veggie – #ThisGirlEats

Things I’ve Learnt About Food – and Myself! – Since Becoming Vegetarian | #ThisGirlEats

I haven’t eaten meat for six months now. I told myself one day, yep, that’s it. I’m going vegetarian. And, surprisingly, I haven’t looked back.

Read: The Moment I Decided to Become a Vegetarian

It’s hasn’t always been super easy, but it actually hasn’t been anywhere near as difficult as I thought it would be either. Nonetheless, there have definitely been a few things to learn along the way…

Transitioning made the whole thing possible.

It started with leaving meat off our weekly shopping list to cut costs. Then we decided to only eat meat on weekends or when we went out. Then my boyfriend went vegetarian and I set myself some 30 day challenges to see if I could consistently go without too. And then, eventually, I felt confident and comfortable to stop eating meat altogether.

Not feeling forced or rushed into making any sudden decisions is the reason I was happy to make the choices I have, and it’s also how I’ve been able to stick to it since the day I made up my mind.

Online menus are a must.

Although most restaurants do offer veggie options these days, there’s no guarantee they’ll actually be good. You might find yourself stuck with yet another bean burger or vegetable lasagne – both great, sure, but it gets a bit boring after the millionth time.

Researching menus online before going somewhere is an absolute must these days. If I can’t find one, we ain’t going!

*Menu for plant-based pub The Monument in Canterbury*

Cheese > everything.

People ask if I feel healthier since giving up meat and the honest answer is: no.

Partly because not eating meat has nothing to do with how healthy your diet is, but also mainly because, since becoming veggie, cheese has pretty much become my answer to everything. Pepperoni pizza becomes four cheese pizza; chicken pie becomes cheese and veg pie; spaghetti bolognese becomes cheese and tomato pasta; a BLT becomes a cheese toastie… You get the idea.

It’s the easy option, and it’s also bloody delicious, so I’m not really complaining.

Mealtimes do take some imagination.

When you’ve grown up in a “meat and two veg” environment at the dinner table, it can take a little imagination to keep mealtimes interesting once you start leaving meat off your plate.

Because I love being in the kitchen I quite enjoyed having a new challenge but, over time, it’s become much easier to adjust. It’s all about making smart swaps and thinking outside the box to create food that you and your family will continue to love.

Looking for some inspiration? Check out some of my favourite veggie meals to make at home.

I haven’t once gone hungry.

“Vegetarian? What do you even eat, rabbit food?! lolololol.” Well, no, obviously not.

Look at me. Look at my blog. Look at the NAME OF MY BLOG! Of course I’m not going to follow a diet of lettuce leaves and quinoa. Just because I don’t eat meat anymore, don’t doubt for a second I haven’t found new ways to stuff my face whenever I feel like it.

There are so, so many options available now that cater to meat-free and plant-based diets; burgers, sausages, bacon, chicken, steaks, you name it and there’s a veggie alternative out there. I don’t miss out on BBQs, roast dinners, takeaways, meals out or any of that good stuff (thanks Linda McCartney 😉).

*Linda McCartney’s vegetarian hoisin duck meal kit*

With the right mindset, I can achieve things I never thought possible.

This is something I definitely learnt about myself when I decided to become a vegetarian.

If you told me just a few years ago that I’d make a free, conscious choice to no longer eat meat, I would never have believed it. I would’ve said I don’t have the willpower, I’d miss out on too many foods I love, I’d never be able to stick with it, bla bla bla.

But I’ve proven to myself that I can stick with it and I do have power over my food choices. I am able to resist things, I can turn certain food down, and I can set myself a goal and see it through.

Now it’s time to take that new revelation about myself and apply it to other parts of my life, because I know that I can.

The Moment I Decided to Become a Vegetarian | #ThisGirlEats

I’ve been vegetarian for three months now and haven’t fallen off the wagon once, which I absolutely thought I would! One question people ALWAYS ask upon finding out I’ve gone veggie is: why? So, if you happen to be one of those people, I can pinpoint the exact moment I decided to become a vegetarian.

