Rachel Yeates, Campus Carrier Copy Editor
“Hello, my name is Rachel Yeates, and I’m a vegetarian.”
This usually doesn’t turn out to be the greatest conversation starter. For some reason, vegetarians and vegans have been caricatured into pretentious, tofu-guzzling, animal rights extremists (“Your bacon touched my tofu-scramble—it’s been contaminated!”), but I can assure you that is not the case.
When someone finds out I’m a vegetarian, the first question I’m always asked is “why?” It’s only natural to be curious. Some people chose to eliminate meat for health reasons, others for religious reasons. Me, I disagree with factory farming and the unethical treatment of animals. After they know, though, there’s usually some apprehension. They’ll realize they’re eating a piece of chicken and look down at their plate, suddenly embarrassed. “I don’t mind,” I assure them. I don’t have a convert quota to meet. What you eat should be your choice, but make sure it’s an informed one.
The questions continue: Wait? Do you still eat dairy? Do you have to take vitamin supplements? How do you get enough protein?
Let me bring you up to speed.
Many people identify as vegetarian, but some people eliminate only meat products, some eliminate meat products and dairy, and still others eliminate meat products, dairy and eggs. If you should choose to remove all animal products from your diet, you are a vegan. But any combinations of the above are possible. Some people, in attempts not to harm even plants, eat only fruit and call themselves “fruitarians.” And others recognize the health benefits of meatless meals and abstain from meat products occasionally calling themselves “flexitarians.”
Western meals have fallen into a protein rut. My mom, when learning how to cook, was taught to center each meal around meat. This idea runs through almost every meal in western society. But 1) meat is not the only source of protein—spinach, broccoli, beans, yogurt, the list goes on—and 2) meat at every meal is excessive. And when you think about it, many of your favorite meals may already be meatless: beans and rice, vegetable lasagna, pasta, stir fry, cheese pizza.
If you are looking for new sources of protein, try tofu, tempeh or seitan. Although at first they seem alien and disgusting, if prepared properly, they can be delicious. They are concentrated sources of protein from plant sources, soy and wheat. And they are easy to incorporate meals, just be prepared for some trial and error. Try adding tofu to pad thai or add it to your Moe’s burrito (of if you’re feeling extra adventurous, try making some Thanksgiving Tofurkey). These proteins are not meant to be meat substitutes, just another way to get nutrients.
Being a vegetarian doesn’t make it difficult to plan meals, you just need to be sure that you are maintaining a balanced diet, but omnivores should strive for this too. I had a friend once who tried out vegetarianism for a few weeks; however, his definition of a vegetarian meal was French fries and a bag of Cheetos. Being healthy, vegetarian or not, needs to encompass multiple food groups: vegetables, fruits, beans, grains, dairy. Just follow my mom’s advice and try to make your plate colorful, but make sure the color is natural and not red dye 40.
Right after I decided to become a vegetarian, eating at friend’s houses suddenly became a problem—not because I didn’t have anything to eat, but because I didn’t want them to feel they needed to go out of their way to accommodate me. Unless all they were planning on serving was fried chicken, I am fine just eating sides. I’ll do this in restaurants too if there are no meatless entrees. I’m used to it. The food still tastes good, it just takes a little longer to order. As the vegetarian, I make it my responsibility to make sure I am getting all the nutrients I need, and if that means bringing a portabella mushroom to a grill out so I can have something to put on the hamburger bun, I am glad to do it.
But what about the cost? Healthy food is often automatically assumed to be super expensive, and if all you buy are processed meatless frozen dinners and the like, then yes, it is expensive. But if you buy vegetables and fruits and make them into meals that can give you leftovers for a couple days, you are saving money. But what about eating in the dining hall? Although this is only my first year at Berry, I’ve been very satisfied with all our dining hall offers by way of vegetarian meals. I love how clearly they mark whether or not a dish has meat, and, if nothing else looks good, the salad bar is fully stocked. Also: there is always pizza.
In recent years, vegan culture, sustainable and environmentally friendly eating and living, has become more easily accessible. Vegan restaurants and clothing have become more popular and, therefore, easier to find. Just up the road in downtown Rome is a quaint little health food store, Purple Mountain Natural Foods, and the new Publix has a good health food section as well as a great stock of fruits and vegetables.
If you take anything away from this, I hope it’s that not all vegetarians are crazed neo-hippies, you have to power to control what you eat and it doesn’t take much effort to change your diet for the better. Even if vegetarianism is not in your future, I hope you will consider what all went into the food on your plate and make sure you are eating a variety of foods. Never be afraid to try something new!