Tuesday 29 July 2014

Vegetarian Update #1

Well, hello there.

So much for "blogging more often" or even the simple "weekly update" I'd promised (it's been a little over a week since my last post).

I could give you a long list of excuses now as of why I have not had the time to blog, but honestly, i've just really been enjoying my summer. Working at the bakery is much more fun than I'd expected it to be, turns out simply being around cake (and eating it, too) is a pretty good happiness booster for me, just as spending time surrounded by friends and good food in the evenings certainly has had its positive effects. Which brings us to the subject of this post: my experiences as a vegetarian so far. There are a few things I've noticed and I thought I'd share them with you!

1. People's reactions

I was extremely surprised by the way people reacted to me telling them I wasn't going to be eating meat anymore. While almost all of them were quite shocked at first, when I explained my reasoning to them most just shrugged and accepted my decision. While I did notice some of my friends don't really think much of vegetarianism in general, not a single person so far has tried to convince me to change my opinion. Some were even quite interested in the facts that influenced my lifestyle choice.
One phrase I heard a lot was " But how can you live without (insert favourite meat dish)?" to which I simply responded that I'd never liked meat that much or ever craved a burger in the way that other people might. 
In a nutshell, I'd expected to have to justify myself much more than I did and the reactions I got were overwhelmingly positive.

2. Food options

While I've never been much of a pure meat eater, completely cutting it from my diet made it obvious how much meat I really was consuming without even noticing it was there, out of sheer convenience. Whether it be the bacon in a quiche lorraine or the odd ham and cheese sandwich, even though I'd almost never choose a dish because of the meat, I really wasn't following a vegetarian diet in any way. Many dishes I was eating before taste just as good without the meat (in my opinion) but people still put it in there. However, most of the time, it is fairly easy to simply ommit it or choose a different option. Finding something to eat has not been difficult at all and deliberately choosing not to consume any meat has made me try dishes I otherwise wouldn't have picked. Which brings me to...

3. Eating out.

I really thought going to a restaurant would be quite a challenge but the exact opposite was the case. Usually, I'd study the menu for ages, overwhelmed by the amount of choices. Crossing out any dishes which include meat makes the decision-taking process much faster and smoother - to the delight of those used to my struggles when it comes to choosing what to eat. I also feel as though I am unconsciously making healthier choices, with vegetable-centered dishes replacing creamy pasta. During the past week, I've fallen in love with food I otherwise would have never tried and a whole world of delicious, fresh and colorful food I never knew was there has opened up.

4. Cooking
Due to the fact that I am working at the moment, I haven't experimented very much with my cooking since going vegetarian but there are literally hundreds of foods I want to try, recipes I want to cook and alternatives to usually meat-centered dishes which I am determined to find. Before last week, I'd never given tofu a second glance whereas now, I find myself more and more intrigued by the possibilities it creates. One thing I was quite worried about was how this was going to affect people enjoying the food I cook for them. After yesterday's lunch though, which consisted of a creamy, avocado based pasta sauce with soba noodles, I don't think this is going to be a real problem. Everyone thorougly enjoyed it, even my dad who is one of the biggest meat-eaters I know. Also, I've realized that my food choices don't have to influence the way the people around me eat. We are having people over for dinner tonight for chicken gyros and falafels - so I simply won't be eating any chicken.

There are many more things which I could talk about right now, but I don't want this post to be too long so I'll simply leave it at that. So far, I don't see myself going back to the way I was eating before( just over a week ago, such a long time right?). Not only do I feel better from a physical point of view but I am more calm knowing that my food choices don't counterdict my ethical beliefs anymore.

I hope you found this post at least the slightest bit interesting and I'll try to be more consistent with my blogging.




1 comment:

  1. I am glad that the people around you have accepted your new lifestyle. I would like to know more about how giving up meat affected your body functions and mind. I hope such a personal question does not bother you :)

    ReplyDelete