How to eat less meat

[fashionista-ta]

Oh also, some packaged products like Ramen noodles for example, say they don't use trans fats but if you look at the ingredients you may see that they use hydrogenated oil, which is essentially the same thing as trans fats.

It's good to be aware that in the US at least, mfrs are allowed to say no trans fats if they fall below a certain level per serving, but are in fact still very much there. So you have to look at the nutrition information, not the lies on the front of the package

If you buy organic packaged products, or a similar level of quality, you don't have to worry--at that level they know not to use the darn trans fats. But if you're buying mainstream stuff, you definitely have to look.

 

[omghi]

I love that I found this thread.

Growing up I always thought that we ate well with lots of fresh fruit and vegetables but we also ate large portions of red meat every meal. A couple of years ago my dad who is in his early 50's, active (gym member + walks 2 rounds of golf a week) went into hospital for a quadruple heart bypass due to blockages, diet related. Obviously every individual is different but since I grew up eating the same diet and share some of the same genetics it really got me thinking.

Thankfully in Australia meat is actually very expensive so by cutting back our grocery bills have declined which is great because we live on a student budget and really can't afford to eat it a lot anyway.

I think it will take some time before my partner is convinced about tofu though. He won't even touch it at restaurants. I think it might be a social issue as much as a taste/texture thing. Real men eat meat not tofu

 

[GERGIN]

Well from what i'm reading on this thread i'm very happy everyone actually eats their portions of meat! It's true some meats aren't good to eat all the time, but to not have meat on a daily basis (even in just one meal per day) is not good for your body.

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ I'm an omnivore myself, but I'm not sure that's true ... there are lots of ways to get protein ... very few nutrients actually have to come from meat. For me, I'll admit it, the 'need' for meat is more about taste and the fact that I've always eaten it, than it is about nutrition.

Lately I've been eating pasta with ricotta and marinara ... I find that a very satisfying meal. Tomatoes give you that good umami

 

[McClaire]

I've been trying to eat less meat but my doctor said that I shouldn't cut out pork or chicken. He says it's the protein in it that people need that can't be substituted. I don't really remember exactly what he said which I'm sure he appreciates.

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ I'm sure you've heard the joke about what do they call the guy who graduates at the bottom of his med school class

I believe there are certain known key nutrients that cannot be derived from non-meat sources ... one or more of the B vitamins, I think? Maybe one other thing ...

But I don't believe it's true that the protein in pork and chicken cannot be replaced. As I'm sure you know, there are vast numbers of people in the world who don't eat pork (or chicken, for that matter) for religious reasons. Fish, for example, would have the exact same protein content--would it not? In terms of amino acids, it's completely possible to get a complete human protein from vegetable sources--corn and beans, for example. Eggs are a complete protein, and I believe soy is as well.

I know that I crave meat after not eating it for awhile ... red meat, white meat. There may well be more to that than any of us understand. But it's certainly quite possible to live a long and healthy life without either one ... that can be seen by looking around.

 

[fashionista-ta]

Mario Batali has signed his 14 restaurants up for meatless Mondays ... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chris-elam/mario-batali-meatless-mon_b_557589.html

No stranger to boar sausage, or to a finely braised veal shank, Mario Batali however isn't the first name that pops to mind when you think about vegetables. And that's what's so interesting about his decision to embrace Meatless Monday in all of his 14 restaurants across the country.
"The fact is, most people in the U.S. eat way more meat than is good for them or the planet," maintains Batali. "Asking everyone to go vegetarian or vegan isn't a realistic or attainable goal. But we can focus on a more plant-based diet, and support the farmers who raise their animals humanely and sustainably. That's why I'm such a big believer in the Meatless Monday movement."
Meatless Monday is all about incorporating more vegetables into our diet. It's about moderation, just one day a week, trying new plant-based recipes and sampling delicious ways to bring more veggies into our lives.
And it's catching on. Batali is joining early adopters, political leaders and celebrities such as Michael Pollan, Al Gore, Sir Paul McCartney, Simon Cowell and Gwyneth Paltrow; the entire Baltimore Public School System, nearly 30 college campuses and 100 blogs; and 8 international programs spanning Brazil to Taiwan.
"We're delighted that Maestro Mario is helping to move the movement," declares Sid Lerner, founder and chairman of Meatless Monday, an initiative of The Monday Campaigns. "If anybody can entice meat lovers to enjoy their veggies as well, it's Batali!"
So how's Mario going to do it? Every Monday every one of his 14 restaurants will serve at least two vegetarian options, whether entrees or pastas or pizzas. In addition, many of the restaurants will designate these dishes as Meatless Monday options, using Mario's new MM logo (below). With this simple gesture, Mario will send a powerful message to other chefs and restauranteurs that we can all start the week right by eating our veggies.
Stay tuned to Huffington Post Food because later this week Elizabeth Meltz, Mario's sustainability director, will post descriptions and photos of the actual Meatless Monday dishes created by his chefs for today's launch...

 

[Fewormany]

I don't think I'll ever be able (or want to ) stop eating meat. But with the right recipes a vegitarian dinner is just as good. I usually feel like I'm missing something when there's no meat in my dinner. However, I just got a great recipe for couscous with dades, jalepeno and feta cheese. Absoluly amazing !

 

[e-v-elina]

i love love love (red) meat, however, i dont eat it that much. i mostly have fish and chicken. i'll probably never be able to stop eating meat, i just love a nice juicy burger, or ribs yum! but i read somewhere that eating too much fish isnt good for you, is that true?

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ Absolutely true ... mercury poisoning & PCBs are the major risks I'm aware of. Bear in mind that recent research has shown that the government numbers are way low ... as I recall the true amounts of mercury are in the neighborhood of 4x what the (US) government says. Daphne Zuniga is a pescetarian & has had mercury poisoning. It's not at all hard to get if you're eating fish on a daily basis ...

And btw, the mercury is coming from coal-fired electric plants--so know where your electricity is coming from. I opt for 100% wind.

For dinner tonight I'm having a salad made with fresh mozzarella balls, seedless watermelon, and Thai basil from my garden. It's heating up here, so I expect it will hit the spot

I was at a restaurant for lunch (they serve a lot of local produce, so I was expecting I might actually get a good answer to my question) & asked where the veal on the menu was sourced. They came back & told me Georgia, but if I was concerned about how it was raised, all veal in the US is raised humanely. Uh, no ... http://hfa.org/campaigns/boycott.html

 

[MussedPorcelain]

Oh I love this thread already! If anyone in interested in more information, Michael Pollan has some helpful reads, especially Food Rules, if you're short on time.

So I'm 21-years old and haven't eaten beef in nine years for non-nutritional reasons. I don't miss it at all and I'm naturally not very inclined to eat meat as a whole. It's fine if it's cooked in a stew or something, but the idea of a large chunk of meat [fish and a few pig products exempted] makes me a bit uneasy. On average, I consume a very small portion of meat about two or three times a week, and it's usually some kind of fish.

To get enough protein, I try to eat some type of cheese and an egg every day, as well as chickpeas or beans of some type. Also, I try to get avocados in fairly frequently to get the fats that I'm not getting from meat, especially if I haven't had fish that day. I don't ever feel tired or like my body is missing something, and I never have cravings for meat.
I only shop local for produce if I can at all help it [I'm lucky to have lots of great farmers markets a short walk/subway away] and try to eat at places that are socially concious, but you can't win them all.

Fashionista-ta, your recipies sound amazing! When I cook, it's always vegetarian [like I said, I'm a bit uneasy around meat] and whenever you post, it motivates me.