Vegetarian Advice: Cheap Easy Healthier Veg Diet

Question: With 6 it's faster & cheaper to order pizza - any cheap, easy, healthier way to be vegetarian and not gain weight? - T.L.

I'm 25 years old. I have been a vegetarian - by choice - for 14 years. I have a 1 year old daughter, a 6 year old son, and two step-children. I am no longer breastfeeding because my milk production slowed to a halt several months ago. I drink some milk, very little eggs, some fish, but no chicken or meat.

Here is my problem: I'm rapidly gaining weight because in a house of 6 people it easiest to order pizza, cook pasta, or have hotdogs (mine are non-meat). It's fast and cheaper. We are not a poor family, by any means, but it does get expensive going to Whole Foods to shop for the healthier foods in life. I will get fat by eating pasta 4 or 5 nights a week.

For all the "poor" college students, single mom's/dad's, or busy parents, is there any easier and cheaper way to be a vegetarian and not gain weight from all the breads in our diets? Types of food, recipes, anything will help! THANKS!

Savvy Vegetarian Advice

Dear T. L.,

Whether or not you shop Whole Foods, or the local Super Valu, the cheaper way is to cook your own food from scratch, which I'm sure you already know! It's also healthier, which will save time and money over the long haul. However, it's not necessarily easier or faster. If you're set up and organized for it, and used to doing it, then it could be.

I can understand how you might not have much time and energy to spare! So here are a few resources and suggestions that will make it easier to eat healthier:

Cookbooks Etc:

'5 Ingredient Vegetarian Gourmet' and 'The Complete Vegetarian Family Cookbook', by Nava Atlas: Vegan, and calorie conscious - she gives a nutritional summary for each recipe, as well as serving suggestions.

'Quick Fix Vegetarian', and 'Fresh from The Vegetarian Slow Cooker' both by Robin Robertson. Also vegan, but no nutritional info.

'The New Becoming Vegetarian' by Vesanto Melina and Brenda Davis, a complete vegetarian nutrition manual that I recommend to all vegetarians. Read the SV Review

Recipes: Nava Atlas has good easy recipes at Vegetarian Kitchen, and Savvy Veg also has lots of family friendly recipes. Try tofu burgers, black bean veggie burgers, hummus - serve them in wraps, or with a grain and without the bun. They're quick to make, also vegetarian chili, and various other soups and stews.

The crockpot is your friend, and the pressure cooker and your freezer. When you have time, cook beans, soups, or stews and freeze them in individual or family size containers to produce instant meals. You can eat soups and stews over grains like rice, quinoa, couscous, bulgar instead of with bread. Grains also freeze and reheat well.

If you can, it works well to shop with a menu plan for the week, or at least have some things in mind.

Include salads, raw veg & dips, or steamed veggies etc with your meals - they're all pretty quick to make. If you're new to the time saving device called the chef's knife, here's the scoop on that

I've attached the SV vegetarian nutrition report, and also Beans Without Gas, both of which will expand your veggie possibilities. This one might come in handy too: Eight Ways To Get Your Family To Eat Vegetables

A few other suggestions:

1. Ditch the cheese! It's definitely fattening, while beans are not.

2. Read labels and find out where the calories are hiding. Sugar, saturated fat, and soy are the usual culprits.

3. Carbs aren't fattening. It's the size of the portions, and the things we eat with them that are fattening. Try other carbs besides pasta, especially whole grains.

4. This may seem off topic and personal. These things made me happier, more focused, and energetic (i.e. saner) when my three children were young, and made my life easier: Give yourself a mental and physical health break several times a week. Get a sitter and go out to an exercise or some other class, or swimming, or walk with a friend, or take up yoga, or send the children on play dates while you escape into a book. My mother used to shove us outside and only allowed us in for meals, but that's now considered child endangerment.

Thanks for writing! J. Kingsbury, Savvy Vegetarian

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