I’d not really eaten meat for a month or so because, at the start of the year, I set myself a few little foodie challenges – just to test myself, really. One of those challenges was to go meat-free for January, which wasn’t pretty easy, especially as my boyfriend doesn’t eat meat so it wasn’t a massive part of our diet anyway.

But I never went into that challenge with the intention of giving up meat for good. I’d already reduced my animal consumption in a huge way so didn’t feel the need to push myself any further and was already proud of what I’d done. The first thing I did after completing my meat-free month? I went straight to McDonald’s and bought a chicken and bacon wrap. I didn’t even hesitate.

Well, I say that, but I suppose that’s not completely true. I’d definitely started having feelings of guilt around eating meat since Andy became veggie, thinking about the animals, the environment, all that stuff we know is a affected by animal produce. And feeling guilty around food really isn’t good for me. I’d been working super hard to remove the idea of guilt from my food (and still am!) so having to deal with the repercussions of meat leading to a pang of guilt every time was something I’d already started to struggle with.

Anyway, so I went to Maccy’s for this chicken wrap that I was really craving, took it back to my desk, started to munch away on the familiar delicious taste.. But then I bit into one piece of chicken that had obviously slipped through the cracks in quality control because it was truly DISGUSTING. It was tough, chewy, just absolutely revolting.

I spat it straight out and then thought to myself: why am I doing this?

Like, seriously. Why?

This food was completely gross and all I could think was that this animal definitely didn’t need to die for this crap! It was totally unnecessary for this living, breathing creature to have its life cut short just to make a sub-par, cheap, inedible wrap that literally no-one needs to be eating. It’s cruel, it harms the environment, it’s bad for your health and the end product didn’t even taste good!

I just thought to myself, you know what? I can live without this. So I did.

From the moment I threw that dodgy McDonald’s in the bin, I haven’t eaten meat at all. I’m not going into the pros and cons, I’m not going to preach or badger, I’m not going to do any of that. But if you wondered how I ended up a vegetarian, that’s your answer.

RECIPE: Sweet Chilli Tofu with Vegetable Stir Fried Rice | #ThisGirlEats

Serves: 4
How much does it cost? This recipe cost me less than 75p per person
What are the benefits? This sweet chilli tofu with vegetable stir fried rice recipe is really high in protein, high in fibre and low in fat.

I’ve spent a good few years being scared of tofu, but it turns out if you season it properly, toss it in vegetable stir fried rice and drizzle sweet chilli sauce all over it, it’s pretty damn good!

Probably about.. four years ago? Maybe five? Anyway, a few years ago, I dived into my very first, very spontaneous foray of vegetarianism and decided I’d give it a crack (I was incredibly unsuccessful and bombed in about two weeks, but whatever).

Where I worked at the time had limited lunch options and, being a brand new and totally clueless herbivore, I panicked and just went with the first thing I saw – sweet chilli tofu from Wasabi. And it was gross. Like, really disgusting and I had to throw most of it away. It was like chewing on pieces of sponge – not nice.

I was completely put off of tofu and have always been wary of cooking with it, even though I’ve educated myself massively on veggie food since then. But I started getting bored with meat replacements and decided it’s about time I faced my tofu fears and give it a try – and it was awesome!

This sweet chilli tofu is oven baked and high in protein while the vegetable rice is a great source of fibre, and the whole shebang is really low in saturated fats. Tofu can be a little more pricey than I’d like, I won’t lie, but a little goes a long way. We ate leftovers for lunch the next day and it lasted well, so you can definitely stretch this one out.

