So... for nearly fifteen year I have played with the idea of going vegetarian. It began in high school with a great job at a natural foods store. We cooked wonderful soups, pastas, and made great sandwiches and salads - all (or nearly all) meat-free. Suffice it to say, I ate well and felt great. However, I was a teenager and didn't take responsibility for how I ate outside of work. Nothing is quite so strange as eating tabouleh and cheetos... but that's the type of diet I had. College was typical - whatever the commons had to offer. Upon leaving formal schooling, I immediately got married and started cooking for two. While over the years we have made an effort to have a veggie night, the idea of actually becoming vegetarian was not at the forefront.
So, why now? Well, I am now a mom, a runner, an environmental science teacher, an avid outdoorswoman, a person concerned about health, ecology, and so many other things. These all seem to be big red arrows pointing to making a change - living better through eating more healthfully, while at the same time helping the environment. I read recently that converting to a vegetarian lifestyle can save more than 100 animals per year from factory farming. How can a decision that makes me healthier, helps the environment (more on that to come...), and also prevents chicken de-beaking, piglets growing up without ever seeing the sun, and cows from being hung upside down with their throats slit - still alive mind you - be the wrong move? I don't think it is...
My biggest concerns jumping in include can I cook for my family while making my portion vegetarian, how do I teach my daughter about it while preserving her ability to choose for herself (right now she wants to be me in every way), and maintaining my inner willpower. Oh yeah, and is it going to cost more? More lettuce cannot cost us more lettuce, if you know what I mean...
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