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How to survive your first month as a vegetarian

If you've made a New Year's resolution to become a vegetarian, be prepared to answer some questions and look through some cookbooks.
By Leah Koenig
Mon, Jan 04 2010 at 11:54 AM EST
Read more: HEALTHY EATING, VEGETARIANISM & VEGANISM

YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT: There's more to going vegetarian than living on tofu. (Photo: Jupiterimages)
 
Being a vegetarian is not nearly as difficult as it used to be. While a 2003 survey found that only 2.8 percent of Americans identify as strictly vegetarian, over the past 20 years, vegetarian-friendly products, restaurants and — most importantly — mindsets have become the norm across most of the country. Still, for people who grew up with meat at the center of their meals, shifting toward a flesh-free diet can pose significant challenges. Here are a few survival-guide tips for transitioning seamlessly (and deliciously) into a vegetarian lifestyle. 
 
This guide was designed for vegetarians who do not eat meat, fish or fowl but do eat eggs and dairy. Many of the tips — though not all — would work for vegans as well.  
 
Vegetarians are regularly barraged with questions and comments — some well meaning or curious, and others less so — about their vegetarian status. Before finding yourself in such a situation, decide exactly why you went vegetarian. Maybe you object to factory farm abuse, maybe you think eating animals is a misuse of ecological resources, or maybe you just love animals too much to imagine eating them — whatever your answer is, decide in advance so you don’t get stuck looking like you have not thought through your decision. 
 
  • Bonus tips: As much as possible, try to avoid having conversations about meat eating (or your lack thereof) during meal times — especially if the people questioning you have meat on their plate, which puts them on the moral defensive. Tell them you would be happy to explain your reasoning, but would prefer to do it after dinner.
  •  The conversation will go much more smoothly if you avoid proselytizing your food ethics. Explain your stance, and let your friends and family draw their own conclusions.
 
See a nutritionist
Eating a complete, healthy diet as a vegetarian is easy — but not if you replace chicken dinners with bagels and French fries at every meal. Early on, consult with a nutritionist or dietician about the best non-animal sources for vitamins, calcium, iron and protein, and tips for putting together nourishing meals. On a related note …
 
Don’t hate vegetables
If you dislike fruits and vegetables, you probably should not become a vegetarian. This should be self-explanatory, but remarkably, a lot of new vegetarians seem to forget these simple words of wisdom.
 
Stock up on cookbooks
Aside from nutrition basics, kitchen knowledge is a vegetarian’s most valuable tool. Keep an eye out for vegetarian-friendly cooking classes in your neighborhood, and purchase a few trustworthy cookbooks that will propel your repertoire light-years beyond tofu stir-fry and brown rice. 
 
A few titles to try: Veganomicon, Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone, anything by Moosewood, How to Cook Everything Vegetarian, Quick Fix Vegetarian, and any of the inspiring books found here. Vegetarian and vegan magazines and blogs are also great resources for recipe ideas.
 
Figure out a holiday strategy
Holiday meals, which are often eaten at other people’s homes and center around turkey, ham, brisket or some other animal protein, can be some of the trickiest times to maintain your vegetarian ideals. If you are eating at someone else’s table, contact the host in advance about your dietary needs. Some cooks will be happy to modify or supplement their menu for you — but if you sense them getting stressed out, offer to bring a complementary vegetarian main dish to share.
 
Find a friend (or community)
Trying to venture out solo on any new lifestyle makes the process all the more difficult. If you have a friend or partner who is equally interested in going vegetarian, buddy up as each other’s support and sounding board. Or if you have friends who have maintained their vegetarian lifestyles for a while, set up a few coffee dates to pick their brains for advice, resources and inspiration. If you do not know any vegetarians or aspiring vegetarians, check out an online community forum (e.g. Veggie Boards) to link up to meat-free people from across the globe.
 
Decide on your leather policy
Some vegetarians eschew leather, while others do not conflate what they eat and what they wear. Early on, decide whether you see avoiding leather as part of your vegetarianism. If you choose to avoid it, do some research into alternative sources for leather-free shoes, wallets, belts etc. A few good sources to check: Payless, Moo Shoes, Vegan Chic and Alternative Outfitters.
 
Spare your pets
As this post on Treehugger attests, the debate about whether vegetarians should force their dogs and cats to share their food values is fiercely raging. Every pet owner gets to decide which brand of food to buy — but before you decide to enforce your vegetarian standards on your pets, consider that animals have different dietary needs from humans, and cannot adequately communicate those needs to you. In other words, if you are 100 percent against feeding your pets meat products, owning a pet might not be the most responsible choice.
 