INGREDIENTS
400g Firm Tofu
240g Brown Rice
1 Bell Pepper, Diced
1 Onion, Diced
1/2 Mug of Sweetcorn (fresh or frozen)
4 Mushrooms, Chopped
4 tbsp Sweet Chilli Sauce

SEASONING
Okay, so it turns out when cooking tofu it’s super important to season things really well. I marinated my tofu in a combination of soy sauce, ground coriander, chilli flakes, salt, pepper and some chilli oil from the cupboard that I hardly ever use. I also gave the rice a pinch of salt and pepper before blitzing it in the microwave and seasoned the veggies with garlic and, you guessed it, a little more salt and pepper.

HOW TO MAKE SWEET CHILLI TOFU WITH VEGETABLE STIR FRIED RICE

1. Drain the tofu (I cut mine into chunks, sandwiched it between two paper towels, rested a book on top and left for about an hour to try and squeeze as much moisture out as possible) and then marinade in a dish or bowl with a combination of soy sauce, ground coriander, chilli flakes, salt, pepper and a chilli oil if you’ve got it for at least half an hour – longer if possible – before it’s ready to cook.

2. Empty the marinated tofu onto a baking tray (you might want to use greaseproof paper to make sure it doesn’t stick) and bake in the oven for 30 minutes.

3. Cook the rice according to packet instructions (30 minutes in the microwave does the trick with mine).

4. Add the diced onion, pepper, mushroom and sweetcorn to a pan with garlic, salt and black pepper and stir fry on a low heat for 10 minutes with a splash of oil or cooking spray.

5. Drain the cooked rice and add into the pan with the vegetables. Fry everything together for the last couple of minutes until well combined.

6. Serve the veggie rice, remove the tofu from the oven and place on top, then drizzle generously with sticky sweet chilli sauce.

Mixed vegetable stir fried rice topped with oven baked tofu and drizzled with sweet chilli sauce.

“Accidentally” Vegan Products I Found in My Kitchen | #ThisGirlEats

We all know that reducing the amount of animal products we eat is going to help the planet, right?

It means less greenhouse gasses, more land freed up by less animal agriculture, more grain and safe, clean water that can be used for human consumption, and less deforestation.

I’m not vegan, so I’m not going to preach about how we should all go vegan overnight. Going vegan is great, and definitely something we should all at least consider working towards. My diet is vegetarian though, but it took me a HELL of a long time to get there, so it’s definitely a case of taking baby steps in this household.

Point is, we could all probably reduce our meat and dairy consumption, but the word “vegan” scares people. I think it conjures up ideas of being expensive, health obsessed, inaccessible, too far out of the comfort zone – the same ideas that, just a few years ago, would’ve scared me too!

But, in reality, our kitchens are probably all full of foods that are “accidentally” vegan – i.e. you didn’t go out of your way to buy any special vegan alternatives, they’re just everyday products. Obvious examples are fruit and veg, of course, but there are so many more!

I had the briefest root around my kitchen, grabbed some of the most common products I use all the time and snapped a couple of photos to dispel the negative, scary connotations around vegan food.

“It’s expensive!” – as you can see, a lot of these items are value brand, which is often the cheapest on the shelves. Things like chopped tomatoes, passata and kidney beans cost around 30p, give or take a few pence, and can usually make up a meal for four.

“It’s just healthy food!” – being vegan cuts out a lot of fatty foods, but that doesn’t mean being vegan is always super healthy! I’m sure you’ve noticed the jam, peanut butter, ready salted crisps and french fries in this photo.

“It’s too inaccessible!” – some of it can be. But pretty much everything here can be found in most major supermarkets. Things like tins of soup and tortilla wraps (hidden at the back) are versatile and relatively easy to prepare, cook, eat and use up.

“It’s all too weird and way out of my comfort zone!” – I don’t know about you, but the likes of tomato ketchup, baked beans and dried pasta are very much in my comfort zone!

In this photo you’ll find a packet of crisps, apples, satsumas, passata, kidney beans, chopped tomatoes, tomato ketchup, peanut butter, strawberry jam, tomato soup, vegetable soup, tortilla wraps, wholewheat pasta, onion gravy and frozen french fries.

