The past month has really flown by! In the end, it was actually pretty easy to eat vegetarian for a month. I was inspired to try some new recipes for easy lunches and dinners, like the Spelt Veggie Burgers and the Curried Cashew Spread. I found plenty of good options at restaurants, and although my choices seemed more limited at take-out places, I ended up saving money by preparing my own quick meals instead. It wasn’t difficult at all to watch others enjoy meat; it didn’t really affect me. My only real craving right now is sushi.

It was somewhat complicated to explain to other people why I was choosing to eat vegetarian this month. I am not ethically opposed to killing animals for the purpose of food. I believe that meat can be part of a well balanced diet. But I do feel inspired to support farmers who treat the animals humanely by feeding them appropriate diets, allowing them to grow at normal rates, and raising them in an environmentally conscious manner. By not eating meat this month, I was not supporting the factory farming industry.

So what’s next? (And no, I don’t plan to eat a big burger for lunch!) My goal is to spend my grocery dollars in a manner which supports farmers who are doing the right thing. I am not exactly sure where I’ll be purchasing meat, so for the moment, it’s off my grocery list. At restaurants, I will continue to choose the vegetarian option. But technically I will be a flexitarian, and I will be eating meat on occasion. This month taught me that I don’t need to rely on meat in order to create a healthy meal plan. With a little creativity, I can do better.

Tomorrow I will recap some great meals from Memorial Day weekend!