Stay ethically flexible
Over time, as you continue to read about food ethics and sustainable eating, you might find that your food values shift. Perhaps you will find that being vegetarian isn’t “enough” for you and decide to become vegan. Or, maybe you will find that occasionally eating meat (grass-fed and humanely slaughtered, of course) feels right. Do not freak out about changing your mind — making decisions around eating is a lifelong practice, and the most important thing is to keep an open, conscious mind.
 
MNN homepage photo: allgord/iStockPhoto

 



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Posted By Diana - Fri, Jan 15 2010 at 1:31 AM EST

HappyCow Veg Restaurant Guide

HappyCow.net is a free online guide to vegetarian and vegan restaurants worldwide. The guide also includes raw food, organic, and vegetarian friendly restaurants. Plus you will find hundreds of recipes, large list of known famous vegetarians, live chat room, community forum, calendar, and tens of thousands of restaurant reviews. Check it out!

Posted By tyeann - Fri, Jan 08 2010 at 6:59 PM EST

Longtime veg

I've been a veg for over 30 years. I have had no difficulty with it. I feel that I am doing the right thing and quite frankly I don't mind educating people if they are interested. Living ethically and responsibly makes a difference.I feel GREAT!!!

Posted By JonniCakes - Fri, Jan 08 2010 at 6:50 PM EST

I've become "one" 2...

not for political reasons, but because I don't want to be fat anymore and I want to live a long life.

Posted By Jessica - Fri, Jan 08 2010 at 1:10 PM EST

Best Vegan Recipes for REAL PEOPLE!

I have been vegan for two years and honestly even though I'm asked often (ok, constantly) when I'll get over this "phase," I can't imagine going back to eating meat and other animal products. That being said, the best place to find a great range of vegan recipes is www.vegandad.blogspot.com. The recipes range from old fashioned comfort food to unique almost gourmet dishes. I have a wider variety of.... More

Posted By Dan - Wed, Jan 06 2010 at 3:29 PM EST

good resource

there is tons of veg info at brook.com/veg - reasons for not eating meat, reasons for being veg, recipes, quotes, and more.

Posted By Yasin Bowers - Mon, Jan 04 2010 at 6:22 PM EST

My suggestions

Take it one day at a time. I'm vegan and doing the raw thing this month. The first week is the hardest. Garden burger wraps....I could eat them all day. Lot's of Asian inspired foods--pho, pakoras, spring rolls, pad thai, curries. Good luck :)

Posted By Yasin Bowers - Mon, Jan 04 2010 at 6:38 PM EST

good ideas

I have been a vegetarian for 3 years and a vegan for the past 3 months! Www.vegcooking.com has an entire section of easy recipes to go vegan in 2010. Thy also have a great link on the left "pledge to be a veg for 30 days" which they send u everything you need to know! Also there arethegirls books skinny ***** and skinny ******* which has amazing meal plans! For the microwave lover you have to check out petas vegan college cook book as every can be cooked in the.... More

Posted By Jill - Mon, Jan 04 2010 at 11:31 AM EST

Good Grief!

Why are you making it sound like vegetarianism is something horrible you have to work up to like a root canal? The title should have been "How to enjoy your first month as a vegetarian." How many meat-eaters are told to consult a nutritionist? Not enough or they wouldn't eat the stuff at all. Learn which foods have the nutrients you need and in what proportion, try new things, take advantage of all the wonderful restaurants and veggie convenience foods out there, and take pride in your healthy,.... More

Posted By Lauren - Fri, Jan 08 2010 at 12:31 PM EST

I agree!

Thank you for posting this reply. I was excited to send this to a couple friends who are trying out being vegetarian until it said contact a nutritionist. I think it's a common myth that vegetarians don't get nutrients in correct proportions and I'm disappointed in this article for perpetuating this.

Posted By Sarah - Mon, Jan 04 2010 at 11:14 AM EST

Easiest tacos ever

When you are just starting out it can be hard if you've never eaten a lot of beans, I found myself relying on cheese as my main source of protein initially until I discovered beans. So I thought I would share my quick 15 min or less tacos.
1 can black beans (drained and rinsed), a can of diced tomatoes and green chilies, and some taco seasoning. Put it all in a small saucepot and simmer until the liquid thickens a bit, put it on a tortilla with your other fixings and eat!

Posted By NewMomNewMe - Mon, Jan 04 2010 at 11:00 AM EST

I've become one

Vegetarian diets are also good for losing weight, as they don't have as many grams of fat, carbs, protein, all that other stuff that makes your body pack on mass.
Now I know some vegetarians who are fat and some people who eat lots of meat who are super skinny.
So it's not a sure-fire way to become skinny. its a start though

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