10 Simple Ways to Reduce Your Meat Consumption

Published: March 24, 2022

One of the main concerns nowadays is animal welfare and protecting animals. This leads a lot of people into changing their lifestyles and becoming vegetarians or vegans. However, they are still a minority since it can be challenging to serve healthy meals when you want to save money. One simple way to reduce meat production on our planet is to reduce your meat consumption. You don’t have to stop completely eating meat, but you may opt for meatless meals once or twice a week. You may simply reduce the amount of meat you are having now in your diet and you will see changes rapidly. It will have a very significant impact on your health, as well as on the environment. If you are still not sure how to start, DubaiPT has your back. We have prepared a list of 10 simple ways to reduce your meat consumption and show you less expensive health benefits than just eating meat.

Start slowly with just one meatless meal a week

It can be quite challenging and stressful trying to figure out every day what to cook that doesn’t include meat. To be honest, your body might not take it well if you cut meat right away. Eating more vegetables and fruits will be better for your digestive tract. Gradually increasing these ingredients and reducing meat will help your body get adjusted quickly. Have you heard or meatless Monday? You can include it in your vegan meal plan Dubai nutritionists prepared for you. It is a movement that encourages people to have meals without meat only on Mondays. This will help you out since you can meal prep for the week and allow you more time to get used to it. Going slowly is crucial and soon you can increase the pace. Invite your friends or colleagues for a meatless Monday lunch and share with them this special day in your new lifestyle.

Get yourself vegetarian and plant-based cookbooks

Cooking is fun and reading different cookbooks will give you ideas of what to eat and prepare. Sometimes you will see an interesting recipe and decide you want to try it out just for fun. Get yourself some vegan and raw cookbooks that will inspire you to prepare dishes without meat. Having a cookbook on your side will motivate you and you won’t struggle with meal prep at all. You may also choose the monthly meal plan Dubai nutritionists have for you and try out the recipes that will expand your cooking abilities. There are hundreds of recipes that do not contain meat and having them close by will ease this process. If you are not a good cook, making dishes without meat will be even easier for you.

Add more vegetables and grains to your diet

One of the easiest ways of not eating meat is replacing it with something else. Add more vegetables, fruits, and grains to your diet and instead of meat, try increasing plant-based food. Do not worry if you feel like that is not enough and that you feel hungry. Sometimes you will have to increase your weekly food intake but it will definitely improve your overall health and lifestyle. Use avocados, tomatoes, and a handful of greens instead of bacon and sausages for breakfast. If you decide to go full vegan, check if you as a vegan should take supplements to replace everything you are not getting from meat. There is a variety of options and go slowly with adding these ingredients. Soon you will find yourself getting used to greens and not wanting to eat meat with every meal.

Use lentils instead of ground meat in your meals

You don’t have to give up your favorite meatballs or spaghetti bolognese just because you don’t eat meat. There are plenty of substitutes and start with replacing ground beef in recipes like tacos, lasagna, or stuffed peppers with lentils. Lentils have similar nutrients as ground meat and their soft texture will replace meat well in these meals. If you are not sure how to cook them, we recommend you cook them in low-sodium broth instead of simply in water. You may always store them in the freezer and use them when needed. Make sure to read the benefits of a gluten-free diet. That could also be a huge part of your new vegan journey.

Make sure to consume the right amount of calories

You will notice that vegetarian and vegan food contain much fewer calories than meals with animal products. That is why you will lose weight easier and your workout routine might change. If you were already eating meals with a lot of calories, you might struggle with plant food. That is why it is essential to go slow and start reducing meat day by day. Start with cutting meat on 3 times a week, then 2 and eventually you will stop eating it at all. Once you learn how to prepare and eat meals with enough calories for your body, you will be in control of your body and health as well. Don’t starve yourself and if you feel hungry in the beginning, get some meat and ease this process.

Create your favorite dishes without meat for the entire family

The best way to reduce your meat consumption without any guilt is to include the entire family. Regardless if it is your personal decision or not, you can create your or their favorite meals without meat. Everyone has that favorite dish that they cannot simply live without. Of course, you don’t have to make those meatless meals every time, but now and then will help you cut down the meat. Support from your family means a lot, and if they are willing to go on this journey with you, even better. Try experimenting with tofu instead of meat, options are endless. When you start experimenting, you will get more creative and you will not want to go back.

