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Camryn McClurg

Professor Dunham

English 1101-505

26 September 2019

Evaluation Essay: Vegetarianism

Being vegetarian means not eating meat while still consuming other animal products such

as dairy and eggs. Usually deciding factors to become vegetarian generally come down to a

person's moral beliefs or for health reasons. When most people think of vegetarianism negative

thoughts follow, such as strictly eating salads and no longer getting to enjoy your favorite foods.

A lot of people also believe that this dietary choice will cause food costs to rise and that it takes

too long to prepare meals. People are also scared of missing out on their favorite foods or they

are concerned about the possible lack of food options. Another thought is that most people

believe becoming vegetarian will make it hard to get protein and vitamins that are usually

provided by meat proteins which they fear would cause health issues. Criteria that could be used

to evaluate this topic includes lack of food options, cost, time, and health. This choice can

ultimately save you money and it encourages you to eat healthier, it also forces you to be aware

of what is going into your body. Although being vegetarian can be a challenge, it helps

encourage a healthier diet while saving you money and time.

Before I gained experience as a vegetarian, I expected myself to miss eating meat. I

thought I would not have any options other than salad and pasta, but I also thought that the

switch would not be very hard because pasta was already a staple in my diet. I began working on

meal plans and finding easy and affordable recipes to help me be successful and healthy. Once I
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figured out a diet that worked for me I felt healthier and happier, as well as I had a clear

conscience because the background of how meat went from being an animal to a steak has

always bothered me. I also did not crave meat like I thought I would. At first I was very tempted

but now the thought of wanting meat crosses my mind every couple of months and I can push it

away by having some nuts or a granola bar. Although this major switch in lifestyle was a bit

complicated and challenging, it has not only introduced me to new foods but it also began being

financially beneficial.

When I became a vegetarian I realized a lot of things I was led to believe about this

practice were avoidable, number one being food costs and preparation time. If you’re like me

working a nine to five job that barely pays over minimum wage with what feels like never

ending bills to pay and a picky, expensive, adorable dog to feed, you think you can’t afford this

kind of a diet. When I first decided to try a vegetarian diet I did what I thought was easiest and I

bought all of the prepackaged, already made foods with vegetarian in big print on the label. That

grocery haul lasted me a little over a week and cost about sixty dollars. For one person eating a

non-vegetarian diet the costs can add up to being close to the same amount. It's been three years

since that and now my average grocery trip costs forty dollars and can last me at least two weeks

when I’m being smart about what I buy. I made this change by starting to buy fresh produce,

growing my own foods, teaching myself how to cook, and learning how to meal plan and do

meal prep. Becoming a vegetarian forced me to learn the cheaper ways to go about grocery

shopping and that I don’t need all the fancy meat substitutes to have a balanced and nutritious

diet. Meal planning is a must when becoming vegetarian on a budget, and it is fairly simple. By

figuring out what meals you are going to eat at the beginning of the week you are not only saving
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time but also preventing more food waste. By meal prepping you can spend two hours a week

making yourself large quantities of foods so that you can store them to eat later in that week

which in the end will save you time. Not only did this save me money and time, but it also gave

me a better idea of what I consume and how what I am eating affects my health.

Before most people make the switch to being vegetarian, friends and family point out how

you won't be getting enough vitamins or protein. It is a possibility that not including enough

variety in your diet can cause health issues, and a lack in high protein foods could also cause

problems. Most people who choose to consume meat products are generally getting too much

protein because of quantity and how often it is being consumed. For some people choosing to

become a vegetarian is in order to correct health issues caused by a non-vegetarian diet. At the

beginning of my vegetarian adventure I ate strictly pasta and lettuce until I decided I needed to

try something new. Constantly switching from spaghetti and salad was causing me to get tired

quickly and I would either feel stuffed or not full enough after meals. It did take awhile but I

learned how I could successfully incorporate different foods into my diet to keep myself healthy.

If you make sure to include enough beans, legumes, nuts, eggs, tofu, etc., you can prevent any

protein related issues when you begin changing your diet. You also have to make sure you are

adding variety to your diet, eating the same meal too often can cause you to lack vitamins and

minerals found in other food sources. In order to get all the vitamins and minerals you need to

practice a healthy diet you have to make sure you are eating lots of fruits and vegetables, as well

as, nuts, seeds, and legumes. Perfecting a vegetarian diet does take time and I have not gotten

there myself, but it is worth it. In the end, you end up feeling healthier and more energized after

meals with no thought about what was in the food you just ate.
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Once you choose to eliminate meat from your diet and begin a vegetarian lifestyle you

will have to learn many new things, such as trying a variety of new foods and how to cook them,

learning how to shop smart, as well as how to have a healthy diet that does not have too much of

too little of anything. Keeping a healthy variety of foods in a vegetarian diet might seem

intimidating, but there are a ton of inexpensive and healthy meals you can make that will be sure

to top your old favorites. In the end you’ll be more aware of what is going into your body by

cooking from fresh ingredients to have a healthy diet all while saving yourself money and time.

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