Meatless Monday!
Okay, I know it isn’t Monday but bare with me for a bit. If you’ve been on any health food websites or scrolling through Instagram, you may have seen the phase Meatless Monday. What the heck is that? Well, it’s truly what it sounds like, one day a week (Monday is just for alteration) you choose to give up meat. Some people have their personal rules and give up all animal products and go completely vegan for the day.
I first heard this phrase in college during bible study. The hosting family talked about a documentary that they watched and how it completely changed their view on foods and the amount of food Americans consume every year.
It’s easy for us to head to the grocery store and load up your cart without a care in the world. However, it’s more and more apparently that not all food is created equal. As Americans, we are so blind to what it takes to really get the food from the farm to the grocery store.
I’ll spare you the gory details but some of the food that we eat every day doesn’t always come from happy animals. Not only that but by eating multiple meat products every day, we are putting a strain in our environment. Sure, it’s easy to think that what you are consuming doesn’t make a big different BUT, by educating others will create a ripple effect.
With the internet and Pintrest, it’s so easy to find vegetarian options of all your favorite meals. Meat isn’t the sole source of protein! Beans, lentils, and vegetables have plenty of protein in them to get you through the day.
One of my resolutions in 2017 was to each completely meatless one day a week. I make it an effort to plan a day a week completely devoid of meat but packed with veggies and other whole foods. I’ve even gone multiple days a week without any meat by accident and I honestly didn’t notice.
As with all diet changes, it does take time but one thing you will learn is that you are forced to really examine your diet. How often are you eating fruits and veggies? Why not remake a favorite recipe and see if you can substitute the meat with something else?
Do you participate in Meatless Monday? What are some of your favorite vegetarian recipes?
