this post was submitted on 18 Jul 2023
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Honestly I think the important thing is to just try alternatives. You don't have to end up liking them or completely replacing meat if it's not practical, just try to find ways to add more vegetables.
That's what I'm doing. I like to eat "traditional" salads and stuff like that, but I grew up with them being side dishes most of the time and I think, it's hard to break habits.
From a moral standpoint, I'd like to go vegetarian or even vegan at some point, but this requires me to find things that I'll actually like to eat on a regular basis. Often times, when I search for vegan recipes, something often throws me off. Be it the flavor, the texture, the strength of the flavor or lack thereof, etc. Maybe it's just that I'm not used to it or that animal fats are carrying so much flavor that I'm now kinda addicted to it? I know, it sounds really stupid, but when I go to the grocery store, I often gravitate towards animal products automatically.
My first goal will be to reduce meat intake to one, maybe two times a week.
I've definitely run into the problem where vegan alternatives taste "drier". It's not a perfect solution, but extra virgin olive oil is pretty good and probably healthier than animal fats, and adding more than a recipe calls for can be helpful.
I also forgot to mention textured vegetable protein in my original comment. Weird name, pretty great way to add the chewy texture you can get from meat to things like sauces and chilis.
Also don't forget spices. My go-to ones are garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, cumin, coriander, and sometimes cardamom.