Get some great choices for going meatless at least one night a week.
Many people are not ready to be a vegetarian full-time but are interested in eating more meatless meals. Eliminating meat one day of the week is good for so many reasons. Meat is usually the most expensive portion of a meal, so it is easy on the wallet. Meat is also not the healthiest choice for people with high cholesterol and other health worries. And the raising and transportation of billions of burgers is detrimental on the environment.
One simple way to go meatless one night a week is to simply substitute the meat you would normally eat in a dish with ingredients such as Boca, Morning Star, or other "fake meat" options. Also simply leaving out the meat of a dish and adding more of the veggie or grain ingredient, or substituting something such as tofu, are easy ways to have a vegetarian meal. The list of dishes below include eggs and dairy. These meals can be made to be "hearty" by rounding out the dishes with items such as bread, a salad, nachos, and so forth. Another way to satisfy your appetite is to mix and match the selections. The American dishes, for example, are great paired in many different ways.
Meat Free Dinner Suggestions:
Italian Meatless Meals
- Cheese or Spinach Tortellini
- Lasagna (cheese, spinach, roasted red pepper, etc.)
- Minestrone
- Any pasta with marinara and minus the meat. Cavatini, for example
- Cheese and Spinach Stuffed Shells
- Eggplant Parmesan
Mexican Meat-Free Dishes
- Cheese Quesadillas (Tell your children it's Mexican Grilled Cheese)
- Black Bean and Rice Tostadas
- Cheese Enchiladas
- Tofu Tacos
American Vegetarian Recipes
- Grilled Cheese
- Stuffed Baked Potatoes
- Tomato Soup
- Kitchen Sink Salad
- Pasta Salad
- Mac & Cheese
- Veggie or Cheese Pizza
Other Excellent Dinner Choices without Meat
- Ratatouille
- Stir Fry
- Veggie Chili
- Breakfast for Dinner (waffles or pancakes, eggs or omelets, fruit)
- Veggie Burgers and Sweet Corn on the Grill
- Broccoli and Cheese Frittatas
- Baked Tempah
- Vegetable Curry
- Gazpacho
Each dish above can provide one meatless meal a week. With 26 choices, you can make each one twice a year and get a year's worth or "Meatless Monday" dishes!
Why Meatless Is Good for the Environment
Most people already understand that their wallets and waistlines benefit from meatless meals, but the earth does too. According to a 2006 United Nations Food and Agriculture report, livestock farming generates more greenhouse gases than transportation. It does this in many ways. For one, forest lands are cleared to make room for grazing. This is especially problematic in countries such as Brazil, where the rain forest is being flattened to make room for cattle grazing.
The work required to get the meat on your table affects global warming in other ways. The farm machinery, slaughterhouses, and semi trucks all require energy to move the meat from the field to the store to your home and ultimately to your stomach.
Methane, a much stronger greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide, is released by cattle. The less beef the world eats, the less cattle the world needs, and the fewer will be bred to meet a lessening demand.
You can feel better as you eat healthier food and feel great about the impact you are making on the world!
References: Read more on the UN report about global warming and cattle.