I’m pretty sure there’s loads more in my kitchen – maybe you’ll be surprised how many “accidentally vegan” products are in your own homes. See, they’re not so scary after all!

RECIPE: Slow Cooked BBQ Aubergine | #ThisGirlEats

Serves: 4
How much does it cost? This recipe cost me less than 50p per person.
What are the benefits? This slow cooked BBQ feast is totally veggie-friendly, low in fat compared to pulled pork and provides one of your five a day.

We’ve never really eaten much meat at home, even more so since my boyfriend decided to become a vegetarian. It’s been pretty decent, actually; our shopping has been cheaper (see ‘We Cut Down Our Family Food Shop to £25 Per Week – And Now There’s No Looking Back! Here’s How…‘), we’ve both felt healthier and, best of all, it’s forced me to think of even more recipe ideas!

I’ve always tried to base my recipes around “alternatives”, ways to still eat our favourite foods but healthier versions. Not eating meat means we’ve had to think of ways to still enjoy the food we’ve been used to our whole lives, but without actually eating it.

That’s how I came up with this recipe for slow cooked BBQ aubergine. We both love pulled pork, but obviously that’s a big no-no these days; that doesn’t mean we don’t still enjoy the flavours though. Smokey, spicy BBQ sauce and a soft, succulent filling for the ultimate juicy burger… We just had to find a new way to eat this!

Aubergine has a thick, creamy texture that your teeth just sink right into, and this wonderfully versatile vegetable soaks up almost anything you cook it in, meaning it really takes on the BBQ flavour in this dish.

Using a vegetable replacement absolutely demolishes the fat content of this dish when compared to pork shoulder, and it ups your five a day too! It’s definitely a leaner alternative and, at just under 30p per person, it’s a cheaper option as well.

INGREDIENTS
1 Large Aubergine
2 tbsp Runny Honey
6 tbsp BBQ Sauce
1 tbsp Tomato Purée
1 Mug of Vegetable Stock
4 Burger Buns (optional – burgers are just my serving suggestion, you can do whatever you want with it!)

SEASONING
The BBQ sauce obviously is the main source of the flavour here, but adding garlic, cumin, paprika and chilli flakes into the mix really helps pack a punch.

So, this is how I did it…

1. Bake the whole aubergine in the oven for 20 minutes on 200°C, turning once halfway through.

2. Allow to cool and peel off skin (optional – I peeled most of the skin off mine but also couldn’t be bothered to do the whole thing so some got left on and I couldn’t really tell the difference after several hours of slow cooking!). Tear into strips.

3. Add the aubergine strips along with the garlic, cumin, paprika, chilli flakes, honey, BBQ sauce, tomato purée and a mug of vegetable stock.

4. Cook for 4 hours on high, 6 hours on low. Carefully remove the strips from the slow cooker and serve in the burger buns – or however you prefer!

Tips & Tricks

You don’t need a slow cooker for this recipe – just throw it all into a large stovetop pan or dish and leave on a low heat for a similar time, you’ll get the same results.

Make this even more vegelicious (yes, that’s now a word) by throwing in some cherry tomatoes and sliced red onion, these make excellent additions.

If you’ve got leftovers, make up some smokey barbecue wraps for your lunchbox, or serve with rice the next day to stretch it out for another meal. It’s a very adaptable dish.

RECIPE: 3-Ingredient Pasta Bake | #ThisGirlEats

Serves: 4
How much does it cost? This recipe cost me less than 50p per person.
What are the benefits? This simple pasta bake is suitable for vegetarians, is low in fat and is high in fibre.

Using only three main ingredients to make a proper family dinner is tough! It was tricky coming up with something that would 1) fill everyone up, 2) taste great, and 3) stick to the three ingredient rule. But I think I’ve cracked it!

