We were at the supermarket on Saturday and we got some turkey for our quesadillas from the deli counter for the first time ever. We couldn’t believe how much meat people buy. I mean, really, do people eat all of that in a week??? The guy at the counter was absolutely shocked we only wanted a little turkey.
I’m not saying everyone should become a vegetarian, just eat a reasonable amount of meat. Everything in moderation. There’s no reason it should have a staring role in your meals every day. There are so many yummy foods out there that aren’t meat based.
Some of my favorite healthy vegetarian recipes:
Caity’s African Peanut-Potato Stew (a little time consuming, but absolutely delicious)
Creamy Pumpkin With Millet (or your grain of choice, I’m big on Quinoa)
Black Beans and Rice with Pumpkin Vinaigrette (the dressing is good for salad too)
Sweet Potato and Black Bean Burrito
Thai Edamame Pata (Bryan likes this one)
Avocado and White Bean Wrap
Along the same lines is salt. There are other seasonings! I swear! We need a little salt to survive, but we get more than enough. Salt and HFCS are in everything. It’s the reason we make our own pizza instead of buying the frozen kind. Frozen meals are a necessity sometimes, but make sure you check labels to see the extent of the damage.
Speaking of HFCS, we also consume way too much sugar in this country. HFCS is a problem, but any refined sugar is bad. I stopped eating those packets of instant oatmeal in the morning and replaced them with overnight oats, usually featuring apples and cinnamon. I also don’t buy anything but plain yogurt. It’s not very healthy when it’s loaded with sugar. Instead, I mix in frozen fruit and let it defrost overnight or make smoothies. I also try to keep the simple carbs to a minimum.
Of course, I can’t have a blog about moderation without including soda. I’ve spoken about the evils of soda before and I’ll say it again. The stuff is garbage. Even the sugar free stuff. If you must drink it, try cutting down to a couple times a week or when you’re out to dinner. Every day is just too much. Same goes for alcohol. I know some say that a glass of wine a day is good for you, even if that’s true, I feel the extra calories and increased risk of breast cancer aren’t worth it. Water, tea, and black coffee are healthiest. Water’s about the only thing you can go to town with ;) Well, to a point. You can die from drinking too much water too.
Do I follow my own advice? I try, but I loves my food. No one’s perfect, but the better we treat our bodies, the better off we’ll be. I’m all for enjoying life, but life would be far less enjoyable if I were sick all the time.
My goal this year is to not eat everything in sight when I go out. What will you be cutting back on?
Are you sure people are freezing the meat, or they have a big family or a party or something?
Yep, I hardly ever eat frozen meals. As for salt, I’ve always try to cut back, but my sister puts some so that the flavor can come out for the food to taste great. =/ LOL, it’s good and all, but I’ve always been watching my sodium intake.
LOL, yep, I haven’t had soda in years! The only time I have it is when there’s no other alternative. A friend of mine’s said that the surgar-free ones aren’t bad(I need some kind of caffeine/pick-me-up), but I’m still hesistate in trying. Haha.
I know what you mean. Sometimes when I go to BBQ or buffets it surprises me how much meat people can eat. Too much brown and red.. you need some green to soften the plate. I don’t think I can ever be a full-time vegetarian however I love having non-meat days or weeks.
When I was placed in hospitals and doctor’s clinics I find it very interesting how many people I have to tell to cut down on their salt intake. I usually don’t add salt to my meals so it is interesting how much of a difference it makes, especially to blood pressure.
I agree with you on all counts, except meat. You need protein in the form of animal meat to survive. Biochemically speaking, you can’t get certain materials your body needs from vegetable protein that you can from meat. I agree moderation in portion size is DEFINITELY in order…3-4 oz a serving should be it! However, as long as you are eating lean meats (i.e. chicken breast, low fat ground turkey, filet mignon), meat everyday is ok. I know may people survive off of vegetarian diets alone, but they are not getting all of the essential amino acids their bodies need for muscle maintenance from their diet. Most of the vegetarians I know have to take supplements, which are not necessarily regulated by the FDA…which means you don’t really know what you’re putting into your body. Grass fed beef, baby! All natural, organic chicken! Yum!
I agree with you, too, but I’m a big meat eater. Eating meat is actually how I lost a lot of my weight since the protein has kept me full and kept me from eating. I only eat lean meats myself, probably about 3x a week. I am amazed at all the cold cuts people buy though too. I assume they have lots of kids taking lunch to school, haha? I agree with sugar as well. I cut out a lot of processed sugar and you feel so much better. What you say is 100% true though. Everything in moderation!