From the Tales Inbox: Vegetarian for the Summer

This post is from my sister-in-law, Julie, who has decided with her family to try out a new diet for the summer. I asked her to share her journey up to this point because I find it so interesting (and deep down, I would love to try something similar for at least a summer if I thought could talk my family into it and if the In 'n' Out down the street didn't call to me each time I passed it).

Up until a few months ago I thought that all vegetarians were strange. The ones I knew made me feel uncomfortable, often offering snide comments at parties where meat was served. Cooking for them was a nightmare! I never, ever thought I’d become one - until this summer - when I decided that I wanted our family to try being vegetarians.

Why did I change my mind?! Little did I know that this idea actually started forming in my head about six years ago after the birth of my second child. The weight wasn’t falling off like it had the first time, so I joined a diet program. This program worked really well for losing weight and it taught me a lot about how to eat better, but it was high in animal protein, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that I wasn’t “eating meat sparingly” like I should.

Then about two months ago my book club read the semi-controversial book, The China Study. The author, T. Colin Campbell says that a vegan diet will prevent cancer, diabetes and heart disease and he uses study after study to back it up. At first I was really skeptical, but the more I read and thought about his ideas, the more I got a feeling that he could be onto something. This type of diet (or a version of it at least) matched what I believed God had been directing me towards all along (believe me when I say I don't think God wants everyone to be vegan or vegetarian).

Going completely vegan felt totally overwhelming, not only because I had no idea how to cook this way, but also because of the social implications. I started by testing my plan on friends and family. They were all curious and mostly very supportive. Many of them sent me recipes to get started. My husband and I also decided that in any social situations, we would simply eat the meat provided and it would still match the goals we had in mind. Also, we decided that even though we didn’t want to eat fish or eggs, we still wanted to eat a little cheese, butter and honey, so we would be vegetarians instead of vegans.

Honestly, I have found this diet to be an adventure every day. For the first little while I would find myself wandering around the kitchen unable to find anything to eat. I had a hard time controlling my blood sugar. I felt grouchy and hungry. But as time went by my body got used to all the whole grains and vegetables and I feel better than I have in a long time.

Because I am making a recipe new to me every day, cooking and shopping takes longer than it did before. I often find myself at the local nutrition store with a list in hand of ingredients of which I don’t know where they are, what they are or how to say them. I am still struggling to learn “quick” meals for those busy days. It can be discouraging when dinner turns out yucky, but in only three weeks I have discovered about five meals that my family just loves.

At first I worried that a vegetarian diet might stunt my children’s growth because of a lack of adequate animal protein. Then I learned that my kids could easily get all the protein they needed from plants. My four-year-old son hates meat and vegetables, so dinner with him used to be a nightmare. But, he loves rice, beans, whole wheat pasta and whole wheat breads and I’ve found that if the vegetables are mixed in he will eat them! My seven-year-old daughter, who has always been a good eater, gobbled down a bowl of brown rice, broccoli and tofu the other day. I was amazed.

So, here are some questions I have for you:
1. What would your husband say if you told him you wanted your family to try being vegetarians for the summer?

2. What have you heard, good or bad, about kids on vegetarian diets?

3. Do you have any good vegetarian recipes, especially quick ones?

4. What are your thoughts, good or bad, about vegetarians as a group?

Thanks for your help! If you decide to try this diet, good luck in your adventure!

Julie, Brand-new Vegetarian