These 5 Things Will Help You Eat Less Meat and Love Every Meal

Meat is expensive. Even worse, eating too much can fill your diet with excess saturated fat leading to obesity and other health problems, not to mention the environmental and animal welfare issues raised by the way most meat is raised.

Current popular sentiment agrees: eat less meat and make sure what you do eat originates from more humane/environmentally kind sources.

 For many of us, no matter how good our intentions, it can be hard to say no to cheeseburgers, chicken and steaks. And it can be even harder to talk our families into it! Humanely raised sources of meat can be expensive and not always easy to find.

The key is to make small changes that add up to eating less meat over time, which will make your wallet, your heart and the planet breathe a giant sigh of relief. 

Here are a few tips that might make the transition easier.


1. Find out the recommended serving sizes and stick with them. Most of us eat much more meat than we need at a time; an adult portion is only about the size of a deck of cards. Buy and prepare only the recommended portion size per eater for each meal. Look for ways that stretch out the meat so it doesn’t look so lonely on the plate – stir fries and stews are a good way to do this. It might take a while for you and your family to get used to smaller portions, but it will happen over time. Keep fresh crudites and nuts on hand for easy, filling snacks.

Keeping serving sizes small and not having excess will get your family on the track towards being comfortable with less meat while helping you to save money at the grocery store.



2. Ignore meat analogs. Most aren’t very realistic to meat eaters. Instead of serving not dogs and soy steaks, look for meal ideas that most are happy to eat without meat.

Many pasta dishes come to mind as well as favorites like bean burritos, pizza with vegetable toppings, vegetable stir fries and soups.

 There is a place for meat substitutes and many enjoy them. However, they are often expensive, highly processed and to some just scream out that you are NOT EATING MEAT!!!! Once your family has adapted to a less-meat lifestyle, consider incorporating homemade meat substitutes like bean burgers and lentil taco fillings – these are tasty, inexpensive and wholesome.


3. Be careful what you replace meat with. Believe it or not, there are fat vegetarians; it’s easy to fill up on fatty cheeses and empty carbs. Although saving money is important, it’s no savings if the foods you are eating are detrimental to your health and void of nutrition.

 Fill the space on your plate with lots of vegetables and some whole grains, not white rice, gooey cheese and sour cream and french fries.

Vegetables can be expensive; look for in season produce for the most nutrition at the best price and try the bulk bins at your local health food store for an affordable way to experiment with whole grains such as quinoa and bulgur. You can buy only a cup or two at a time at a much better price than you’d get from the packaged products at a regular grocery store.

4. Expect some grumbling at first. Your family and maybe even your tummy might complain at the start. Don’t let that dissuade you. This is not only going to save your family money for your long term financial well being, it will also give you better eating habits for the future.

It can be discouraging to throw away a lot of food, so when trying new things, serve only small portions so you don’t have to waste as much. Small children, in particular, can take many exposures to new foods before they’ll accept them. It is highly unlikely that anyone in your family will suffer malnutrition, but just in case, one of my tricks with picky eaters is to serve them a healthy lunch and breakfast of familiar foods that they are sure to eat to make sure they are getting the calories and nutrition they need and save the new foods for dinner and snacks.

5. Step out of the meat box. Most of us are used to thinking in terms of “piece of protein, a starch and a vegetable” when planning meals. Don’t limit yourself! Borrow cookbooks from different cuisines from the library to see how other cultures eat well with very little meat (by the way, ethnic markets are a great source of inexpensive spices and produce).

Don’t focus on what you are doing without, think of it as a fun challenge and exciting opportunity.

 Eating less meat is a great way to control food costs, prevent diseases caused by over-consumption of saturated fats, and get more variety in your diet while helping the environment. Of course it can take a while to adjust to a less meat-centric diet. But once you do, you’ll find it’s an extremely satisfying and healthy way to eat.

Tracy O’Connor is the mother of 5 boys and a ghostwriter who knows how to make every cent count. Follow her on Twitter.

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