I would never, ever in a million years have dreamt of becoming a vegetarian, and I don’t think I will ever become one full-time. But in the last three weeks, I have become what I am terming a ‘part-time veggie’.
Meat packaging got me started on this idea, but by investigating different issues to do with the meat industry, I have learnt a lot. When researching, I also picked up on the #meatfreemonday campaign – an initiative encouraging people to go meat free for one day per week.
Meat from the supermarket has a lot of plastic packaging, most of which cannot be recycled. Any black plastic meat trays, for example, do not get recycled as the machines in the depot cannot see them against the black conveyor belt. The plastic film cover is also not suitable for recycling.
Occasionally, I solve this by using our local butcher. He is happy for me to bring my own containers and I enjoy supporting a local business. Unfortunately, there is no denying that although the meat is better quality, it is usually more expensive. I tend to go for the cheaper cuts to use in the slow cooker, which makes a really easy and delicious meal.
Additionally, the production of meat has a lot of negative side effects, with red meat producing the highest amounts of greenhouse gas emissions. The contribution made by livestock to climate change is said to be greater than transport*. Researchers say that if everyone had one day a week without consuming meat, it would make a huge difference in reducing our carbon footprint. Based on everything we have heard recently in the news regarding global warming, this has to be a strong incentive.
Paul, my other half, is without a doubt a carnivore through and through. Yet when I, the vegetable lover, moved in with him, I was introduced to a meat free day due to his love of Quorn meatfree balls. We have carried this on and continue to have them once a week at some point for an evening meal. (#meatfreemonday is obviously a catchy slogan, but it doesn’t mean you have to have it on a Monday!)
As I continued to research the livestock industry, for my own interest, I struggled to understand if eating soy-based products was actually any better than meat. Stories of rainforests being cut down for soy farms made me think that actually it was no different to eating beef. I am obviously not a scientist in this area, however, I found this Friends of the Earth booklet taught me what I needed to know, in an easy to understand way.
The rainforests are being cut down for soy production, but this soy is to feed the animals being reared for our consumption. The soy we consume directly makes up a tiny amount of the overall production. Ideally, it is good to know where your meat comes from as a large quantity of Latin American soy is imported into Europe for the livestock industry to use. If you know where the meat originates from, you can investigate what they are feeding their animals with.
I decided to take my commitment to #meatfreemonday one step further. I made a decision not to eat meat when I was the only one affected by that option. So, for example, when Paul is not home in the evening, I create a veggie meal and all my lunches have been vegetarian recipes. If we are in a restaurant and want to share a starter they might have meat in them, but if I am ordering my own main meal, it will be veggie. I can honestly say, that so far, I have not missed the meat part of my diet at all. The vegetarian options available in restaurants have come on a long way in recent years and I have so far found them to be absolutely delicious.
My favourite celebrity chef is Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, and his cookbooks are often very vegetable focused. There are always copies of these in charity bookshops which you can pick up for a reasonable price or go 'old skool' and check it out of the local library. Maybe try to find one or two ‘go-to’ vegetarian recipes that the whole family enjoys that you could cook once a week. Perhaps ask a vegetarian friend for their favourite recipes – or better still, get invited around to their place for a cooking lesson! Anything with pasta or an Indian influence is probably a good place to start, as these will be quick and easy to make.
Bon appétit!
*Fact taken from Friends of the Earth Booklet