Have you thought about eating less meat and incorporating more plant-based foods in your meals? You’re not alone. Some 37% of Americans polled in one recent study said they want to cut back on red meat.
Some people are looking to make changes for health reasons. Others cite wanting to do their part to protect the environment. Regardless of why we might be interested in switching to a more plant-hearty — or even fully vegan — diet, it can be tricky to figure out exactly how to do it. In fact, over 70% of respondents in the same survey said they worried it would be “difficult to learn how to cook or prepare healthier alternatives for the swaps they’re making.”
So what’s the first step? And what are some of the biggest pitfalls that might trip us up as we dip our toes into this new world?
That’s what we — Raj Punjabi and Noah Michelson, hosts of HuffPost’s “Am I Doing It Wrong?” podcast — asked celebrity vegan chef Priyanka Naik when she recently dropped by our studio.
Listen to the full episode by pressing play:
“The baby steps to living a more plant-forward life is just minimizing your non-veg intake,” the TV host and author of “The Modern Tiffin” told us.
The most important step we should take? Go slowly.
Immediately removing all animal products from our plates can make us resent our decisions and ruin our chances of being successful before we’ve even begun this new way of eating.
“Don’t go cold turkey. … That just does not work for people, especially if you didn’t grow up in a culture like mine where you grew up vegetarian,” she said.
Instead, Naik recommended gradually minimising these foods.
“Let’s say you would [usually] eat meat every day. Instead … cut it down to just four times a week, and from there, two times a week or whatnot,” she suggested, noting that adding something like “Meatless Mondays” to your calendar can be a good way to start.
“It’s a slow integration into your life. Like, [if you think] ‘I had beef last night with something,’ so, OK, [then maybe say], ‘Today and tomorrow, I’m going to cut that out.’”
Ultimately, Naik said, going slow and “being realistic” is the best way to ensure you’ll stick with any modifications you make to your diet.
She also advised thinking of this new approach as an expansion of your palate, not a punishment for your taste buds.
“If you perceive the situation as adventurous and exploratory and fun and almost opening a new horizon of food for yourself, then you’ll approach it with more positivity and optimism,” she said. “Not like, ‘Oh, my God, I can’t eat this now … therefore, I can’t eat anything.’ It’s like, no, but now you could try all these other items on the menu.”
Naik suggested exploring vegetable side dishes when dining out or ordering family style so you can try more things. She also noted that making veggie versions of our favourite meat dishes can be a fun way to enjoy what we love without animal proteins.
“If you change your perspective and think of it as a fun adventure versus restrictive, then it’ll help you just ease into the plant-forward lifestyle more easily.”
We also chatted with Naik about the biggest mistake people make with tofu, her favourite places to find veggie-forward meal ideas, and lots more tips and tricks for filling our plates with plant-based foods. Listen to the full episode above or wherever you get your podcasts.
Make sure to subscribe to “Am I Doing It Wrong?” on whatever podcast platform you prefer so you don’t miss a single episode, including our investigations of the ins and outs of tipping, how to apologise or vanquish your credit card debt, how to find love online or overcome anxiety, tips for online shopping, taking care of your teeth and pooping like a pro, secrets to booking and staying in a hotel, how to deal with an angry person, cooking tips from celebrity chef Jet Tila, shocking laundry secrets, the tips and tricks for cleaner dishes, getting your best workout and more.
For more from Priyanka Naik, visit her website and follow her on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok.
Need some help with something you’ve been doing wrong? Email us at AmIDoingItWrong@HuffPost.com, and we might investigate the topic in an upcoming episode.
