. I'd miss a couple items, but some substitutes are close enough.

 

[GK86]

Maybe as someone suggested above, cut down on red meat and go from there? Or as you mentioned, limit it to chicken/fish?

I haven't nor am no thinking of going vegetarian, but I have cut down my red meat consumption. Cooking more chicken and trying more shrimp in my diet.

 

[Deleted member 8561]

It's a lot easier than it was a decade ago.

You have a lot of resources online to eat good, not shit food.

And in a few years plant based meat will be around the price of animal meat with basically the same flavor and texture.

You're gonna have to learn how to cook in order to not go insane and not spend a fortune. Which is good, learning how to cook is a good life skill.

But if you want to do it just for environmental reasons, limiting red meat to once a month or so and eating chicken/pork is just around the same impact as a vegetarian diet. Which is why I recommend people simply cut red meat out of their diet if they are concerned with their carbon impact.

 

[Crispy]

My GF and I have cut down on our meat consumption for a few months now. We eat meat twice a week, always from local farmers. It feels good and has helped us realize that we really don't need so much meat. Certainly not every day or on our sandwiches like we used to do. We've also gone to smaller portion sizes.

 

[Macil]

I don't plan on going vegetarian, but I always choose Beyond Meat or Impossible Burger whenever I'm going for burgers and they're an option. They're close enough in taste and I like supporting hopefully more sustainable food production.

 

[ScoobsJoestar]

For me it was really, really hard at first but it got easier as habits set in.

 

[SnakeXs]

Not to judge but it doesn't look like your heads in the right place on this. Giving something up while preemptive opining that you love it and that it's a staple of your diet.

Why are you quitting? If you've thought it through and you have your reasons and believe in what you're doing and why you'll find it far easier.

The main question is "how" vegetarian (pesca-, ovo-), where your new calorie deficit is going to come from (replacing the meat with refined carbs is likely to go poorly) and (though often overstated) where you'll get your complete proteins from.

 

[Paz]

Would be happy to chat about nutrititious foods that taste great anytime op, a great place to start is Indian cuisine (my ethnicity so a lot of experience here) because they were largely vegetarian for thousands of years and responsible for like the majority of the earths spice supply.

Legumes are your friend for staying on top of protein needs, beans (most kinds) and chickpeas (garbanzo beans) as well as lentils can all be used in varied tasty dishes ranging from fake burger patties to soups and dips (hummus is sooo good for you). If you want to improve your general health beyond the environmental impact then Make sure you're getting a lot of your calories from whole foods too, like the numbers might look the same for a sweet potato and a bowl of crackers but the way your body deals with it is not the same at all, but that's a bit beyond the scope of just going vegetarian.

There are a ton of YouTube resources for making yummy dishes if you just search for vegetarian or vegan food, just make sure you get a variety of foods on rotation (again, easy on Indian cuisine because our approach to meals is often a big bowl of many different food types out together) so you don't end up with any deficiencies.

Vegetarian is a lot easier than vegan because for people making a switch cos dairy is jammed into tons of things (esp when eating out) and honestly even just reduced red meat intake is gonna make a huge difference on your personal impact, props to you for making a difference.

 

[Fulminator]

Not a vegetarian but I don't buy red meat

I only eat chicken and turkey. Very easy transition.

 

[Grahf]

Long answer : It really depends on your reasons, resilience and location. I live in a country where meat is omnipresent and each trip to a restaurant must be prepared lest I just get to eat the side vegetables. You'll be tempted.
My friends often go to McDonald's but there's literally nothing there (except some rare weeks with special items) to eat for a vegetarian in my country.

Short answer : I love animals so I don't eat them. Environment and all are just a free bonus.

We need to get our shit together, the meat industry is slaughter and torture on a planetary scale and we have daily reminders of the horrors committed in the name of... taste ?

 

[jdstorm]

its incredibly easy to stop eating red meat

being able to buy beyond meat in the supermarkets makes it even easier, it works great for any application of ground beef.

for milk, there's oat milk which tastes better than milk ever can, and ripple (pea protein) which has comparable/better nutrition than dairy milk.

giving up cheese and butter is hard mode though.

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That's vegan not vegetarian.

 

[bye]

That's vegan not vegetarian.

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No I'm talking about cutting out dairy and beef. You don't really help by only cutting out one or the other.

 

[jdstorm]

No I'm talking about cutting out dairy and beef. You don't really help by only cutting out one or the other.

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In a lot of ways reduced meat diets feel like a spectrum with each person having their own variations. Generally though giving up dairy feels like going close to full vegan vs just vegetarian which is typically no meat (including Chicken and Fish) where you replace your protein intake with beans, Nuts, soy based protein like tofu, eggs and milk

It's also a pretty drastic step to go no meat or dairy in one big swoop. Meat replacements are getting pretty good, but for me most dairy replacements are still awful (even if I don't have dairy all that often nowadays)

 

[bye]

In a lot of ways reduced meat diets feel like a spectrum with each person having their own variations. Generally though giving up dairy feels like going close to full vegan vs just vegetarian which is typically no meat (including Chicken and Fish) where you replace your protein intake with beans, Nuts, soy based protein like tofu, eggs and milk

It's also a pretty drastic step to go no meat or dairy in one big swoop. Meat replacements are getting pretty good, but for me most dairy replacements are still awful (even if I don't have dairy all that often nowadays)

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Outside of cheese, dairy replacements have come a very long way. Once lab grown dairy arrives that code will be cracked too.

