So it was February 2019, I was minding the business that pays me and scrolling Facebook when I came face to screen with this disgusting video of pulsating meat. Y’all! It made my skin crawl. Somehow in that same session a video of fish, sliced open and being prepped to cook but still perculating, also came up. You know how algorithms and related content work. I was so distraught that I said f* all meat that day and here we are. It has been a challenging venture. I’m not labeling myself as vegetarian because the right meal might make me fold. Actually this month I added fish back in this month, but not without problems. I’m still no chicken, beef, or turkey at the moment. I gave up pork years ago. Now that I’m in this thang, I wanted to share a few quick thoughts for those who may be thinking about going meatless.

1. It’s not as hard as many think, but it’s not easy. You have to be creative and open minded with food. If you’re not a veggie eater or super picky I don’t think you could hang. I hate black beans, which is in almost every veggie dish so I have to find alternatives but I’m managing.
2. Eating out is HARD. It’s amazing how limited options are considering the increase in vegetarian and vegan eaters. Restaurants will serve fries or salad and call themselves vegetarian friendly. It’s so frustrating! I glaze over menus before I agree to go out which also helps me stay on track. I also try and pick the restaurant to make sure I can eat. I mean, I can make a meal of rum and cranberry juice, but that’s not always cute. The plus side of this is my restaurant budget is in tact.
3. Yes it’s expensive but tolerable. What sux for me is that the Mr. didn’t give up shit so we are still buying meat plus meat alternatives and more produce for me. Meat alternatives aren’t super expensive, you just get super small portions compared to the real thing at the same price. I am loving Gardein and Morning Star options.
4. I am craving sugar and carbs. I have to be careful to not substitute extra carbs for meat which has been challenging. I do my best to not eat a ton of potatoes, rice and pasta which are so simple for quick veggie meals. As for sugar, I just have to balance it out and allow my self to endulge but not often.
5. Pinterest is the MVP. I have found and tried so many meatless meals that were bomb. I’ve had a few failures too, but for the most part we’ve found some consistent faves that even Mr. likes.

I will try to keep you all updated on my journey. If you are meatless (plus hate black beans and bananas like me) and have been successful please share your tips. Ya girl needs some help!