Why I am a Lessetarian

by Cindy Young, in category Eating Green

I’ve been reading a lot lately about why we shouldn’t eat meat.  I have always wanted to be a vegetarian for these reasons, but I like meat.  And I don’t have the most varied eating habits when it comes to things like vegetables, grains and beans.  So I knew I would most likely starve or eat lots of sugar if I became a vegetarian.

For some reason, I just always assumed that either you were a vegetarian or you weren’t.  But then I realized that it didn’t have to be one or the other.  So I became a lessetarian.

Eat Less Meat Vegetarian Lessetarian

A “lessetarian” is someone who eats less meat.  In my case, I’m down to once every week or two.  Choosing to reduce the amount of meat I eat has been a revelation – I realize that there are a lot of good healthy things that I like to eat that don’t involve meat.  I have even found a lot of vegetarian options at restaurants.  Times are changing, and businesses are becoming more aware of the existence and increase of vegetarians.  And when I can’t find a vegetarian option that I like, I eat meat.

I am amazed at how long I can go without eating meat.  Even better, I am finding that I am developing a preference for leafy greens and plump tomatoes.  I couldn’t have chosen a better time – the farmers’ market is chock full of gorgeous fruits and vegetables right now.

Why I Chose to Reduce My Meat Consumption:

  1. Meat is expensive.  It is even more expensive considering the fact that I always try to choose free-range, grass-fed, hormone- and antibiotic-free beef and poultry.  Since I am eating less meat, I have more money to put toward quality choices when I do buy it.  Also, I used to buy tons of prepackaged chicken stock.  Now I make my own vegetable stock using the ends of onions, carrot peels and other leftovers.  I just put them in a pot barely covered with water and simmer for an hour.  Then I freeze it in glass jars and use it when I need it.
  2. It’s healthier.  Eating too much meat can lead to obesity and other health problems.  When I eat meat, I eat smaller and leaner cuts.  Plus, I don’t have to worry as much about things like e. coli and mad cow disease and other contaminations in meat.
  3. It’s better for the animals.  I won’t go into the way animals are treated on most of these farms, but it is horrible.  Check out PETA’s list of the Top 10 Movies That Make You Go Meatless.
  4. Eating less meat is better for the environment.  Animal waste is a huge source of pollution, including methane from cows.  Methane is a greenhouse gas that can contribute to climate change, and cows contribute around 20% of methane emissions in the U.S.  Visit the EPA’s website for more information.  And we have to cut down a lot of trees to make room for cows and to grow their feed.
  5. It reduces the amount of plastic.  When you buy meat, it is usually in a styrofoam tray and wrapped in plastic.  I am making a real effort to reduce the amount of plastic that I buy and use, partly because of the shock of the oil spill and partly because I don’t want to expose myself and my family to the toxins that leach out of plastic.

NOTICE: Blog posts on OnePartSunshine.com may contain affiliate links.  In other words, if you buy something after clicking on a link in this post, then the author might receive an affiliate commission.

Want more One Part Sunshine?  Here’s how: