One Meal at a Time

My parents came over for Easter dinner yesterday.  And as we were sitting in the living room, visiting and waiting for the Ham to cook- we started talking about food.  I'll summarize for you, but basically- my Dad, who does all the grocery shopping and cooking was stating how the price of meat (not organic meat) has gone up.  How it's difficult to feed all 8 people in their household with the rising costs of food in general.

I totally get it.  Food is expensive.  And good food is extremely expensive.  Sadly, the cost of organic is out of reach for many.  And yes- I know you can coupon, shop the sales, buy in bulk....yada, yada.  I know how to save at the grocery store.  So let's just put that aside for now.  The fact of the matter is that organic food costs a shit ton more then conventional.  There are less coupons and less sales on these items and typically the packaging is smaller.  So not only are you paying more, but you're also getting less.

For my parents, and I'm sure many others out there, eating 100% organic is simply out of reach.

So as the conversation progressed, I expressed to my parents that instead of stressing out about the rising costs of meat, how about simply eating less of it?  This will save you money, I said.  Plus it's better for you!  I went over some alternatives that are healthier and cheaper- foods like lentils, barley, beans and quinoa.  These items are very easy to make, most people like them and they are cheap.  Even the organic versions are fairly inexpensive.

Now, my Dad, who is a MEAT LOVER- said this will simply not work at their house.  Everyone in their household eats meat daily, almost at every single meal.  Is your house like this?  I'm sure you can relate....bacon or sausage with breakfast, ham sandwich for lunch, chicken at dinner and then repeat.  Day in and day out.  Trust me- I know.  I grew up eating this way and for the first few years after moving out, I continued eating this way.

So here's the question that I posed to my Dad and I want you all to really think about what your own answer would be.

If you knew 100%, without a doubt, that eating meat every single day would give you cancer, would you continue to eat it?

Then I followed up with this question-

If you knew that reducing the amount of meat you eat would drastically cut your risks for getting cancer, would you eat less meat?

Now, you may be thinking....geez, that's a pretty crazy question.  But the reality is that eating lots of meat, especially conventional meat, will increase your odds for disease, especially cancer.  Google it- no joke.

So here's what I challenged my parents to do.  Simply start by making one day, one meal without any meat.  Do not add meat to the side, do not center your meal around meat and do not cheat and go eat a turkey sandwich later.  Just make the decision that you will make one night per week meatless and stick to it!  You have to start somewhere and there is nothing wrong with taking baby steps.  That's how my husband and I did it, so I know it works!

I sent my parents home with a fool proof recipe, Quinoa with Black Beans, Corn & Cilantro.  It combines yummy Mexican flavors with beans and quinoa for a protein packed, satisfying vegetarian entree.  It's easy to make and can easily be doubled or tripled to feed a larger household.  And best of all- it's cost efficient!

They said they will give it a try and I hope you will too!  Challenge yourself and your family- making positive changes doesn't have to be difficult, it can be as simple as making one meal.

Want to read more?

• So You Want to Eat Less Meat?
• An Organic Cow is a Special Cow

Interested in finding out more about the amazing benefits to adopting a more meat free life?  I highly recommend you check out the documentaries, Forks Over Knives and Vegucated.  And of course, if you haven't watched Food Inc yet- you simply MUST!  Here's a short clip below from Forks Over Knives.

So You Want to Eat Less Meat?

Yay!  Let me do a little happy dance for you!  I'm SO excited you're here!  But let me guess- you're confused?  Overwhelmed?  Concerned?  Am I right?

So how exactly are you going to eat less meat?  Well, let me share my story and my family's story with you.

First you should know that my husband LOVES red meat.  Loves, loves, loves it.  And I was pretty much a vegetarian when I met him.  At first, his eating habits rubbed off on me.  We spent the first 5+ years of our relationship eating lots and lots of meat.

Then my "awakening" happened.  For many people I meet, this usually happens about the time you are starting to feed your own child.  There's nothing like introducing your precious baby to solid food for the first time and worrying about all the chemicals and pesticides.  This is exactly what happened to me.

Below is a breakdown of how my family changed our eating habits and drastically reduced the amount of meat we eat.  I've separated it out for you in easy to tackle monthly sections.  My suggestion is to just focus on each month's tasks before moving on to the next.  So even though this is a monthly list, for some of you- it may take longer.  Perhaps each section will take two months, maybe 6 months, maybe a year.  That's ok- take all the time you need to make this stick! 

