Are you considering transitioning to a plant-based diet, but the thought of cutting out meat and dairy cold turkey (pun intended) intimidates you? You’re not alone. Perhaps you’re choosing to go plant based for health reasons. Or maybe you’re looking to reduce your meat intake in order to benefit the planet. Whatever your reason, switching up your eating habits is a big lifestyle change, but it doesn’t have to be difficult.
Embracing a plant-based diet is extremely beneficial for your health and the environment. However, we completely understand that it may be a bit of a struggle in the beginning. To help ease you toward a smooth transition, here are our top 3 tips for those just starting out their journey.
MEATLESS MONDAY
Ever heard of Meatless Monday? If not, you might consider trying it out! Meatless Monday is an international campaign that encourages people to eliminate meat from their diets on Mondays to improve their health and create environmental awareness. If completely eliminating meat and dairy right off the bat is too daunting, this is an excellent solution. Eventually, this will allow you to eliminate these products from your diet a few other days of the week, making it easier to complete the full transition.
DISCOVER PLANT-BASED ALTERNATIVES
The worst thing you can do is to convince yourself you’re being deprived of food. In fact, you’re actually doing the complete opposite by consuming foods with more nutrients! Try not to think of this transition as giving up meat and dairy. Instead, create plant-based alternatives of the foods you already enjoy. For instance, try making veggie burgers or replace the chicken in your stir-fry with beans. Focus on the alternatives you’re gaining. You can also check out our favorite food blogger the Minimalist Baker for delicious, easy plant-based recipes!
KNOWLEDGE IS POWER
Research is your most powerful tool. Before you even begin your transition, you should research the vegan food pyramid in order to prepare yourself. It’s actually quite different from the conventional food pyramid we were taught in school. There are 5 main food groups for a balanced plant-based meal: fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, and nuts/seeds. In order to cook vegan-friendly meals, you’ll need to be well-versed on these types of food.
Additionally, this will help you when grocery shopping or going out to eat. You’ll become more familiar with certain ingredients, making it easier for you to read food labels and know what to avoid.
Hesitant to begin your plant-based journey in the kitchen? Lucky for you, we recently began publishing quick and delicious recipes to our blog and our Youtube channel! Getting creative in the kitchen when you’re first starting out can be a little hard, but that’s exactly why we’re here to provide some guidance. Check out our recipes and let us know what you think!
Happy eating!