What I love about pasta is that it’s so versatile, and that’s been proven once again with this dish. Using just a carton of passata and a ball of light mozzarella to go with it, this pasta bake couldn’t get any simpler; you just need a dash of seasoning to bring it to life! 🌿

I prefer using a ball of light mozzarella; the price difference is minimal (only 4p in my local supermarket!) so I’d recommend doing the same if you’re trying to make this a healthier pasta bake. Using low fat mozzarella, wholewheat pasta and a whole carton of passata, split between four people, comes to less than 30p per person – result!

INGREDIENTS
280g Wholewheat Pasta
500g Passata
1 Ball of Mozzarella (reduced fat if possible)

SEASONING
This is a very basic recipe using only three ingredients so, of course, you want to use lots of seasoning to really make the most of what you’ve got. Stir in with the pasta and sauce a hefty crack of black pepper, a good pinch of salt, a good dose of dried garlic flakes and plenty of dried mixed herbs.

So, this is how I did it…

1. Cook pasta in a pan of salted boiling water according to packet instructions (usually 10 – 15 minutes) and drain once cooked.

2. Pour the passata in with the drained pasta, season really well and stir altogether until the sauce smothers the pasta.

3. Pour the pasta and sauce into an ovenproof dish, top with torn mozzarella (make sure you’ve drained and dried the mozzarella otherwise it’ll be very watery!) until the pasta is pretty much covered with a layer of mozzarella. Bake at 180°C for 15 minutes.

Tips & Tricks

Drain the mozzarella! Otherwise you’ll end up with pools of water in your pasta. I drain mine by tipping all excess liquid from the packet and then wrapping the ball in kitchen towel and leaving it to dry out for at least 15 minutes.

If you want to make this go even further, stir a small glass of water into the passata before pouring it into the bake. The sauce will be thinner, but it will stretch to serve more people.

You can use a different base sauce if you wanted to make a variation on this recipe. Chopped tomatoes work well, with a pinch of sugar to reduce the acidity, while heavily seasoned crème fraîche would probably make something of a “creamy” sauce.

I Gave My Boyfriend a New Recipe to Make By Himself, This is What Happened! | #ThisGirlEats

We like a challenge. Last week, I decided to challenge both myself and my boyfriend. I always cook but, since we started scheduling our entire lives around the World Cup, Andy got home before me and offered to make dinner so no-one was cooking by time the England game started. Which is great, but his idea of cooking generally involves transferring food from the freezer to the oven. You know, fine, but a bit uninspiring.

That’s when I came up with the GENIUS idea – to test run one of my recipes! This was brand new, something totally made up and never tried before. Philly cheese “steaks” made with aubergine and sweet potato fries on the side (find the recipe here) is tricky, I won’t lie. I really did throw him in at the deep end!

I left the ingredients and a very detailed recipe, but didn’t want to make things too easy with hints of “Maybe you should do it this way…” I just sat on the sofa quietly and waited. That was my challenge!

And you know what? He only went and bloody did it! It went really well, too. I’m actually incredibly proud of how he pulled it off, he made everything as it should be and it tasted amazing!

It just goes to show that a-n-y-o-n-e can cook. As long as you’ve got ingredients and a recipe to follow it doesn’t matter about the bumps along the way, something messy and delicious and wonderful can still come out of it. If my boyfriend can do it, so can you!

But just to prove that it doesn’t always go perfectly, here are just a few of the more stressful moments from Andy’s time in the kitchen…

“Does aubergine go bad if you cut it and then leave it out? Like avocado?” – good question! No idea tbh.
“What consistency am I looking for here?” – it’s sauce, babe. It’s meant to be the consistency of.. sauce.
“Mate, it’s REALLY hot in here.” – I say this all the time, it’s now fully appreciated just how bloody hot our kitchen gets.
“This is crazy, I’m trying to get ready and cook everything at the same time!” – literally every. day. of. my. life. Get used to it hun.

Recipe: Veggie Philly Cheese “Steaks” with Sweet Potato Fries

RECIPE: Cheese “Steak” Subs & Sweet Potato Fries | #ThisGirlEats

Serves: 2
How much does it cost? This recipe cost me less than £1.25 per person.
What are the benefits? This recipe is low fat compared to an original cheese steak, helps you out with at least two of your five a day and, best of all, is great substitute for vegetarians!