Buy better quality meat for your meals

Reducing meat doesn’t mean stopping eating meat for good. Reducing your meat consumption will give you a chance to eat more healthily and be aware of the environmental impact.  There are a few options when it comes to buying better quality meat such as:

• Buy grass-fed meat rather than grain-fed. Such meat has a higher percentage of Omega 3s than other kinds of meat.
• Get the meat from farms that are prone to sustainable agriculture which protects the environment and local communities.
• Add poultry products to your meals and reduce beef or lamb in your dishes.

Learn which food has enough protein as meat

We all know that meat is rich in protein and that is something we need. If you stop eating meat or eating less, that doesn’t mean that you need to sacrifice all the protein it has. There are a lot of vegetables and grains rich in protein. Educate yourself on how much protein you actually need according to your weight. Then,  learn which foods include the highest amount of protein. Let us help you out:

• Dairy products such as cheese, milk, eggs, and yogurts;
• Vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, asparagus, and brussel sprouts;
• Grains such as quinoa, wild rice, couscous as well as nuts and seeds.

Connect it to another goal and get excited about this change

If you want to reduce your meat consumption it is not simply about saving animals and the environment, rather than being healthy. Find something else that you are excited about that will help you out on this journey. It could be losing weight while doing those cardio exercises, improving your blood and sugar results, gaining muscles, etc. Anything that will inspire you to be persistent in this change. When you have more to lose, you will more likely not give up and be firm about it. Maybe it will take you more attempts to succeed, that is why we recommend going slow and making it a challenge. You can make it a 10-day challenge and when you reach the last day you will want to continue doing it!

Turn your side dishes into an actual meal

Salads are usually side dishes and something we make to eat healthily and have it next to the meat. Salads usually contain less meat, sometimes none at all, and they are incredibly versatile. What if you turn all your side dishes into actual meals such as dinner or brunch? The secret to making a delicious and dinner-worthy salad is being creative and adding so many interesting ingredients. You may add lots of greens, nuts, avocado, and a small amount of protein that comes from scallops or shrimps. There are plenty of ingredients with such flavor that can make your meal without meat taste meaty. Experiment with grilled eggplant, caramelized onions or shallots, roasted tomatoes, or miso.

Tofu is your new best friend

If you are already on your journey of weight loss or gaining muscles, you probably have a personal fitness trainer in Dubai that is helping you out. We want to add a little more to your new lifestyle and help you out. You don’t have to give up that delicious fried chicken or buffalo wings we all crave sometimes. Tofu can be a perfect ingredient in many different meals. You can make your own version of fried chicken tofu and it will taste like heaven. One tip we want to share with you is to freeze your tofu before marinating it. It will soak up all the flavors and it can definitely replace meat and you won’t even notice it.

Plan your meals ahead of time

When you don’t know what to cook, it is just easy to defrost the chicken or meat and cook something. But when you want to make a quick meatless meal, we don’t really have so many ideas. Meal prep and planning will encourage you to continue your journey and make your meals enjoyable. Before a busy week, you can go grocery shopping and make large amounts of meals. You can freeze them for the week or simply make a weekly meal plan. Having frozen vegetables and fruits will make it much easier and cheaper than going to the store every day and buying them. Additionally, you can look at the cookbooks you have bought and make a plan of dishes you want to try out that week. Include your family and children in picking out your new dishes, they will love to be part of it.

Why is eating less meat good for you?

Researchers have found that pescetarians and vegetarians who eat less meat have a reduced risk of developing cancer at later stages of life. Generally speaking, eating fewer calories and less meat will lower the risk of heart diseases. The health factor is the most important one, and why not start your new healthy journey with your family? If you suffer from any conditions, make sure to consult with your doctor or nutritionist about wanting to reduce your meat consumption. They will be able to provide you with useful tips on how to start so it doesn’t affect your overall health. You will learn how to prepare healthy meals on the go and you won’t even go back to your old routines. Let’s work on your flexibility and start seeing some health benefits in your life! Start today and make sure to incorporate all these useful tips.