By Melissa Spady (Contributor) – Email
Print Edition: February 27, 2013
I started working meatless meals into my diet about a year-and-a-half ago due to my naturally poor digestive health. For as long as I can remember I’ve struggled with tiredness and lethargy. I spent the latter half of my teens combating a slew of food allergies and chronic abdominal pain. In 2011 I gave myself an ultimatum: I could make an effort to change my bad habits, or let myself be victimized by my dietary restrictions forever. I chose the former and never looked back. I’m not going to say it was easy but it was definitely worth it, and in more ways than you think.
Eating bread or cheese all day and saying “I ate vegetarian today!” is technically correct, but the whole idea behind eating “meatless” is that you’re putting more iron-rich and protein-rich fruits, vegetables, legumes (beans, lentils, peas) or nuts into your diet instead. Hard lesson learned, I admit. After plodding around on the internet, I found articles and recipes that aided me in getting a better idea of how to properly substitute meat. While my health improved dramatically and my energy levels were better than ever, something extra came along with it: my wallet was notably fatter.
As students we are constantly looking for new ways to save money. From cheap textbooks to cutting personal expenses, every little bit helps ease our already tight budgets. This is why I feel inclined to talk about meatless eating, because I have only done myself as well as my budget favours by introducing it in to my meal plan. In dollars and cents: a can of beans goes for $2 or less, whereas any type of meat (meaning beef, chicken, pork, turkey) will cost you $6-9 for one meal. Side tip: try heading to a farmer’s market for your fruits and veggies to get more bang for your buck. Every time I’ve been to a farmer’s market instead of the grocery store I’ve walked away with an armful of fresh goodies and a bill around $20 for both fruit/veggies that last me up to two weeks.
Learning to cook with your vegetables makes cutting corners easier as well. Making a pasta? Instead of getting ground beef, grab a can of kidney beans. Stir fry? Have a wide variety of vegetables in lieu of throwing some chicken in there. “Meaty” vegetables like zucchini, mushrooms, eggplant and cauliflower are good ways to substitute without feeling like you’re missing that heartiness in your meals. These suggestions are just what I’ve found tasty for me, and I don’t expect everyone to have the same love affair with beans as I do. Start by working with foods you know you already like. The best part about taking on a new food challenge is getting to be creative with what you eat. If you don’t know where to start, go to your biggest resource: the internet. I’ve found that vegetariantimes.com has a lot of different recipes for meals without meat that aren’t just centred around tofu or soy products (which I personally have found difficulty adjusting to).
I’m not advocating that you never eat meat again, or that becoming vegetarian is right for everyone. I am by no means a health professional, but I can share my own experience and hope that someone else sees the value in trying it for themselves. I still eat meat and I don’t think I’ll be giving it up entirely anytime soon; I just have found that eating a variety of different proteins has done wonders for my health, my conscience and my wallet. All it requires to start is some swapping on your grocery list, a little extra attention in the kitchen, and the desire to try something new. I now spend less time slaving away over the stove and I can make my meals go a lot further.
I don’t expect anyone to turn their eating habits upside down overnight (in fact I don’t recommend that at all) but having an awareness of your food choices I believe can, and will, lead to more benefits than grievances. Why not try stepping out of your comfort zone one night a week with a new vegetarian-friendly recipe and a friend or significant other? You have nothing to lose, and so much delicious food to gain.
