8 Small, Practical Ways to Eat Less Meat

Many people are looking to eat less meat these days, whether it’s cutting down significantly on animal-based protein or simply trying to put plants more front-and-center on their plates. Regardless of how much you’re looking to reduce your meat consumption, it can feel overwhelming to tweak a way of eating you’ve been following for years. It can sometimes feel like….where do I even start?

First, there are a bunch of reasons why you may consider trying to limit your meat. For one, research has shown health benefits to reducing meat consumption, even without going full-fledged vegetarian: “Flexitarian” or semi-vegetarian diets may bring metabolic benefits, including reduced risk of diabetes and high blood pressure, according to a 2016 review of 25 studies published in Frontiers in Nutrition. These kinds of diets may also promote a healthy, more diverse microbiome (all the microorganisms that live in your digestive system), since the good bacteria in your gut feed off that plant-rich fiber.

And there may also be benefits outside your body for cutting down on meat. Widespread reduced meat consumption is directly tied to lower rates of greenhouse gas emissions, helping to curb the effects of climate change. Plus, depending on how you go about it, filling your cart with mostly veggies, fruit, beans, nuts, and grains can also help lower your grocery bill, according to research in the Journal of Hunger & Environmental Nutrition.

The whole meatless (or meat-less) thing doesn’t have to be as overwhelming as it seems. The key is taking small steps, like the eight smart tips below, which we got from nutrition experts who stick with mostly or fully plant-powered diets themselves. Together, over time, these kinds of steps can add up to significant progress.

Ready to get started? Let’s do this veggie thing.

1. Plan ahead—and plan for leftovers.

Coming up with balanced, nutritious menus on the fly can be tough. And it can feel even harder when the no-brainer meals you used to fall back on no longer fit the bill. (Sorry, store-bought rotisserie chicken.) “Planning ahead can help make getting plant-based dinners on the table easier,” registered dietitian Marisa Moore, R.D., L.D.N., who sticks with a mostly plant-based diet herself, tells SELF.

We’re not talking about a bowl of broccoli and rice here. To make your meals both filling and satisfying, make sure to include a source of protein, fiber-rich carbs, and healthy fat, Moore recommends. Think lentil and butternut squash tacos topped with crumbled feta, smashed chickpeas, and avocado on whole grain toast with sliced tomato, or whole wheat noodles with kale-walnut pesto and baked tofu cubes (or any of these super-satisfying vegetarian recipes).

While you’re at it, plan to make extras for the next day and even beyond. “The thought of cooking every night can be intimidating, but luckily when you have leftovers, it’s not necessary,” Moore says. Scoop leftover taco filling on top of a grain bowl, or use extra pesto and tofu in a sandwich. Now you’ve taken care of at least two meals, making a meatless dinner seem way less daunting.

2. Start with just one meatless day a week.

There’s no prize for becoming vegetarian or vegan overnight (or ever, actually). So why not take it slowly?

“Start with at least one day a week where you go meatless. Then every other week, add on another meatless day,” registered dietitian Bansari Acharya, M.A., R.D.N., who specializes in developing recipes for plant-based diets, tells SELF.

The snail’s pace is low stress, since you don’t have to suddenly figure out every meal at once. And to be honest, it’s easier on your system too. Eating more veggies, fruit, and beans means eating more fiber—often a good thing for your digestive tract, but also a potential recipe for uncomfortable bloating and gas if you step it up suddenly. “Gradually increasing your intake helps your body adjust more easily,” Acharya says. (So does making sure you drink enough water!)

3. Take advantage of breakfast.

The first meal of the day tends to be the easiest to make meatless—or even completely plant-based. What’s more, going veggie first thing in the morning can motivate you to stick with it throughout the rest of the day, plant-based dietitian Sharon Palmer, R.D.N., tells SELF. “Try steel-cut oats with fruit and nuts and nondairy milk, whole grain pancakes topped with nut butter, a veggie breakfast burrito, or scrambled tofu with mushrooms and greens,” she recommends. Knowing you’ve already started off with a meatless meal at breakfast might help you continue your streak and pick more plant-filled choices at lunch and dinner.

4. Think about adding, not subtracting.

Focus on piling more plant foods onto your plate instead of thinking about what you’re leaving out or trying to replace. “When you increase your fruits and vegetables, you’ll automatically notice that your meat intake is slowly dropping,” Acharya says. You’re probably not going to put an actual steak next to that crispy cauliflower steak, right?

https://www.self.com/story/eat-less-meat-tips, GO TO SAUBIO DIGITAL FOR MORE ANSWERS AND INFORMATION ON ANY TOPIC

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