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“Vege meat is so expensive! How can I be a vegetarian when that stuff is so expensive?” My question to you—how can you buy the real meat, because of the expense?
“Vege meat is so expensive! How can I be a vegetarian when that stuff is so expensive?” My question to you—how can you buy the real meat, because of the expense? If you have ever bought meat, and were discouraged by the extreme total at check out, then you know what I am talking about. Meat can be just as expensive as the vege meat in the store, but the total cost of vege meat production versus real meat production has been proved to be less in the long run. The amount of produce (various crops) that it takes to make one pound of meat would feed a family nicely for a much longer time than that one pound of meat.

So, what are you supposed to do? How are you supposed to replace meat when you either don’t know where to go to buy it, or what to buy—-or you just find it too expensive to buy? Well, the biggest and most obvious replacement is tofu. Tofu is like a blank piece of paper on which to put your greatest artwork on. By itself, it is bland, tasteless, and ready to soak up any spices and herbs that you choose to use. Many people may have been turned off by tofu, myself included, because of previous experience tasting tofu prepared by other people. One tip—-season or marinate your tofu generously before cooking. Tofu acts like a sponge, and therefore, you will need to use more seasoning than you think.

Another meat replacement option is to use oats and other cereals, nuts, and beans creatively to make satisfying meatless main entrees. This will eliminate the need to buy that expensive vege meat and you will still get the nutrition benefits of the vege meat without it costing an arm and a leg. You will find that when you begin experimenting with different seasonings, spices, and herbs, you will begin to enjoy the variety you get when you don’t eat meat. (Watch for recipes to get you started in later articles.)

This article would not be complete if I did not touch on the use of Portobello mushrooms. They are the big mushrooms you see with the regular fresh mushrooms. They can be used whole as a burger, steak, or cut up, saute’ed, and put in a sauce for pasta. There are endless possibilities with this mushroom. One drawback, or advantage, depending on your point of view, is that when they cook, they release a black juice that some people may not like. I like it, but my husband does not—you can use this juice as a gravy base for mashed potatoes, or you can throw it out. It is entirely up to you. They may not give much nutrition compared to tofu, but they are fibrous, which fills you up without many calories—a definite plus for someone watching their caloric intake! Just make sure to add fruits and/or vegetables for the nutrition factor.

As a bit of history, vegetarian meat substitutes were created as a transition food for those coming off a meat diet. They are not to be relied upon for long term usage. Protein can come from many sources, such as nuts and beans. To create a more perfect food, combine a protein source with a grain source. You now have a perfect food. You can combine whole grain rice with beans, or you can use tofu with oatmeal, seasonings, and eggs, or egg substitute and make a patty. There are endless possibilities when you combine protein and grains, and other seasonings—you can use the same ingredients, and still come up with something totally different each time.

So, you still would like to try the vegetarian meat substitute, and you want to pay the price for it. Where do you buy it? If you have just fallen onto planet Earth and have not seen the various vege meat products in stores everywhere you go, then we forgive you. Seriously though, Morningstar Farms have a variety of products ranging from vege patties (which replace the hamburgers in your diet) to fake sausage patties to fake bacon strips. There are also frozen egg and fake meat sandwiches for breakfast to rival that of McDonalds’ muffin sandwiches. Here is a tip that I have learned with vege meat—use sparingly, and fill your meals with vegetables and/or fruit. For example, use one or two patties, microwave and cut up to put in a vegetable dish for added protein and nutrition. Throw in a few recipe crumbles with chili, eggs, or anything else you can imagine. This will add extra taste, and it will stretch your expensive vege meat considerably. I have been doing this for quite a few years, and it does save on the food budget.

Pasta and vegetables should not be your whole diet, like so many people think about vegetarians—if you use the suggestions in this article, you will find that your food budget will stretch further and your meals will have more variety with more nutrition and fewer calories.