Hi friends!
I first heard about Meatout last night via Twitter when I was in a state of exhaustion, so I’m way late on posting info about this… but better late than never to help spread the word right?
So just what is Meatout?
Meatout is a day of international observance with a purpose of exposing the public to the joys and benefits of a plant-based diet, while promoting the availability and selection alternatives to meat and dairy in mainstream grocery stores, restaurants and catering operations. Meatout has been observed every year since 1985 and has become the world’s largest annual grassroots diet education campaign.
Meatout is a movement led by Farm Animals Rights Movement (FARM), with a goal of getting 25,000 people to participate in the pledge. Partipants pledge to eat vegan on March 20, the first day of spring (today!), to explore a wholesome, compassionate diet of fruits, veggies and whole grains.
You can find out more about Meatout here.
I try never to get all preachy on here, and at the end of the day, diet is a personal preference. I realize that I’m in the minority as a vegetarian, as I believe somewhere around 95% of Americans eat meat. But going vegan or vegetarian for a day, week, or month, can really open up your food horizons and help you to adopt a healthier lifestyle.
I think the only foods we should be relying on at every meal are veggies and fruits. I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve gone to someone’s house and they have nothing meat-free to eat. I find it to be so crazy and indicative of how reliant on meat our society is. Eating meat is a personal choice (though I could certainly argue its negative effects on the body), but eating it at every meal is just not healthy (ahem, the Paleo craze!). America is eating pieces of large animals at every meal, then we wonder why we have digestion issues, weight issues and prevalence of disease. We’re eating too much meat, too much processed crap, and too much in general.
I’ve pledged to cut out dairy today to go vegan for Meatout, and I invite you to try to eat vegan for just one day, meatless for one week, or even just to decrease the amount of meat products you’re eating and to increase the amount of whole foods you’re putting into your body. It’s better for our health and the planet, and there are so many more options out there than meat-eaters tend to think. My favorite go-to recipe source is Vegetarian Times, or check out my recipe page for inspiration!
Had you ever heard of Meatout before?
Share your thoughts on the movement!
I’ve never heard of this specific movement but it seems interesting! I am not a real vegetarian because I do eat seafood about once a week but otherwise – no meat for me! It is definitely my kind of living and I enjoy it! Everyone around me eats meat and I’m all – where are my veggies!? 🙂
Oh nice, I didn’t know that! Haha you and me both!!
I’ve never heard of Meatout Day before…thanks for sharing! I agree with you that Americans eat too much meat, and a lot of people don’t even care where it’s coming from.
Thanks for reading! I know, I’m confused by the way that people just don’t care to know what they’re putting in their bodies. Personally I want to know if my plants are being shipped to my food store from halfway around the world, just like if I were a meat eater, I’d want to know if my meat had all of these added hormones or came from animals who were suffering and had all of this adrenaline pumping through their bodies when they were slaughtered. Ick!
I definitely try to incorporate at least one day a week where I don’t eat any meat. I think the Meatout is a great idea!
Awesome! It’d be great if more people had the mentality of trying to eat meat in moderation.