 

[jdstorm]

Outside of cheese, dairy replacements have come a very long way. Once lab grown dairy arrives that code will be cracked too.

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I tend to disagree. I don't like cheese so that's not something I can really talk about, but I have tried most of the alternatives to milk/butter/eggs due to a family member having health issues.

Olive oil nutelex is okay but I didn't really like any of the other butter substitutes and I'd rather drink water then most milk replacements, or water + Vanilla protein powder (soy based) is okay but still not great.

It might get better in the future but as of right now it's not something I'm into. Gluten Free bread has gotten much better though.

That's just my version. I get it's different for everyone. Some of the red meat replacements are getting really good though

 

[Lexxism]

Yes, that's why I'll stay with meat.

 

[Surfinn]

Was vegan for a year, which was actually tough in terms of eating out/picking up food. If you enjoy cooking, it's much easier.

Been vegetarian for years now, it's fucking easy. Just buy shit without meat in it. Tacos, burritos, grilled sandwiches, lots of cheap frozen meals from places like trader joes and even freakin' target/walmart too. I never cook (aside from heating things on a stove top), and it's been insanely easy.

Even eating out, most places are going to have some kind of appealing veggie options. Even fast food joints have tasty vegetarian options now.

Every once in a while, I'll catch a whiff of grilled meat and think it smells good. But I really don't have a desire to eat it anymore, the idea of it is just kinda gross.

Meat replacements are getting so tasty now too. If cooked correctly, beyond/impossible patties/products are close as hell.

 

[Deleted member 9237]

It's way easier than going vegan IMO, but I guess it depends on the person, what the situation is like with friends/family, how well you cook etc.

 

[Shodan14]

Your first step should be learning to cook, if you don't already. Comes with a lot of perks.

 

[vertigo]

No. Takes a few weeks but after that youll never want meat again

 

[blame space]

is going hard vegetarian?

 

[ned_ballad]

I've been going on a year and a half as a vegetarian

It's pretty easy

 

[Famassu]

Not really. There's actually very little you have to give up completely. Specific brands are generally out of the equation, yes, but, like, you can still have chocolate in a lot of different, delicious forms. You can still make lasagne.

You don't have to do it 100% right away if that feels too intimidating. Start with singular days of skipping all meat & dairy or alternatively start looking for additions & alternatives that work for you little by little. Look for your favourite recipes and just start replacing/leaving out animal stuff. Plant based creams (soy, coconut, oat, rice etc.) instead of cow cream. Beans or some meat substitutes instead of meat. Plus figure out what animal based ingredients aren't really needed. Something like egg can be replaced quite easily or omitted from a lot of recipes altogether.

And remember that almost all food are very much acquired tastes and your taste (buds) are adaptable. You might not like something right away but keep tasting things (maybe in different contexts) and you'll probably notice starting to tolerate and even like a lot of stuff that you might not like at first. For example, I wasn't a huge fan of kidney & many other beans in the beginning. So I started by adding a smaller amount of them in some foods until I got used to them and now I don't mind any amount of them in any food.

Plant based milks do also have very distinct taste but just imagine if you had never drank cow milk before and tried it for the first time in your 20s or 30s. I'd imagine most people would find it disgusting. If you're serious about this, just occasionally try out different brands/types. And remember, plant milks can taste very different, even different soy milks have their differences depending on the manufacturer and/or ingredients. So even if you don't like one soy milk, you might like another brand's soy milk.


Cheese is a stumbling block for many. A lot of people can't stand vegan cheeses. A lot of people want that slice of cheese on their bread/toast or pizza. My suggestion is that if you don't find any vegan cheeses you'd like (even after several tries), start making your own spreads (it's super simple, you basically just need chickpeas/other peas or tofu, some oil, a little salt & seasonings of your choosing and them just smush it into a paste). You won't miss cheese on your bread as much if you have some delicious garlic-chickpea spread on it.


Things to look into:
-falafel
-seitan
-nutritional yeast
-kala namak (aka black salt)

 

[Famassu]

Yes, that's why I'll stay with meat.

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Sounds like someone who hasn't even tried. Just sounds so immature.

 

[AnythingElse]

It's actually easier than you might initially think. I used to be big on meat, but became a vegetarian 10 or so years ago, and yea at first you might miss it, but you'll find that there are all sorts of food that you can eat.

And now adays there are even vegan/vegetarian meat alternatives that you could give a try if you really want something that tastes similar (note that all brands taste different though), so if anything, it's easier now than ever to make the switch.

 

[BasilZero]

Will power.


