With only 10 days left in October, we are quickly nearing the end of Vegetarian Awareness Month. If you haven’t yet had a chance to join in on the fun, don’t worry! Here are 10 ways that you can still get involved to celebrate the vegetarian lifestyle (even if you eat meat):
- Go Meatless.
Challenge yourself, if only for one day within the next ten, to go meatless. Whether it’s just for one meal or for the entire day, do what works best for you. You may be surprised at just how easy it can be! Not sure where to start? If you dine on campus, you can use the online menu for help. Locate your campus menu and set filters to search the meatless or vegan (or both!) options being served that day. If a particular item sounds interesting, consider giving it a try! If you’re a little nervous to step outside of your comfort zone, challenge a friend to split the dish with you!
- Educate yourself.
Simply take a few moments within the next ten days to learn more about the vegetarian lifestyle. Lucky for you, we’ve already shared two posts this month to get you started! Learn about the variations of plant-based eating in “World Vegetarian Day,” as well as how to maintain a well-balanced, nutritionally sound diet in “Vegetarian? Vegan? What Should You Be Eating?”
- Donate to a non-profit.
Whether it’s a national organization, like The Humane Society of the United States, or a local non-profit in your area, take some time to learn more about the efforts to stop animal cruelty, which can be a major driving factor behind the decision to adopt a vegetarian or vegan diet. If you find an organization that speaks to you, consider making a small donation for yourself, or as a gift for someone else, in support of the cause.
- Visit a Farmer’s Market.
What better way to try a plant-based lifestyle that to take advantage of the bountiful produce this season! Aside from pumpkins, fall brings with it many other delicious fruits and vegetables including apples, pears, squash, carrots, cauliflower and kale. Consider gathering a group of friends together and heading to a local farmer’s market this weekend to do your grocery shopping. Unsure of where to find a farmer’s market in your area? Check out Local Harvest for help!
- Re-vamp your grocery list.
Economically speaking, choosing to follow a plant-based style of eating can have its perks when it comes to your grocery bill. In fact, according to a recent study in the Journal of Hunger and Environmental Nutrition, adopting a vegetarian diet could save you up to $750 dollars a year compared to a meat-centered diet. Wow! Of course, this does require some careful and thoughtful planning to ensure the foods you are selecting are nutritionally balanced, but with a savings comparable to a month’s rent- it may be worth a shot.
- Cook a Vegetarian meal.
Sure, in the age of convenience, you can simply purchase a frozen, prepacked vegetarian dish, heat it up and call it quits. However, one of the enjoyable parts really comes with cooking the meal yourself! A large part of vegetarian cuisine is centered on creativity and on learning how to substitute plant-based foods in where animal foods are typically used. Do a simple web search for easy vegetarian recipes or stop by your local library or bookstore and pick up a vegetarian cookbook. For the visual learners, check out this easy, step-by-step video from the Penn State HealthWorks team on how to make a vegetarian black bean burger!
- Host a Potluck.
Invite a few friends over for a vegetarian-themed potluck. Challenge everyone to bring a different meatless dish and enjoy the fruits of your labor together! Take it a step further by following your meal with a documentary focused on plant-based diets. I’d personally recommend Forks over Knives, which is available to stream through Netflix.
8. Let Campus Dining do the work!
Maybe you’ve overcommitted too much this semester and aren’t able to take the cooking into your own hands. No worries, Penn State Food Service has you covered! As mentioned, there are a variety of meatless and vegan dishes served on a daily basis. No time to check the online menu? No problem. We’ve made them easy to find by printing an M for Meatless (Vegetarian) and V for Vegan items right on the entrée cards. Easy enough, right!
- Join a club (or start your own.)
If you’ve just recently made the switch to a plant-based lifestyle, or are seriously considering it, it can help to build up a support network of people who share your same interest. Check the listing of clubs and student-run organizations at your campus to see if any relate to being a vegetarian on campus. If you can’t find a club that fits, consider starting your own! Starting a new student organization does take a lot of work and planning, so be sure to check your campus website for more information. If you find this is too much of a time commitment, consider having informal gatherings to discuss your shared interests. (For ideas, see #7!)
- Keep an open mind.
Maybe going meatless isn’t your thing, but the main point of Vegetarian Awareness Month is to simply acknowledge and learn more about a different lifestyle. Keeping an open mind can help you to better understand why certain individuals choose to stop or reduce their consumption of meat. You may even learn a few new ways to incorporate more plant foods into your diet, which is never a bad thing!
Photos adapted by: Cliff