To wonder is it possible to actually be vegetarian

[Nostrings457]

I long to be a vegetarian (again). Returned to meat after 2 years of veggie nearly 10 years ago. I was brought up on (and am married to somone who thinks the same) the thought that its not a meal if it doesnt contain meat.

I like the taste of meat but i hate the whole process of chicken farms / how disgusting animals are treated.

My thoughts / questions are

1. I could just (gradually) eat less meat but cooking for DH and 3DC it diesnt last - I am all or nothing
2. I put a mental block on mental eating so i dont feel guilty but what I just saw on News @ 10 has made me face it
3. I am NOT an adventerous cook and think i would resort to cheese and bread (already anaemic so not a option)
4. If you are veggie and have DC how do you do this practically? Is it even possible? (I know this is the case IRL but genuinely dont know how i could manage it)
5. My DH would hate it and it would make cooking problematic

I married another vegetarian and we’re raising a vegetarian child. Honestly, I couldn’t kiss a meat-eater, and I certainly wouldn’t cook meat.

Make him cook for himself, if he insists on eating meat?

I’m the only veggie in my house. When kids were little, they mostly ate what I ate and then I would substitute some meat stuff sometimes or use real sausages etc. Now I cook two of everything and it’s a bind but I batch cook and freeze. If, they are having fish and chips for example, I’ll have some quorn substitute. I just find ways to work round it so that we eat similar (but not the same obviousl) meals. Roast is easy as I just have everything but.

I would still have to cook for DC. I did try going veggie before and the DC but my god it was so hard. I admire anyone who does it

What are your normal day to day meals? We'll give some alternatives. I was an avid meat eater and just flipped over night. I eat lots of alternatives and beans. Hellofresh is really good for vegetarian meals you couldn't be arsed to plan yourself but are easy to make.

It's not hard. Just cook veggie food. We have 3 vegetarians, one annoying vegan and lots of food intolerances. It's not that hard. I love meat but only eat it if cooking for myself or eating out.

Married over 20 years to a diehard meat eater and I've been veggie longer than that. Like a pp, I batch cook and freeze meals so that I'm only cooking one type of dinner. Also do lots of dinners where I just adapt the dinner eg fajitas with chicken/tofu or Quorn etc. Very easily doable if you want.

Would usually eat beef stew, chicken casserole, beef chilli, chicken curries. All with lots of veg but lots of meat too.

I forgot to mention have a total aversion to quorn / tofu etc..

My mum managed to cook us (dad & 5DC) a meat based meal and herself a veggie meal every night for 20 years +. You just make things that are easily adapted, so make a Bolognese sauce, chop all your veg, saute the onions and garlic, add the tinned tomatoes and herbs the split in 2 pans, add beef mince to 1 and veggie mince to the other. Same with cottage pie, curry. Roast dinners are a piece of piss, most bisto is veggie just do yourself a meat alternative (nut roast, chestnut and mushroom Wellington).

Don't try and make two completely separate meals each time. Just adapt what you're cooking.

I do all the cooking, I just omit the meat from my dish.

It's quite easy for meals like fajitas and stir fry as you just cook the meat in a seperate pan.
To be honest, it was odd to start with but it gets easier.

Paneer or chickpeas work really well in curry. Lentils and finely chopped mushrooms in cottage pie, chili or Bolognese. Beans in stew and casserole.

Lentil stew, bean chilli, paneer and veg curry. Sausage and mash (non quorn veg sausage for you). Likewise toad in the hole with lots of veg. Leek and potato tortilla. Tacos. Spag bol. Risotto. All things that can be made veggie with meat bits added for the non-veggies.

I batch cook for myself. So this week I did a chilli with frozen fake mince which is amazing from waitrose and I have it every night in various different rt ways. On a jacket, with rice, in a taco etc

Two of our children have chosen to be vegetarian, I've actually found it pretty easy to adapt. I think we all probably now eat 80% of main meals as vegetarian. Love lentil, paneer, nut based meals, avoid quorn, tofu and processed meat substitutes as no one in the house likes them.

One pot meals like curry or stews are easy as you just omit the meat and add lentils/pulses if you prefer or leave with just veggies in it.

