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Do you want to reduce your environmental footprint by eating less meat? Do you simply not like meat and want to switch to plant-based sources of protein? Whatever your reasons may be, these three tips will help you cut your meat consumption in a healthy way.

1. Start with 1 vegetarian meal per week
Have you heard about Meatless Monday? One vegetarian meal per week is a good start. If you’re trying to reduce your meat intake, it’s better to do it gradually than to cut out meat altogether from one day to the next.

2. Replace animal protein with plant-based protein
If you want to make your diet more vegetarian, it isn’t enough to remove meat from your plate. Meat is the main source of protein and iron, so if you take it away, you have to replace it with something equivalent, such as tofu, tempeh, legumes, nuts and/or grains.

3. Add fruits and vegetables to your meals
As the iron in vegetables is not as easily absorbed by the body as the iron in meat, you have to help a bit. Vitamin C helps the body absorb iron, so you should include foods rich in vitamin C, such as red and green peppers, strawberries and citrus fruits, in your meals.

Finally, look for mouth-watering recipes! There are a multitude of vegetarian and vegan recipe blogs where you can find ideas. The more you experiment in the kitchen, the more tasty recipes you will come up with.

Here are a few recipes you can try with your family:
General Tso’s Tofu from the Buddhist Chef
Vegan Spaghetti Sauce from the Buddhist Chef
Chili Sin Carne from the Buddhist Chef
Vegan Pad Thai From My Bowl