Always Good News

Today marks  my first six months of vegetarianism.  Overall, the experience has been enjoyable, and, I believe, beneficial.  My heart is healthy, my wallet is full, and my stomach is happy.

Vegetarianism is quirky.  It has benefits and drawbacks, many of which I was not aware of when I ceased eating meat.  Here’s a list of some of my experiences thus far.

• It saves me money. When I do not have the option of hitting the drive-thru for a quick bite to eat, it saves me money.  I eat at home more and carry more snacks from the grocery store.
• I prepare food myself. The amount of prepared food available from the grocery store is drastically reduced when you eliminate meat.  Now I spend more time preparing food, which is fun and (can be) healthy.
• Vegetarian does not necessarily mean healthy. It’s a temptation to drop the cheeseburger and pick up a bag of chips instead.  It’s a little too easy for anyone to fill up on junk snacks, but the temptation is a little stronger for vegetarians, I think.
• There is plenty of variety. There just is.  It’s not that hard.
• I don’t miss meat as much as I miss condiments. I used to crave hot dogs, until Shannon introduced me to black bean burgers.  I can put ketchup and mustard on them, and I realized those are what I really missed.  Now I need to find something to eat with barbecue sauce.
• People think I’m a hippie, and they somehow intuit that I’m vegetarian just from seeing me eat one meal without meat on my plate.  I’ve been asked if I make my own clothes and if my parents ever lived in a commune.
• I don’t know how to explain my vegetarianism without making people defensive. Therefore, I do not like to explain my vegetarianism.  It’s rude to ignore someone’s question, and I feel rude when I answer.  That part is a drag.

Overall, I’m thankful to be vegetarian.  I’m looking forward to another six months of careful eating, tedious explaning, and good karma garnering.