By the end of this, you will only be eating meat occasionally, should be eating more organic foods, considering going vegan, visiting the drive thru less often and eating much more fruit and veggies.  Oh yeah- and you'll feel SO much better!  Good luck, I know you can do it!

Month 1

• Start by making one day per week meatless.  My suggestion is Monday because I love how Meatless Monday sounds and it's super easy to remember.
• At the same time, find one meat that you can reduce or better yet, eliminate from your diet.  For us, this was pork.  But I have to admit that this was easy for us because I haven't eaten pork in almost 20 years.  And since I'm the cook in my household, I just didn't buy it.  My recommendation is to figure out which meat you eat the LEAST and just stop eating it all together.  Note- that occasionally my boys do eat bacon or ham.  Usually if we are out and they order a bacon burger or at someone's house and they serve ham or something.  But for the most part, there's no pork in my house, ever.

Month 2

• Add another 2 days per week that are meatless.  If you've already been doing Meatless Mondays, then Wednesdays and Fridays are easy enough to add in and easy to remember.  M, W & F- all meatless.
• Eliminate one fast food restaurant that you know does not have good quality meat.  My suggestion is Taco Bell or Burger King- both of which are notorious for using horse meat.  Eww!
• Add in one new restaurant that you don't usually eat at that has healthier options.  We like Panera or Chipotle.  Note- I said healthIER.  I fully realize it is not health food but it is guaranteed much better then Taco Bell or Burger King.

Month 3

Did you know?

• Continue with your 3 days per week of meatless meals at home.  If you're feeling brave, shoot for another day.  But remember that slow and steady wins the race!  Don't overdo it or it will never stick!
• Start buying some organic meats this month if you aren't already doing so.  Price is much higher but remember that you're not eating as much of it.
• Find another meat or meat item that you can eliminate from your diet.  Think of removing all chicken or go for something easier like no more cold cuts.
• Time to taste test some recipes with natural meat substitutes.  Do not buy "vegetarian" frozen entrees because many of these contain soy protein isolate- this stuff is no bueno!  We love lentils, barley, beans and quinoa.

Month 4

• Time to experiment with your meals.  Make the change to 5 days per week of meatless meals and try making the same things you normally do, only removing the meat.  For example, Chicken Noodle Soup without the chicken.  Or Beef and Bean burritos- just the beans.  Try your hand at converting some of your favorite meals to vegetarian or vegan entrees.  Dishes like meatloaf or burgers can easily be made with lentils or beans instead. 
• Eliminate another poor fast food choice.  May I suggest getting rid of McDonald's?
• Get rid of all factory farmed frozen convenience items- like Tyson chicken nuggets or anything with the name Butterball.  While your at it- think about getting rid of all convenience and pre-packaged items, they simply are not good for you.

Month 5

• Add another meatless meal to your week for a total of 6 days per week.
• Make the switch to organic cold cuts, hot dogs and the occasional frozen chicken nuggets.  If you must have convenience foods- make better choices.  We love Applegate!
• Remove another yucky fast food option and while your at it- try to cut back on eating out.  It's bad for you any ways.
• Consider freezer cooking, meal planning and preparation so that you won't be tempted to hit the drive thru for a quick meal.
• Work on changing the way you shop.  When in the grocery store- you should keep mainly to the outer isles.  This is where the real food is-you know, the stuff that doesn't come in a box.

Month 6

• Work on adding more veggies to your diet.  It's almost impossible to eat the recommended servings, we like smoothies for added protein and much needed nutrients!
• When buying meat- you should only be purchasing high quality, organic meats.  No more factory farmed products!
• Ready to eliminate that last day and shoot for 7 days of meatless meals?  You should now be in the mindset that meat is an occasional thing.  We eat meat "occasionally" or once every couple weeks when we are at home. 
• Go Organic!

Whew!  You've reached the end.  How'd you do?  I hope you've found that making this switch and eating less meat has been worthwhile for you and your family.  I know that it has personally made a big difference in my family's health and I'm proud of the choices we've made.  Yes, we do still eat meat.  We love it, it tastes great and it's a nice break from all those beans and lentils!  However, we are much more aware of what we are eating and the effects meat has on our health.  This post is all about making better choices to live a longer, healthier life.  And if my meat loving husband can do it, so can you!

And finally- here's a video below on factory farming.  It's very touching and eye opening, I hope you'll take a moment to watch it.