First off, I’m super excited to share this totally delicious recipe with you! What’s even more awesome about it is that the trial run was actually carried out by my boyfriend, who is somewhat clueless in the kitchen but managed to cook this all by himself (following my very detailed instructions, of course). But more on that coming soon…

Cheese sauce is cheese sauce, I’m not gonna pretend it’s a health food. But #ThisGirlEats is all about giving food we know and love a healthier twist.

Removing red meat for aubergine rich in fibre, potassium and magnesium? That’s a big tick! Not to mention wholemeal rolls instead of sugary subs, low fat cheese sauce and a side of veggies – that’s right, sweet potato fries are vegetables!

This recipe is full of benefits and is honestly so tasty, I’d really recommend giving it a go.

INGREDIENTS
2 Sweet Potatoes, Sliced Into Chips
1 Onion, Sliced
1 Green Pepper, Sliced
3 Mushrooms, Chopped
8 Slices of Aubergine
2 tsp of Plain Flour
1/2 Mug of Milk or Milk Alternative
Handful of Low Fat Cheddar Cheese
Handful of Spicy Grated Cheese
1/2 tsp of American Mustard
4 Wholemeal Hot Dog Rolls
The pickle on top is optional!

SEASONING
When the sweet potato chips go into the oven, make sure they’re seasoned with plenty of salt and pepper, as well as a sprinkling of dried thyme and dried garlic. You’ll need the garlic, salt and pepper again to season the veggies, and the slices of aubergine will need a pinch of salt and pepper too.

So, this is how I did it…

1. Heat the oven to 200°C, lightly coat a baking tray with cooking spray or a dash of oil and spread the chips across it. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic and thyme and cook for 45 minutes, turning halfway through.

2. Add cooking spray (or oil), onions and garlic to a pan and fry on a medium heat for a couple of minutes. Add the peppers and seasoning, and cook for a further 5 minutes.

3. Lower the heat, add the mushrooms and cook for a final 5 minutes. If the vegetables start to stick, add a splash of water to the pan 💦

4. With a touch of cooking spray, grill the aubergine slices for around 5 minutes on each side.

5. To make the cheese sauce, add the flour to a saucepan, very slowly pour in the milk and whisk gently with a fork over a low heat. When the mixture has been simmering for a minute or so, remove from the heat and add the cheese and mustard, stirring until melted and combined.

6. Either serve the sauce immediately or, if you’re not quite ready, return the pan to the hob but on a really, really low heat. Keep stirring too! If the sauce is allowed to cool, it’ll go thick and gloopy.

7. Serve the aubergine, toppings and cheese sauce in the rolls and plate up with the fries 🍆

RECIPE: Mushroom Pesto Pasta | #ThisGirlEats

Serves: 2
How much does it cost? This recipe cost me just over 50p per person (56p to be exact!).
What are the benefits? You’ll find at least one of your five a day within this recipe, not to mention it’s suitable for vegetarians (as long as the pesto is veggie-friendly!) and is a great source of fibre.

My boyfriend hates mushrooms and, guys, it really annoys me. It’s weird! Okay, I actually know a lot of people who don’t like mushrooms – but they’re weird too! Mushrooms are immense – in a burger, wrap, pasta… embrace the funghi, people! 🍄

This recipe is quick, easy and made up of three essentials – pesto (totally delicious), pasta (the best) and mushrooms (I don’t care what anyone says). Chuck them all in together and you’ve got a pretty good thing going.

Don’t stress about pesto’s fat content – “good” fats from olive oil and pine nuts, both found in pesto, can be great for your cholesterol, heart and blood pressure. On top of that, this dish also contains three different vegetables (please don’t start with that whole “but tomatoes are a fruit!” thing, you know what I mean) and, made with wholewheat pasta, it’s going to keep you fuller for longer. An easy, hearty, yummy midweek dinner.

