How to eat

Discussion in 'So you want to be a Vegetarian?' started by tuesdaystar, May 6, 2011.

  1. tuesdaystar

    tuesdaystar Interneter

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    I have gone veggie so many times but eating has always become sort of "too much"

    Too much money when you have to hunt out costly produce every couple days.

    Too much disappointment when your high-end produce is bunk, not really all that sustainable, not really all that delicious and costing so much time and money

    I have been a lacto-ovo veg for most of the past 10 years, but every so often I always start eating meat again. First when I was 20 and pregnant I couldn't get enough of it, but ever since then I keep falling back into the gross and meaty american diet.

    I usually eat great for 1-3 years at a time then I get poor, have to eat cheap, end up eating things like taco bell rice and cheese sauce burritos and then spiraling into a convenient, nutritionally and ethically void diet.

    It's worse than ever for me now. I've been eating meat for the pat 9 months and for the past 3 months I've worked at a restaurant and eaten meat nearly every day.

    Food is starting to seem so destructive to me.

    My body is just not that strong and I feel like I'm suffering from food right now.

    I would love some tips and tricks for making it easier to eat vegetarian.

    Some things that I love to eat are:

    Oats: Cooked in water with milk, butter, sugar, banana and blueberries

    Cereal with milk or almond milk (because it's easy)

    Cut avacados (easy)

    Cut tomatoes with potato chips (easy and junk food)

    Steamed veggies
     
  2. Anistaulia

    Anistaulia Member

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    I have the same problem, I started being a vegetarian when I was 17 (much to my mothers meat eating dismay) and fell off every so often because it's so hard to get a variety of foods especially ones that aren't expensive. I gave up about a year ago and noticed many changes in my body. I gained weight, I get sick more often, and now have constipation problems. I work 16 hour days that tend to send any fresh produce in my kitchen right to my garbage can (something that makes me angry every time) but I don't have time to stop at the store every day either. Any tips to being cost effective and maybe add more variety would be awesome because this meat thing isn't working out for me anymore. Plus it still tastes gross to me after so long of not eating it.

    Tuesdaystar one of my favorite things to eat is stir fry because you can add any veggies you like to it and if you don't have much time you can buy those frozen bag mixes from the grocery store and they only take like 15 min to make. Plus the rice (I like brown) is filling and good for you so you will almost always have leftovers :)
     
  3. drumminmama

    drumminmama Super Moderator Lifetime Supporter

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    When spinach is cheap, I get a few bunches. One gets used fresh and the rest get prepped (trimmed, blanched- maybe-) and frozen.

    I buy cereal on sale and keep it around (because I opt for lazy, too)
    - beans go on sale in a pattern. watch your store and get a LOT.
    At taco bell, go for bean burritos or tostadas and not the cheese sauce. (even though I suspect it is crack. I usually hate it but once a year HAVE to have it.)

    Baked potatoes, salsa and broccoli is a dandy meal.

    Salsa makes everything better!

    Look at the plates at dinner time. Don't most have steamed veggies?
    Put together a meal based on the veggies, some brown rice/whole grain an awesome sauce and some protein.

    My fave cheap veggie is cabbage. I use it on tacos, in spring rolls, as salad, sandwich filler...anywhere iceberg or other light colored lettuces are used. Except lettuce wraps, though. Buttercrunch just rules for those.
    after that, carrots for storing capacity, celery for the flavor and price.
    I use onions and garlic in almost everything (including a few green smoothies that don't have fruit-- think cold soup)

    I always have "spreadable protein" around: bean dip, hummus, nut butters.
    hummus isn't horrible after freezing.

    learn about the best storage for the veggies.
    http://www.gardenguides.com/419-storing-vegetables.html

    http://homecooking.about.com/od/vegetablestorage/Vegetable_Storage_How_to_store_vegetables.htm

    good luck, and keep us in the loop, Ok?
     
  4. tuesdaystar

    tuesdaystar Interneter

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    I kinda hate to cook, but one thing I like is box mix fallafel with a sauce made with plain yogurt, cucumber, tomato, onion, cilantro, paprika, and garlic.

    Takes about as much time as cooking any other meal, but it's super easy.
     
  5. Frogfoot

    Frogfoot Member

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    Here is a site I like: http://theveganstoner.blogspot.com/

    Really though I haven't encountered this cost problem you're describing. How much does say a 10-lb bag of potatoes cost you? Rice? Beans? Pasta? TVP with a splash of barbeque sauce? Have you considered growing your own veggies? If you don't have much available or suitable land, one option is to grow them in painter buckets. Have you tried farmer's markets? Actually, it's everything OTHER than food that puts a hurting on me when it comes to avoiding animal (involved) products. I've been working on that, which is beside the point... anyway, with a bit of effort, I've found it very possible to spend less on food as a veggie than I did as a meat eater.
     
  6. uglypuppy

    uglypuppy Member

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    This thread was much needed.

    Remember, when in doubt eat beans and rice.
     
  7. drumminmama

    drumminmama Super Moderator Lifetime Supporter

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    But don't ONLY eat BnR.
    Eat your veggies and fruit.
    A little fat, some whole grains (not half the plate) and protein, and yes, that can be a small serving of BnR with grilled veggies (or make that into a soup).
     
  8. pattymary

    pattymary Member

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    if you cook your food and do not buy process food it should not be so expensive!rice pasta and potatoes are the cheapest things!a lot of peas and beans are available too..all this can remplace meat effectively!
     

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