Reducing the consumption of animal products has been shown to be beneficial to the health of the planet. This – along with the personal health benefits – has inspired many people to try and move away from eating animal products. Whether you’re looking to cut down or slowly transition to a completely plant-based lifestyle, these five easy steps will make it easier.
1. Tweak Your Warm Beverages
Replacing your favorite hot beverage with a plant-based version requires you to re-evaluate your choice of milk. There are a growing number of milk substitutes, some of which are creamy, some of which are sweet, and some of which are flavored. If we’re being perfectly honest, some of them are also downright disgusting.
It’s important to understand that you might need to try a few different types of plant milk before you find the one that really appeals to you. The most popular plant-based milk substitutes include soya milk, rice milk, oat milk, and milk made from nuts like cashews, macadamias, and almonds. If you don’t like the first one (or five) that you try, don’t give up! There’s an option out there that will suit you – all you have to do is find it.
2. Try Meat-Free Mondays
Your meat-free day doesn’t have to be Monday. However, the alliteration will help you remember! The idea is to explore meat-free recipes and reduce your use of animal products slowly.
Meat-free Mondays could become meat-free Fridays or Wednesdays too. As vegetarian cooking becomes easier and tastier, you can incorporate more plant-based meals. For many people, success lies in slow and consistent changes that never leave them feeling deprived.
3. Load Your Plate with Plant Goodness
It’s not always about an entirely vegan or vegetarian meal. Increasing your vegetable intake at every meal can help too. The idea is simple: fill up on plants, and you won’t have as much room for animal products. Animal products are a supply and demand business. If you decrease your demand, you will decrease the need for supply, improving the environment and making a positive impact on your health.
4. Subscribe to Creative Recipes Subscriptions
There are so many flavorful and decadent recipes that are completely plant-based. Many of the creative cooks that make their living crafting these meals share them online. Some of the popular names include Plant-Based Gabriel and Money and Me Kitchens. There are also health programs that teach and guide people who are new to plant-based living so that the transition is easier. Forks Over Knives is a program focused on health that utilizes only plant-based recipes. You may not align with their belief system, but their recipes are superb.
5. Find Easy Substitutes for Old Favorites
Psychologists say that you can’t break habits, you can only replace them. The same goes for your favorite treats. If you want to transition to a more plant-based lifestyle, start swapping out your food loves for versions that contain fewer animal products.
Ice cream can be swapped for nice cream (made from bananas). Nice cream is made at home by processing frozen bananas in a special machine or high-powered blender. It comes out just like soft-serve ice cream. Your favorite pizza can be swapped for a homemade version covered in decadent vegan mozzarella that is stretchy and delicious.
Make It Fun
If you avoid placing pressure on yourself to succeed, your plant-based journey can be fun, experimental, and enriching. Find a friend and challenge each other to cook the tastiest plant-based meal – there’s nothing like some healthy competition to make this journey more engaging.
