1. Enjoy home cooked animal free meals prepared in your home –

Our experienced chefs will take you on a tour of your favorite market to identify new ingredients and vegetarian staples that you may wish to stock up on. We will also work hand in hand with you (and we love to include the kids) in preparing a sumptuous vegetarian meal so you can get the feel for making great food in the comfort of your own kitchen.

2. Start with Favorite Familiar Meals –

Make a list of favorite meals and snacks (including those from restaurants where you eat often). Identify meals that are vegetarian or that can be made meatless with a few small changes. If a favorite dinner is spaghetti with meat sauce, choose meatless spaghetti sauce the next time you make it—and give it some pizzazz with the addition of sautéed mushrooms or chopped sun-dried tomatoes. Replace the meat in your favorite recipes with vegetable-based alternatives. For example, make your burritos with beans, guacamole, and grilled veggies, or use black bean meatballs and stir fry vegetables for your favorite spaghetti dinner.

There are many great tasting animal free products available from several high quality food manufacturers that you will just love! The next time you make split pea soup, omit the ham and season it with fresh herbs. If your usual Chinese take out meal is moo shu pork, ask for a meatless version of the same dish (substituting tofu). You’ll be surprised at how easily you can turn your favorite meals into healthier plant-based choices and you’ll find yourself eating more vegetarian meals in a short time.

3. Keep it Simple –

Stock your pantry with vegetarian convenience foods such as canned soups, instant soups in a cup, canned vegetarian baked beans, spaghetti sauce, instant refried beans and black beans, frozen vegetables, texturized vegetable protein, frozen vegetarian dinners, and veggie burgers. They make it easy to prepare hearty dinners in minutes. You can simplify things by updating your definition of “balanced meal,” too. Not every meal requires a meat substitute at its center. A bowl of vegetable soup and a baked potato is a fast, filling and balanced meal. So is a bowl of baked beans with whole grain bread and a salad.

4. Broaden Your Horizons –

Explore the cuisine of cultures that have perfected plant-based cuisine and add some new foods to your meals. You'll be amazed by the variety of tasty vegetarian/vegan options, including classic American and your favorite international dishes. Try grains such as whole couscous (a Moroccan staple) and quinoa (a South American favorite). They both cook more quickly than other whole grains. Enjoy baby limas cooked Mediterranean style or south of the border black beans with salsa. Many people report that going vegetarian has exposed them to an array of flavors and foods they never knew existed!

5. Experiment with Substitutes –

There is a stunning variety of soy and vegetable based meat substitutes on the market that make the transition to meatless fare easier than ever. TVP (texturized vegetable protein; look for it in the bulk food section of natural foods stores) has the texture of cooked ground beef and is a perfect substitute in tacos, sloppy joes and chili. You’ll also find a variety of veggie burgers, meatless hot dogs, meatless deli meats and other meat substitutes in natural foods stores and even in many regular supermarkets.

6. Look Beyond Dairy –

Vegetarian substitutes help here, too. Look for soy cheese, soy yogurt, and milks made from soy, grains or nuts. Substitute these in recipes where dairy is called for. Check out some of our recommended cookbooks for delicious ideas on how to replace both dairy and meat in meals (once you’ve tasted pasta shells stuffed with tofu ricotta, we guarantee you won’t go back!). And don’t be afraid to ask for what you want. Most pizzerias will happily load your pie with fresh veggies and skip the fatty cheese. Chinese restaurants will keep the eggs out of you fried rice if you ask.

7. Keep Up the Good Work –

Although a diet based on plant foods may seem foreign right now, by the time you’ve started exploring substitutes, rethinking meals and experimenting with new foods, you’ll find yourself discovering lots of new ideas—tacos made with TVP or bulgar, for example, or tempeh fajitas. Once you’ve enjoyed scrambled tofu with mushrooms and toasted almonds, you won’t find yourself missing scrambled eggs. You won’t miss hamburgers at your next picnic if you are enjoying the savory “steaks” of grilled portabello mushrooms.

It may take some time to make the transition towards completely plant-based menus, buy you’ll find your efforts are more fun and creative than you ever imagined. You’ll find plenty of cookbooks to help you make your transition to a plant-based diet easy and fun. The following are some especially good choices for those just beginning to explore this new way of eating.