TheVeggieTraveler.com - Eating Healthy Vegetarian and Vegan All Over The World

TheVeggieTraveler is all about living the vegetarian lifestyle; cooking at home, eating out at restaurants, and traveling around the world while enjoying vegetarian cuisine.

  • Home
  • About
  • Living As A Vegetarian
    • Adults
    • Children
    • Teens
  • Meal Planning
    • Eating In
    • Eating Out
    • Recipes
    • Travel
  • Resources
    • Apps and Sites
    • Books and Videos
    • Education
  • Veggie 101
    • Environmental Impact
    • How-To’s
    • Nutrition

Moving From Part Time To Full Time Vegetarian

I never set out to be vegetarian. In fact I used to think vegetarians were kind of those “woo-woo” people. You know, the people you looked at from afar wondering how they got where they are?

I guess that’s the Midwest influence in my life. My parents both grew up in rural Iowa, so dinners while I was growing up involved two things: meat and potatoes. Steak, hamburgers, roast, pork chops – and then they threw in a vegetable like corn or green beans for good measure. And of course the baked potato, or hash browns, or French fries.

So I got married, cooked meat, and looked at the “woo-woos” from afar.

Until my daughter became a vegetarian.

And I became one of those “woo-woos”.

Woo Woo - The Look Of Being A Vegetarian

I remember having a conversation with one of my cousins from Iowa when my daughter was around 7. I was explaining how she wouldn’t eat meat and I accepted that, so I made meals that didn’t focus on meat – it was more of a side thing for Andrew and myself.

She looked at me like I was a “woo-woo”. I know that look.

She said, “Why don’t you just force her? She either eats what’s on her plate or not.”

I let it go, and accepted the fact that I was a “woo-woo”.

So the years went by and I cooked variety meals. Enough to keep my daughter happy and healthy, with a small chicken breast cut in two for my husband and me. Or a small piece of salmon cut in half and on the side. Never beef, always chicken or fish.

But our meals were pretty boring and basic. A salad. A vegetable. A protein. And our small portion of meat.

Until I decided to go vegetarian as well. And then the world opened up because I didn’t look at dinners as “What can I make that goes along with meat?” Instead I looked at it as “How can I create a delicious dinner?”

In many ways, I think part time vegetarian is more difficult then being full time vegetarian. Because you still think “meat”. It’s the center and it’s the focus. Everything revolves around it.

And frankly, meals are a little more boring that way. A hunk of meat on the plate with a few sides to go with it.

As a full time vegetarian, each meal is a complete thought. Its built around a concept. Its more complete.

What does it take to make the transition? Nothing more than a decision. And once you do, its really a very easy lifestyle. (And very healthy too.)

Filed Under: How-To's Tagged With: full time vegetarian, part time vegetarian

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Welcome To The Veggie Traveler

We’re Lori and Andrew. We’re Vegetarian. We love to travel.

TheVeggieTraveler helps average Joes and Janes eat healthier.

There’s a lot of B.S. out there about vegetarianism. We’re working to put a stop to it.

Read More>>

My Favorite Cookbooks


See My List Of Favorites
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

The Latest Posts…

  • What’s Happening To Our Organic Food?
  • Transitioning To A Plant-Based Diet – Is It The Same As Being Vegan?
  • A Primer On Gut Bacteria
  • Is Sugar Causing Obesity
  • Basic Vegan Cashew Cheese Sauce
  • Can You Get Too Much Protein?
  • Dear Chain Restaurants: Vegetarians Eat Out Too
  • How To Build A Grocery List That Supports Your Vegetarian Lifestyle
Vegan Peanut Butter Cups

Vegan Peanut Butter Cups

“What is it with females and their chocolate?” Andrew says this every time I make my way into the kitchen looking for something sweet. I’m not a big sweets person. And after reducing my sugar intake substantially over the years, it’s more difficult than ever for me to eat prepackaged desserts. Sure, I’ll have gelato […]

White Bean and Spinach Vegetable Wraps

White Bean and Spinach Vegetable Wraps

I love summer. Summer means playing outside, long hikes, days at the beach, summer concerts and outdoor plays. Because we’re outside more than we are in, I look for a variety of recipes that are quick to make and even easier to throw in our cooler and be ready for a meal anywhere we choose […]

Cantaloupe and Bulgur Salad

Cantaloupe and Bulgur Salad

This past weekend, the heat raged on. Hitting our tenth consecutive day above 90 degrees, I knew the nightly dinner routine would NOT include turning on the oven. Before I made the switch to a vegetarian diet, we would visit PF Changs every couple of months when I got a craving for their Shrimp with […]

Copyright © 2021 · TheVeggieTraveler.com · Disclaimer