College Student Becoming A Vegetarian
Tips for successful, gradual transition to vegetarian diet
Hello! I am a college student living with 2 vegetarian roommates.
After being around them for the past month or so, I've had the ability to "sample" some of the vegetarian meals that they have and pick up a few pointers.
Being on a vegetarian diet is new to me because I always assumed that vegetarian meals would be tasteless, bland and boring.
I'm researching vegetarian diet now, and I feel like it is something that I am interested in, since I already consume a lot of fruits and vegetables, and since I go to a large university, I can find vegetarian meals to eat easily.
I am really unsure of how to begin becoming a vegetarian. I intend to write out a "plan" and allow myself 3-6 weeks to get into the full swing of things. What are some pointers for a successful and gradual transition experience to a vegetarian diet? - K.J.
Savvy Vegetarian Advice
Dear K.J.,
It's great that you already live with two vegetarians - that'll be good support for you. Becoming a vegetarian is harder on your own, or living with meat eaters.
I think of the typical American meat & potatoes diet as tasteless, bland & boring! I think you'll find that vegetarian meals can be anything you want them to be - the possibilities are endless.
The Ten Tips and Veg Nutrition Reports will give you a good start on the transition to a vegetarian diet, and some resources for future reference. A couple of things I'd like to add:
First, I feel that your time frame of 3 - 6 weeks to make the transition to a vegetarian diet is unrealistic. Think 3 - 6 months, or even years.
Going vegetarian is a major physical, mental, emotional change, requiring more adjustments than you might think.
It's also natural to go back and forth between vegetarian diet & non-veg for a while until you get the big picture in focus.
Second, you don't need a very elaborate schedule or plan, other than trying out new foods. Relax! Be flexible. Have fun with it. That's the best way to have a successful vegetarian transition.
Judith Kingsbury, Savvy Vegetarian
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