I havent ate meat in about 30+ days.


Its not that hard and infact it makes you feel better, I dont feel as tired and I've lost weight too.


I'm gonna resume eating meat again soon but will limit it to 2 days a week (2 times a day x Sat/Sun) .


I mean I dont even eat any red meat (beef, pork, goat, etc) to begin with cause of the high cholestrol and fat, I stick to eating Chicken breasts in that regard and I dont eat out , I only mainly eat homemade food.

 

[Awesome Kev]

meat was waaaay easier than i thought it would be, dairy and egg products (which includes a lot of sweets) has proven quite difficult however, still struggling with that

 

[the_kaotek1]

It was really easy for me - I gave it a try for a week and just carried on. Been veggie for 27 years now.

 

[Macam]

It's actually pretty easy. People eating meat for every single meal is a fairly new phenomenon and isn't really sustainable. The best thing to do is to simply scale back eating meat (and this alone helps!), and then work your way into it if you're so inclined.

Quorn stuff is fine and the meat substitutes are a fine way to start to work your way into it (soyrizo, the chorizo sub is actually great for Mexican styles dishes). That said, I wouldn't rely on those too much, as they're processed a fair bit, though many of them have come a long way in terms of flavor and texture.

Depending on your food preferences, Thai and Indian cuisines inherently have plenty of tasty vegetarian friendly options, and there's an infinite supply of vegetarian recipes of all sorts you can find online.

If you want a meal delivery option, Purple Carrot (https://www.purplecarrot.com) is a vegan one that's served me well, and also provides recipes books that may help give a good jumping off point for cooking ideas.

 

[deftones r cool]

I'm curious, CormoranStrike - how did this end up working out for you?

I'm considering going vegetarian atm. Just ate some chicken breast, and honestly it's just starting to gross me out a little.

Figure I can rely on eggs and multivitamins for b12, etc.

How you doing, fam?

 

[Deleted member 8561]

It depends on where you live, your budget, your personal situation regarding your ability to prep and cook on a regular basis.

If money isn't an issue, no, because vegetarian is very accommodated these days for quick meals.

If time isn't an issue, no because there exists many cultures that are vegetarian and have thrives for centuries.

If both are an issue, then it will be harder than a regular diet.

Edit: Oh man this is a necro thread lol

 

[dark_prinny]

For me? Absolutely impossible. I love meat so much.

 

[Deleted member 44129]

Why not intially trying to eat a lot LESS meat. That's what I've been doing. I love meat. I love burgers. I love steak. I love bacon. I love chicken. My parents literally gave me my opportunities in life because they ran a butcher's shop for 40 years.

BUT... 6 Months ago I decided to default to veggie meals every time the meat option didn't REALLY seem more appetising. I'm eating about a quarter of the meat I did before.

I've read a few times that it would be more impactful globally if everyone ate a bit less meat, rather than a few people going meat free.

 

[Elderly Parrot]

Being vegetarian is pointless. No half measures.

 

[UltimusXI]

It was really easy for me. There are so many alternatives popping up left and right with a wide spectrum of flavors in super markets and elsewhere. Even fast food restaurants are offering good alternatives nowadays and more and more regular restaurants have not one, but multiple vegetarian meals on their menu.

I may not have been able to do it ten or fifteen years ago, but nowadays (I started 5 years ago) the options are so much better.

The hardest part for me was to actually say no to meat when eating out at someone else's. At first I didn't want to be a burden by having others take my diet into account, so that's where I still ate some meat now and then. Now most people know and are happy to buy or make something vegetarian, so that's great.

 

[Izzard]

It wasn't 30 odd years ago, so nowadays it'll be a breeze. Welcome to the club

 

[Hail Satan]

Not at all. I eat eggs but other than that everything is easy.

And don't worry about any vegetarian doctrine or whatever. You can draw the line on what you're ok with eating.

 

[Morgan J]

Small steps, like no meat a couple of times each week. :)

 

[The Boat]

Being vegetarian is pointless. No half measures.

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This is a terrible way of thinking. All it does is polarize discussion, lead people away from abandoning animal products and to giving up when they fail to live up to absurd Pure Vegan (tm) standards.

If everyone reduced their meat consumption, even if not completely, it would help. Tell people it's all or nothing and you will certainly get nothing.

 

[itsrealfood]

I found it much, much easier than I was expecting. Initially I only planned on giving up meat for a month but it was such a minor adjustment that I have kept it going. You can make it happen if you want to!

 

[Fallout-NL]

Reading all that stuff about how meat massively contributes to global warming is making me feel really bad, to the extent I'm considering going vegetarian. If not full vegetarian, then limiting myself and only eating chicken and fish on the limited occasions I have it. Is it hard? I like meat. I like steak. Feels like it'll be hard.

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What I do is that I generally don't buy meat when I cook for myself at home. I'lll get a steak only when I eat out, which is kind of a rare occasion, though that also makes it more special to eat meat.

It's not full vegetarian but it makes a big impact and I don't find it hard at all.