We’re kicking off the week here on the blog with a little personal update…a diary of sorts.
For the past 11 days or so, I have been eating vegetarian. This was sort of one of my food resolutions for 2016, and I thought what better a time than Lent to give something up and let it help remind me to thank God for who He is and what He has given me.
Other than the spiritual inspiration, this time of year is a great one to detox and get your health back in gear.
I’ve also just wondered if it would be hard for me to eat vegetarian since I’ve adapted more meat-eating habits since moving to NC…thanks, bbq pork.
So, I started on this journey a week and a half ago (Wednesday), and it’s already teaching me a few things.
Here are my thoughts about it so far:
Restaurants are generally accommodating to vegetarians
I have had quite a few lunches out since Ash Wednesday, so I’ve had a chance to say no to meat and yes to veggies while eating out. I’ve discovered that this really isn’t that hard…especially at all of the local spots we have in Raleigh.
From the cucumber salad and hummus combo at Garland to the incredible vegetarian salad options at Neomonde to veggie “meatballs” at Oak City Meatball Shoppe, I have done pretty well. Not to mention, that all of those meals were $10 or under.
It’s good to get out of your comfort zone
Eating no meat (I’m still eating eggs and dairy, just for the record) has forced me to explore the vegetable options on menus when I go out. Usually I go for meat, since we don’t cook much meat at home, but I really enjoy veggies, so it’s a win-win.
I also have not had any stomach issues or trouble digesting rich foods or meats because of that.
Leftovers are good for forever…well, maybe not forever
One thing that’s nice about having vegetarian leftovers is that it really doesn’t matter how long you have to leave them in your car if you go out after work or how long they’re in the fridge. Sure, you don’t want to forget about them (and I don’t condone leaving cheese or dairy out for long), but it’s so much safer eating them without needing an expiration date.
Hopefully I will have some more thoughts to share over the next few weeks of my vegetarian journey. Since this is a confession, I will admit that I ate a little bit of meat on my Valentine’s Day last Monday (oops), but I’m staying strong other than that!