Newly Vegetarian and Happy About it!

[hollypetsit]

I just recently joined this forum. I have been lurking for a week or so before I decided to join.

My birthday was at the end of last month and I decided to do something great. I have wanted to become a vegetarian for awhile, so I researched all I could and jumped right in. I haven't been able to formulate proper meals with protein and everything yet, but I absolutely feel better already. I haven't been able to give up eggs, milk, cheese or pepperoni yet, but I will be able to eat better after I sit down and come up with some meal plans.

I haven't told my family yet, but I don't think it will matter when I do, because I have been the "black sheep" since I moved out on my own. My father will probably freak, but he usually does since he is my father. We just recently came to an understanding about me and my love of animals. He even gave me a cool B-day card that talked about not lecturing, or disapproving just sending birthday love. It is the best card I ever received.

Anyway, before I type all night I want to know favorite foods of vegetarians and any helpful advise.

Thanks!

[Susan9608]

Just wanted to say congratulations. It's a wonderful step you took. Welcome to the "dark side."

[hollypetsit]

Lol "the dark side" made me laugh! I feel like I am an alien at times or in some science fiction movie.

[Newpiggiemom]

Vegetarians can have eggs, milk and dairy if they choose. Vegans choose not to have any animal products at all. I have been vegetarian for 3 months but I do cage free eggs, some milk and cheese (definately) or I don't think I'd make it.

Check Vegweb.com, they have tons of great recipes.

[hollypetsit]

Thanks for the information and the website. The recipes look great! I can't wait to try some. I am in the process of having my husband go an entire day with vegetarian food and see how he feels. So far so good, he feels great! The last meal of meat he had made him tired and he ended up taking a nap along with drinking coffee. Today he only had a little caffeine and has lots of energy, plus no nap.

[hollypetsit]

Ok, this is gross, but I thought I should eat the rest of the lunch meat I have in the refrigerator. I thought since I was going to have a yummy salad I would just put lots of dressing on it, and it would taste ok. I ate a piece of the ham and almost vomited. I haven't been vegetarian very long, but I can not stand processed flesh. I am a little surprised, but very happy that I can not consume that nasty stuff. I will just give the rest of it to my dogs, at least they will be happy LOL.

[StrawberryField]

Congrats on your decision to become vegetarian! There are tons of resources online with hundreds of different recipes. You might even want to pick up a cookbook from a library. One of my favorite sites is: The Post Punk Kitchen: Vegetarian cooking & vegan baking with no attitude

[Weatherlight]

You can spend plenty of time browsing sites like these:

PCRM >> Health, Vegetarian Diets and Recipes, Preventive Medicine and Nutrition, Cancer Prevention and Survival.
Vegan Outreach -- Ending Cruelty to Animals
Nutrition -- The Vegetarian Resource Group

but since you mentioned your dogs, I instantly thought of these:

Home (highly recommended)
HelpingAnimals.com // Help An Animal // Factsheets // Meatless Meals for Dogs and Cats (PETA's intro, everybody knows PETA)
Feed your companion animals a vegan diet!
plus this awesome, mostly-accurate book, Amazon.com: Obligate Carnivore: Cats, Dogs, and What it Really Means to be Vegan: Jed Gillen: Books

Have fun

[hollypetsit]

Thanks so much for all of the information. I want to try some of the vegan foods for my cats and dogs. What I don't understand is, how can vegan food be good for carnivores such as cats? I have seen many studies on cats doing extremely well on raw diets, but I can't find a whole lot of concrete evidence on cats eating vegan.

[ArtisticRainey]

Thanks so much for all of the information. I want to try some of the vegan foods for my cats and dogs. What I don't understand is, how can vegan food be good for carnivores such as cats? I have seen many studies on cats doing extremely well on raw diets, but I can't find a whole lot of concrete evidence on cats eating vegan.

Check out this thread: http://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/...egan-pets.html

and to a lesser extent part of this thread: http://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/...hypocrisy.html

Congrats on becoming a veggie! I love carrot and celery sticks in houmous.

[guineapigluver1]

Yes, read those threads. (Honestly you should not make your cat eat a vegan diet, they are carnivores). Congrats on becoming a vegetarian! I love carrots, and romaine!

[Animal Lover]

Actually, dogs and cats can happily live on a vegan or vegitarian diet. Many live LONGER on a meatless diet. The only difference is you really have to make sure they have certain multi-vit mixed in, and that they still get some type of protein. And congrats on becoming a vegitarian. I recently did too.

[caviecrazie]

Hey, well done! I have to say, being a vegetarian is great. My whole immediate family are vegetarians. And being a vegetarian does so much help to the enviroment. It was claimed being a vegetarian was the best thing you can do for the planet.