If it’s the treatment of the animals you object to rather than the actual eating meat, could you not source your meat carefully and only buy locally, sustainably reared meat?
I understand that cost is a factor in this, and for this reason I just have smaller portions of good quality meat. I suffer from anaemia and would struggle to get adequate iron intake on a vegetarian diet. I’m sure there are wiser people who can give you ideas of high iron vegetarian products but for me the hassle of preparing different meals would put me off and my diet would end up poorer for it.
You need a solution that works for you and your family, and I admire those that can balance different dietary needs and wishes, but I know it wouldn’t be sustainable in our household.

@Dilemmmmma thats a very impressive mum you had! [Off to google paneer ]

@AnneLovesGilbert and co. Thanks for the ideas . . . You are giving me the motivation to give this a go

Maybe start small and build up?
Look online and find two or three veggie recipes that appeal to you that your family won’t completely hate. Get good at cooking them and do two veggie nights a week. Then add in a third “easy veggie night”- pasta with tomato sauce and loads of cheese with garlic bread, or big jacket potatoes with beans and cheese etc. Before you know it you’re at halfway through the week. Big changes are sometimes easier to start small.

Lots of good ideas in the time it took me to write that! Just as a note, make sure you have enough vitamin c in your diet to aid absorption of the iron. I was anaemia for years before anyone told me that

You could try doing about 3 veggie meals a week.

If you get good Lincolnshire Cauldron veggie sausages, your DH might not even notice they have no meat in them. Add mash and veg or make toad in the hole. Then mac & cheese another night or pasta pomodoro with cheese. Then try making a chilli and rice either just with kidney beans or with quorn mince if you like it. Again, DH might not notice the difference. If he doesn't, you can use that as a basis for tacos, tortillas, shepherd's pie etc.
Or you could do dinners that are easy for you to opt out of meat. Get ready made pizza bases - add tomato and mozzarella, then DH can have some chicken or sausage on his and you can have added veg. Or do baked potatoes. He can have tuna mayo, you have beans and cheese etc.

DH is not vegetarian, but both DC are. Luckily DH was brought up on very basic food, so while he's happy to eat the same vegetarian home-cooked food as me, he doesn't know any better than a bit of meat or fish bunged into the oven and served plain. I won't fanny about with bits of raw meat so it's just as well.

If you remove meat from your diet it is important to replace it with with protein rich plant foods. I am vegan and aim for at least three servings of legumes per day such as peanut butter, soy milk, beans, lentils, tofu and mock meats. It’s easily done with you consider half a cup of lentils is one serving. I see lots of new vegetarians replacing meat with carbs which can lead to anemia, etc.

Can you not just cook the children vegetarian meals. Say like Spag Bol would be with soy mince, bangers and mash with veggie sausages chilli with beans, etc. What kind of meals do you normally cook them? Could they easily be made up with veggie ingredients?

Cook your usual meals and swap the meat for meat substitutes. It'll be trial and error whilst you find out which brands you prefer.

Linda McCartney does great meatballs, pies, fishcakes, burgers and sausages. Richmonds do v realistic meat free sausages. What the cluck chicken is good too. Tesco own brand mince is one of my faves and Quorn fishless fillets are lovely

I dont eat meat but do eat fish, as I tend to be anaemic. It's controversial I know but I don't think a veggie diet is healthy for everyone, especially people who are or are near to being anaemic. I eat fish around 3-4 times a week, and take high strength iron supplements and even then only just stay on top of my iron levels. Being a veggie is not worth you being ill from anaemia. Would ethical meat or fish options be acceptable to you?

@Nostrings457

Would usually eat beef stew, chicken casserole, beef chilli, chicken curries. All with lots of veg but lots of meat too.

I forgot to mention have a total aversion to quorn / tofu etc..

Stew the same with lentils or beans or chickpeas. Couldron vegetarian sausage casserole, or halloumi/paneer. Bean chilli. Paneer curry.

www.gimmesomeoven.com/slow-cooker-vegetarian-chili-recipe/

www.brandnewvegan.com/recipes/soups/vegetable-stew

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/finbars-veggie-spag-bol

My favourite vegetarian "meaty" meals.

My DH is a meat eater but he eats all my vegetarian meals, very rare we even have meat in the house but he always eats meat if buying out.

I'm the only vegetarian in the house and I do all the cooking , I really don't find it a problem but I do like quorn and find that a good substitute.