Taking a day a week to eat plant based is good for your health and for the planet!

We all get into our habits of what we eat on a routine basis. Some it comes from how we grew up and some is convenience. My family grew up on the traditional Meat and Potato with green beans on the side – very familiar here in the upper mid-west. And now as a mom of two busy kids we tend to make tacos and chili frequently as fast and easy meals.

The bad news:

• Did you know though that it’s recommended to eat no more than 6 oz of lean meats per day? However, the average American will consume 10 ounces. Often the choices are red, fatty meats instead of a variety of lean meats.
• The increase of readily available processed foods and refined sugars has caused our intake of fresh fruits, veggies, whole grains and beans to drop.
• The cost to the environment in the amount of water, space, fertilizer used to feed and support an animal and energy needed to refrigerate meats is vastly higher than that of plants.

The good news:

• Eating plants decreases our risks of developing cancer 7-13 percent and diabetes 16-41 percent.
• Decreasing meat intake decreases our chance of developing heart disease, diabetes, cancers, and obesity.
• Plants are more sustainable as a food source.
• Plant based meals are cheaper to buy and prepare.

So, we can be healthier while protecting the planet by eating more plants. Let’s try making Meatless Monday a new habit for our families! At my house smoothies are a big hit for both breakfast and lunch. We will try a few meatless chili recipes and look for other new ideas to try as well. In South Lake Pediatrics’ November 2018 newsletter Dr. Hall shared a recipe for Easy Butternut Squash Soup. That looks like a yummy soup to start!