I have written before that my fiance is a flexitarian and that basically, that means that you eat a mostly vegetarian diet but have the flexibility to eat meat on occasion. He is a flexitarian not just for the health benefits but also because he is an animal lover.
On the other hand, I believe that animals were put on this Earth for me to eat and wear and one of my biggest life regrets is not purchasing this coat.
I could eat a burger with a side of chicken every day, but I know that a plant-based diet is much better for me (and, OK, the environment). And so I have been cooking more vegetarian meals, and I have to admit, I’m surprised. Most of them are pretty good. Only one has been inedible (so far). I thought I would crave meat, but I don’t. I order meat when we eat out.
I do miss meat, though, because it’s a lot easier to cook. You can throw just about any cut of meat in the slow cooker with some spices and a few veggies and dinner is magically ready when in six or seven hours. I learned of Menu Plan Monday from Ashley’s new blog, Wife on a Budget, and it’s been pretty good for getting ideas, but I’m kind of jealous that so many of them can toss a pot roast in the oven and be done with dinner.
MPM is great for getting ideas. Menu planning, I have found, is key to weight loss and, now, flexitarianism. If you don’t plan ahead, it’s difficult to put together tasty, healthy meals on a whim, and you’re much more likely to order a pizza. From browsing this week’s MPM blog posts, it sounds like everyone’s on the same page as me: Sitting down with the grocery flyer, coupons, cookbooks and computer to plan the week’s meals. It takes time, for sure, but it’s so much easier in the end.
I start by Googling “easy vegetarian meals” and also by visiting one of the best food blogs ever written, Cheap Healthy Good and clicking on the vegetarian tag.
Our weekly menu is shaping up to look like this:
Monday
- Lunch – Soup (fiance is recovering from a cold; I’m fighting one off)
- Dinner – Leftover pizza (because we didn’t plan ahead and totally got a pizza last night)
Tuesday
- Lunch – Salads (buy a big container of baby spinach; top with tuna, chickpeas, goat cheese and whatever veggies are on sale)
- Dinner – Grilled portobello mushrooms (I like these even though every other kind of mushroom makes me gag and I pretend I’m allergic in restaurants like Carrie Bradshaw pretended to be allergic to parsley) and sweet potato fries
Wednesday
- Lunch – Salads
- Dinner – Lasagna with meat-substitute crumbles (we scored these for 99 cents at Super Target because they were on sale for 1.99 and then we had a $1 off coupon for any Morningstar Farms item) and frozen spinach (AND I have a coupon from Foodbuzz to try a new sauce)
Thursday
- Lunch – Lasagna leftovers
- Dinner – Veggie chili (Crock pot recipe! Score!)
Friday
- Lunch – chili leftovers
- Dinner – OUT!
One area of our meal planning I would like to really improve is the weekends. I’m bad at leaving those to chance and we often end up eating out. This week, I know we’ll have at least Saturday breakfast taken care of and chili for lunch.
I don’t plan my snacks per se, but I do make sure that we buy healthy snacks to have on hand. I know that I am almost always going to snack at 3 or 4 p.m., but I don’t always know what I’m going to have. Having bananas, Greek yogurt and whatever fruit is on sale this week on hand is how we handle the snack attack (unless I bake something in response to the snack attack, but hey, I won’t be working from home for forever and I need to take advantage of it now, right?).
Share with me your favorite money-saving and menu planning Web sites, tips and tricks, please!
13 comments
Comments feed for this article
May 24, 2010 at 4:00 pm
Allison
Great post. I’ve been a pescatarian (so fish only, no meat or poultry) for around 12 years now. However, I never really learned to cook — my mom claims I was never interested in learning! — so I have lived on veggie burgers for most of my 20s. I think they are delicious and all you do is pop them in the microwave and they’re ready to eat. However, I’ve decided it’s high time that I learn to cook for real and stop eating the same meals all the time, so I’ve been experimenting with recipes from the Moosewood Cookbook. I am making spinach rice casserole tomorrow. You’re right that vegetarian meals can be complicated. Even the “easy” ones can seem tough, especially for a novice like me.
Check out the Moosewood Cookbook!
May 24, 2010 at 4:26 pm
hundredtenpounds
Does he eat fish? Fish is a great way to get protein. I love eating salmon. In fact, tonight for dinner we’re making a blackened salmon caesar salad. Delish!
May 24, 2010 at 4:29 pm
Kendra
I wish that I could eat a little more vegetarian but when I have meatless meals I just feel like something is missing. Maybe I’ll get there in time.
May 24, 2010 at 4:37 pm
Ashley
It’s definitely taken me awhile, Kendra. I never could have been a flexitarian when I first started to lose weight.
May 24, 2010 at 9:40 pm
Diane Fit to the Finish
I must be a flexatarian too. I mostly eat vegetarian but do eat chicken. I’m with you on the ease of preparing meats. It does seem to take more time and effort to eat a well-rounded vegetarian fare.
One of my favorite money-saving,cooking,household sites is http://www.thehappyhousewife.com She’s not a vegetarian, but she can save the money!
May 25, 2010 at 12:54 am
Bethany
A vegetarian, and actually a vegan, diet is not only better for the environment but a person’s health. All those myths are just that .. myths. It is a bit hard on the planning for a diet like this, but it’s not really supposed to be a diet but a way of life. Once it becomes a way of life, it becomes second nature.
I am about to read Alicia Silverstone’s Kind Diet. I have been vegan for over a year, but her book isn’t for hardcore vegans. It tells you how to be a “flirt” and a vegan and a “superhero”. Give it a try. Your body will thank you.
May 25, 2010 at 4:52 am
MelissaNibbles
I agree with Bethany that vegetarian and vegan diets are better for the environment, but I love sushi and chicken SO much. I’m selfish I guess. I don’t eat red meat, but that’s just because I don’t like the taste.
We try to eat two vegetarian dishes a week so I like to think I’m doing my litttle part.
May 25, 2010 at 7:51 am
tlconrad
i definitely think your biggest mistake in life has not been purchasing that fine coat. what weer you thinking!?!
May 25, 2010 at 8:53 am
Ashley
I know. Teri took that photo at the Hoke-E-Geez in Bedford. Make her take you there. You will LOVE it.
May 25, 2010 at 4:09 pm
Missy Maintains
Meal planning is something I should be doing to save money but I just haven’t started it yet. I have been eating less meat but I found that I am a lot more satisfied overall with a high protein diet.
May 26, 2010 at 8:40 pm
Devon
One of the things I’m looking forward to most about moving is MEAL PLANNING. Not only is it cheaper, it makes every day life easier and its so much healthier!
May 27, 2010 at 1:03 pm
Liza
The June issue of Elle features an article about the effects that some of the popular diets have on your skin. Unfortunately, Flexitarian is not included. Still, a good read:
http://www.elle.com/Beauty/Health-Fitness/Dieting-Tips-Keep-Your-Regimen-From-Harming-Your-Skin
July 30, 2010 at 12:25 pm
The best birthday cake ever: The hamburger cake! « Fashionably Fit
[…] For my last couple birthdays, I have requested a hamburger cake. Because I frequently write about my unabashed love for meat and dairy products, that might sound gross, but don’t worry, this is an actual cake. That looks like a […]