Recently I've been thinking again about going vegetarian. Back in February, my resolution to eat less meat went really well and I've continued to eat less overall, although the amount has probably snuck back up after PEI Burger Love in April and coming home to a distinctly omnivorous household. I realized that eating less meat makes me feel somehow better overall - morally, yes, but also health-wise. I can't exactly pinpoint what it is, but I just feel good when I eat less meat.

So I've returned to considering full out vegetarianism. The hardest part for my February resolution was finding recipes, ingredients and snacks that were vegetarian that seemed easy. Sorry, but I can't really afford to go out and drop a bunch of money on some particular exotic spice or weird vegetable. After I was able to get a few regulars under my belt, though, it became a lot easier. So I think continuing to expand my recipe horizons is a key element. (Fortunately there's a boat load of good vegetarian recipes out there, it's just a matter of sifting through them!)

The other tricky part is that my wonderful almost-husband and the parents that I live with for the summer are strongly omnivorous.  When I'm home, I make an effort to pitch in around the house by keeping my spaces clean, mowing the lawn and making dinner. If I were by myself, making vegetarian dinner wouldn't ordinarily be an issue; with the others around I feel obligated to make something meat-based. I think my solution will be to make a vegetarian entree and then make a "side" of meat that they can add in or eat in addition to the entree. The last thing I want to be is a preachy vegetarian.

Which brings me to my last point...telling people about my decision. I gave up pork in my first year of vet school and when asked, I do my best to be as neutral as possible and just say, "I don't agree with how pork is raised." But (if you remember an earlier post where I went to a CFIA lecture on slaughter), it's past that now. I don't agree with how most meat is raised, transported and slaughtered. In the end my problem is not at all with raising animals to be eaten, or eating animals; it's the way that it's done that I just can't get over. But that's all a bit complex to explain to someone casually asking if you want ribs at your rehearsal dinner.

So I think I'm going to go back to quantifying my meat intake like I did in February (three meat meals per week). After that I may be ready to make the leap!