Hi niafabo!

Some of this may be a repeat of previous comments, but I'll share my experiences just in case it's helpful.

I've been vegetarian for 10 years now and was vegan for 3 months (with the intention of only being vegan for 3 months as an experiment) a few years ago. Here are my thoughts:

1> I love the vegetarian diet. I can't really remember what it was like when I ate meat since I was just a teenager then, but I love the mental and physical 'lightness' that eating a plant-based diet brings. I don't think I'll ever eat meat again. As long as you avoid the vegetarian downfall of replacing meat with pastas and cheese (very easy to do!), you could have a wonderfully healthy diet as a vegetarian. I enjoyed the challenge of veganism, but the marginal benefit from going from vegetarian to vegan wasn't big enough to keep me there.

2> Veganism/Vegetarianism doesn't have to be costly. If you plan your diet around fruits and vegetables, you don't have to fork out money for the soy cheeses and fake meats. With a little creativity, you can turn most vegetarian or even meat recipes into vegan. Examples: cooking eggplant marinara for meat lasagna, cauliflower puree soup- with a potato standing in for cream- instead of a meatball or chicken noodle soup, veg/lentil chili with a dollop of low-fat yogurt (sometimes you can't even taste a difference between that and meat chili!), grilled veggie kabobs instead of hamburgers, etc. Often websites like AllRecipes will have reviewers posting ideas for turning recipes into veg/vegan- I used that a lot. By ensuring veggies are the main focus of the meal, and using lots of seasonings, you can have a very affordable diet.

(Note- if you do want inexpensive meat substitutes, Trader Joe's- if there is one near you- is a great place for inexpensive products. Their soy chorizo is amazing.)

3> Asian foods are the BEST way to get creative with veg/vegan diets. Indian food offers loads of vegetarian/vegan options such as channa masala, palak paneer (for which you can use tofu), daal (lentils), etc. Just reduce the amount of oil a bit when cooking. Japanese food too- vegetable sushi, miso soup, veg stir fries. Thai and Korean food with their glorious chili pastes and seasonings can be great inspirations for spicing up vegetables, tofu, rice, etc. So many of my homecooked meals are vegan: masoor dal, Vietnamese fresh veg spring rolls with rice paper, veg sushi, Thai panang curry with low-fat coconut milk, Korean bibimbap with Sriracha sauce, yum!

(As if you already couldn't tell my affection for Asian food by my avatar! :))

Whatever you choose, good luck, keep us posted.

I'm not a vegetarian or vegan, but most of the food I cook for myself is! I live alone (well, with two pit bulls!) and I have a small fridge/ freezer. Meat just isn't very convenient for me to cook, cheese tends to go bad before I use it all (or I overeat it!)

I cook a lot of beans (cheap cheap cheap!!) and A LOT of veggies. Pasta I love, but now avoid at home because I always eat 1/2 the box at one "meal!" This winter has been great for making big pots of soups and stews, which just happen to be vegan.

I do eat tofu occasionally, and more often tempeh. But no meat or cheese "subs"- I like real food. (and I do eat meat and cheese at times, just not regularly at home)

I recently stumbled across this website, which I like a lot and use it for recipe ideas. It's not a holier-than-thou vegan site, and the recipes are pretty straight forward. The soups I've tried have been delicious.

http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/

(despite the name, it's more "added fat" free vegan. she uses nuts, avocados, coconut milk, etc.)

Niafabo, I think you are doing the right thing by dipping your toes in and seeing how your body and mind react to the change in your diet. Making a dramatic change in your diet can be difficult and even set you up for failure. Take your time and if you are inclined, you'll probably naturally and gradually progress further in that direction :)

Food Matters, by Mark Bittman, suggests Vegan Before 6 (VB6) as a healthier way to eat. All meals and snacks prior to dinner are vegan. Dinner can include animal products (eggs, dairy, or meat) if you desire. If you do include meat, he suggests very small amounts. He suggests treating it as a garnish and not a focal point of your dinner.

His book explains why it's healthier not only for our bodies, but also for the environment. The book includes some pretty staggering statistics on both aspects if you are interested.

Personally, I prefer a mostly plant based diet and feel better when I eliminate animal products. I don't like labels and the restrictions they impose, implying that our needs or choices never change. I'm not a vegan. I'm not a vegetarian. I'm a person :lol: I might on a rare occasion eat seafood, or dairy product. I take fish oil capsules. But 98 or 99% of the time I eat plants.

As Michael Pollan said "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."

If you haven't already checked out our Vegetarian forum, please do :)

Good luck!