Becoming a vegetarian has never been easier than it is now: there is a wide range of vegetarian products, recipes and restaurants to choose from. Our tips will make the transition easier for you.
Why become a vegetarian?
There are many reasons to reduce meat consumption – above all the sometimes cruel processes in industrial factory farming and animal husbandry. A vegetarian diet is also better for the environment.
Four-fifths of the world’s agricultural land is required for the production of animal products. In addition, animal husbandry produces high greenhouse gas emissions and a lot of water is consumed. After all, animals on fattening farms are rarely kept in a manner appropriate to their species and are often treated with antibiotics.
The good news: it has probably never been easier to become a vegetarian than it is today: there is a large variety of vegetarian cookbooks and blogs. More and more vegetarian restaurants are opening in the cities and “normal” restaurants often have many delicious vegetarian dishes on the menu. Nevertheless, it is not easy to change your diet overnight. The following tips should help you get started.
Change gradually and replace habits
Start slowly but set specific goals: for example, build in one or two vegetarian days a week and try to increase this number over time. Such precise guidelines are far more effective than saying to yourself, “I’m trying to eat less meat.”
It is particularly difficult to replace habits such as sausage sandwiches in the evening. The best way to do this is to replace them with new habits. How about a vegetarian spread instead of the sausage?
Become a vegetarian and cook for yourself
The best way to get to know the diversity of vegetarian cuisine is to cook it yourself. You can get inspiration from vegetarian friends, cookbooks or blogs. You will quickly realize that vegetarian dishes are really tasty and filling.
There are some national cuisines that offer many vegetarian dishes, including Indian and Italian cuisine. But there are also traditional meatless dishes from many other regions.
You can also replace the meat in many recipes: for example, you can prepare a delicious Bolognese sauce based on soy, lentils or mushrooms. This quickly becomes a vegetarian lasagna.
Schnitzel and sausage without meat?
There are now many vegetarian schnitzels, sausages and cold cuts on the market that are very similar to their meaty originals. However, before you buy them, we recommend checking the ingredients list, as many of these substitutes contain many additives.
If you have an appetite for the spicy flavor of meat, opt for foods that are naturally similarly spicy. This applies to mushrooms or cheese, for example.
