When I was 15, I made the decision to never eat meat again. More specifically, I became a pescetarian, meaning I don’t eat beef, chicken or pork, but I do eat fish and some dairy.

As with most people, I based this decision on the way that farmers treat animals that are being raised to feed humans. The conditions that they live in are often not suitable for animals, and the food and hormones they feed them in order to make them bigger than average isn’t healthy for them to consume, which in turn isn’t healthy for humans. I also didn’t see why I needed to kill animals in order to survive.

I made this diet change a few weeks before Thanksgiving. I know, how could I miss out on all the ham, turkey and chicken, right? Wrong! It was one of the easiest decisions to make because it was something that I actually wanted to do. I didn’t feel like I was missing out on anything because I didn’t want to be part of it.

My family fully supported me, although they did (and still do) ask me if I really didn’t want to add any meat to my plate. Although meats take the main stage at Thanksgiving, I choose to focus on side dishes like macaroni and cheese, vegetables and desserts.  When visiting friends and family, I apply the same concept. Most times, side dishes don’t have meat in them, so whether at someone else’s house or at a restaurant, it’s easy to find vegetarian foods.

Before I made the change, I made sure to look online for meat alternatives that could also provide me with a good portion of the protein I was going to be missing out on without meat. One of the most accessible brands for meat alternatives that I’ve found has been Morning Star. They offer everything from breakfast foods like bacon and sausage to dinner foods like meatballs and chicken nuggets. For people who are used to eating meat, the taste isn’t exactly the same, but after a while you forget what meat even tastes like.

Since making the change seven years ago, multiple brands have become more popular and offer a wider variety of meat substitutes, such as LightLife and Gardein, which offer not only vegetarian substitutes but vegan ones as well.

Now that you know how easy it is to avoid eating meat, I challenge you to a week without it. Notice how your body changes and feels healthier and lighter without meat.  Who knows, maybe you’ll make the change for good!

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