Meatless Mondays Motivation


Written by Alex Knutte | Edited by Carol Coutinho
Meatless Monday is exactly what the name implies, not having any meat products on a given Monday. Some people try to go a whole Monday without any animal products, giving up even dairy and eggs.
Why Meatless Monday, you ask? Turns out, there’s a ton of benefits of giving up meat for just one day a week!
9 Benefits of Meatless Monday:
1: Improved Nutrition
2: Save Money
3: Weight Managment
4: May Reduce Risk of Diabetes
5: Reduce Carbon Footprint
6: Minimize Water Usage
7: Fight Deforestation
8: Protect Wildlife and Plant Biodiversity
9: Save Animals
1: Opt for Fajita Veggies for Taco night
2: Ditch the eggs and chicken on your stir fry
3: Give Tofu a Try
13: Say hello to Veggie Pizza
5: Make Sweet Potatoes your new BFF
6: Swap Chicken Wings for Cauilflower Wings
- Veggie Burgers
Veggie Burgers can be found at every grocery store. There’s a variety of brands and kinds ranging from kale burgers to mushrooms and sweet potatoes. My personal favorite veggie burger is Dr. Praeger’s California Veggie Burgers.
- Beyond Burgers
Beyond burgers are the burgers that look and taste the most like real meat. Additionally, this burger substitute offers 20 grams of plant-based protein!
- Impossible Burgers
The Impossible Burger is another great plant-based option that offers a great source of protein, calcium, and fiber! It also has 0 cholesterol, as compared with a regular burger which has almost a quarter of your daily cholesterol limit.
- Black Bean Burgers
Black bean burgers are definitely my favorite kind of burgers out of all the different substitutes. Many restaurants are moving to having a black bean burger on their menu and they can be bought at most grocery stores as well! My favorite brand is Dr. Prager’s Black Bean Quinoa Burgers.
- Gardein Crispy Tofu Tenders
Enough of the burgers, this plant-based alternative to chicken tenders is a preferred choice of mine! These tofu tenders look exactly like chicken! My favorite way to eat these is in a buffalo “chicken” wrap!
- Morning Star Chicken Patties
Giving up meat doesn’t mean giving up your favorite foods! Morning Star is a plant-based brand that has lots of meat alternatives, including “chicken” patties!
- Daiya Pepperoni Pizza
Who doesn’t love pepperoni pizza? Daiya offers a vegan pepperoni pizza, made of absolutely no animal products! Plant-based pepperoni and cheese for the win!
- Beyond Breakfast Sausage
Thought you would have to give up your favorite breakfast foods? Think again! Beyond Breakfast sausage is offered at many grocery stores, as well as at Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks!
- Morning Star Beyond Bacon
If you are a bacon lover, you’ll be happy to know that there are plant-based bacon options as well! Eggs, bacon, and toast can still be a reality for your morning, just a meat-free version!
Lunch: Tofu stir fry with all the veggies
Afternoon snack: Trail mix and an orange
Dinner: Portobello Mushroom burger with a side of sweet potato fries and corn on the cob
Breakfast: Plant based sausage and toast
Lunch: Peanut Tofu wrap and side salad
Afternoon Snack: Apple and peanut butter
Dinner: Vegetable pizza
Breakfast: Avocado Toast
Lunch: Peanut butter and jelly sandwich
Afternoon Snack: Popcorn
Dinner: Mexican stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Breakfast: Chocolate peanut butter protein shake
Lunch: Buffalo Chickpea Wrap
Afternoon Snack: Veggies and ranch or hummus
Dinner: Spaghetti with a side of asparagus and a side salad
CLOSING WORDS:
There are so many benefits of taking a day a week to refrain from eating meat. Not only is it better for your health, the planet, and animals, but it can be tasty too! There are so many great plant-based recipes out there that won’t have you missing meat. But, in case you do, there are plenty of “fake meats” as well! If everyone in the United States did Meatless Mondays for just one year, an average of 3.5 animals per person would be saved, according to Counting Animals. Multiply that by the population of the US and 1.4 billion animals would be spared annually! So, what’s holding you back from Meatless Monday?
Related Articles
The Complete Guide to Bee and Butterfly Hospitality
Butterfly and bee populations are declining at shocking rates. They are crucial in the food we grow and without them, we may lose some of our favorite foods. There are things we can do to stop their declining rates.
Ride the Ocean Cleanup Wave to Rid the World of Garbage
The abundance of trash in the ocean is a problem we need to tackle. With the opportunities that organizations offer, we can be part of the ocean cleanup.
The Ultimate Guide to the Whole Foods Plant Based Diet
The easiest diet to follow that benefits you and the planet is within your reach. The Whole Foods Plant Based diet – your new best friend.