INGREDIENTS
6 Medium Mushrooms, Chopped
6 Cherry Tomatoes, Halved
1 Medium Onion, Chopped
140g Wholewheat Pasta
2 tbsp Green Pesto
Handful of Low Fat Grated Cheese
1 tsp Tomato Purée

SEASONING
Lucky for us, pesto does a lot of the work on this one so there isn’t a whole load of effort that goes into seasoning here. Just add a few dried garlic flakes in with the onions, sprinkle over some dried thyme when the mushrooms go in and, as always, finish with a pinch of salt and pepper.

So, this is how I did it…

1. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil, add enough pasta for two and cook according to packet instructions, usually takes around 10 – 15 minutes.

2. Coat a frying pan with cooking spray or a tiny drop of oil and then add the onion, cooking for only a couple of minutes on a steady medium heat.

3. Add in the mushrooms, tomatoes, tomato purée and a splash of water and fry on a medium-low heat for no longer than 10 minutes, until the veggies are softened and cooked through.

4. Drain the pasta and combine with the vegetables, stirring through a heaped tablespoon or two pesto. Of course, adjust according to taste!

5. Top with grated cheese (and drizzle with a small amount of oil if you wish).

Being Vegan is Awesome – But You Don’t Have to Go ‘All The Way’ to Make a Difference! | #ThisGirlEats

My friends have told me the many ethical, health and environmental reasons that they did away with animal products. I’ll be honest, none of it really stuck – I respected their views and was definitely interested, but carried on tucking into my chicken club sandwich as I nodded along. Sorry guys.

For me, the only thing that really hit home was watching Cowspiracy – for the first time ever, I really started to think about the ethics of meat and dairy.

Below are just a few Cowspiracy facts that really opened my eyes.

I want to put it out there right now – I’m NOT vegan. I’m not vegetarian. Sadly, even with these mind-boggling facts, I’m not brave enough to make the move right now – but that’s the point. I’m writing this as someone who eats meat but would still like to start making positive changes when it comes to this whole issue, at least until I get the guts to make a heavier commitment.

Perhaps I’m not ready for a full-on transformation. But after watching the documentary, my boyfriend and I decided we could definitely shake up our diets a bit – we did a few really simple things that, I hope, make a difference when it comes to the staggering consumption of animal products. And here they are…

1. The thought of drinking cow’s milk made us feel a little queasy, so we decided to swap to alternatives – hazelnut and oat milks are yummy, almond milk is great in recipes, and soya milk can be bought super cheap. 🥛

2. We used to buy eggs every week and almost always throw them away because we hadn’t managed to use them up – so we simply stopped! I can’t remember the last time we bought eggs, so that’s a lot less waste.

3. Our first attempt at cutting down on meat was to only eat one meaty meal a day – for example, bacon sandwiches for breakfast meant we wouldn’t eat meat for the rest of the day. If we planned pepperoni pizza for dinner, we’d have a veggie lunch. It’s easy, really.

4. What started out as a way to make our food shop cheaper actually turned into a conscious ethical decision – all our weekday meals are now veggie (vegan on a good day!) and we only let our carnivorous side out on weekends, or when we’re ordering in / buying out.

I really do try to make better choices. I try to buy cheese and tomato pizza instead of meat feast 🍕 order mixed bean instead of chilli con carne 🌶️ choose mushroom tagliatelle instead of lasagne 🍝. I’ve gone from eating ham sandwiches every lunchtime to eating meat twice, maybe three times, a week. It’s not perfect – but it’s better!

I’m definitely not one to preach about what you “should or shouldn’t” eat. Like, at all. I just want to show anyone who is reconsidering how they consume animal products that yeah, going vegetarian or vegan is scary, especially if it’s an alien concept. But you don’t have to go cold turkey (excuse the pun)! If we all make little changes, just try to cut down or choose alternatives every once in a while, the impact really could be huge.

Think about it.