While traveling on a business trip, I read an article in Men’s Fitness magazine about something called the Meatless Monday Movement. It made me start to think and gave me some very interesting takeaways:
- It takes 1,846 gallons of water to produce just one pound of beef. It only takes 39 gallons of water to yield the same amount of veggies.
- Farm-animal waste is funneled into football field size lagoons that release toxic gases such as nitrous oxide and methane.
The first point was shocking and yes, the second one was even more shocking than the first. I could not believe this! The article even went on to say that if everyone gave up meat and cheese for just one day, once a week for a year, the impact on greenhouse gases would be the equivalent to taking 7.6 million cars off the road. Yes, MILLIONS!
I want to be up front and say I don’t do labels because I eat what makes me feel good. I eat meat, dairy and vegetables, but I try to eat more vegetables and less meat and dairy. I make that choice because of how I feel and what my body tells me.
This article really made me think.
What if I started a Meatless Monday in my house? Would my husband go along with it? When I read this article, I wasn’t sure but I thought it would be worth trying. I thought if i could slowly incorporate this idea into my house it wouldn’t be so hard to do. I would be doing my part for the world and we would be eating clean and healthy.
Well guess, what?
We tried it and it worked! There are a few meals we have each week now that are meatless and it’s been kind of fun coming up with different meals. One of my favorites is my Southwestern Tacos. If you really cannot remove meat from your diet, then choose antibiotic-free, pasture raised beef and antibiotic-free, free-range chicken that are raised using sustainable farming practices. If you can find it, grass fed and grass finished is even better. Do some research to find farmers in your area where you can purchase better quality meat.
Have you tried Meatless Monday?
If not, here are some of my favorite recipes and there’s even a few that are meatless. Share your favorite recipe below and help those thinking of joining the Movement.