Vegetarian-Friendly Lifestyle Tips and Meal Ideas

For most of high school, I ate a vegetarian/pescatarian diet. Now, in my mid-twenties, I follow a clean-eating lifestyle, carrying some of the disciplines and new perspectives I’ve learned when I was a firm vegetarian/pescatarian.

First things first, clean eating should be approached with an open mind and heart. It should be an inspired experience.

One day, explore the simplicity yet tastiness of bean and rice lettuce wraps. Next, try adding quinoa to stuffed peppers. Or, fire up the grille and get it sizzlin' with zucchinis that you can add to a vegetarian pasta.

My initial advice to anyone entering the vegan/vegetarian lifestyle is to: meal prep. Those two words can make such a different in your eating and fitness lifestyle. It may seem a little tedious, but meal prepping will help your wallet & bod. The amount of money you spend eating at restaurants and food counters can go to buying fresh and mindfully sourced foods, for home.

Entering this way of eating, I stayed stocked with bean, rice, quinoa, and vegetable noodles. Avocado and tomatoes became my new best friends. They are great to add to meals, and create an amazing guac combo.

Another thing to consider when trying out a clean eating lifestyle is improved health. When I consistently ate clean and green, my skin glowed, my hair and nails flourished, and I had 10x more energy. After aiming for gluten free and organic options I noticed that I didn’t feel fatigued.

I started my vegetarian/pescatarian journey the second half of my freshmen year in high school. I was dedicated and maintained the lifestyle until the beginning of my junior year. That year I took a break and indulged in many plates of carne asada, grilled chicken, and super stacked summertime burgers, until I returned to my pescatarian ways, the end of high school, entering into college.

Now, I follow a healthy eating lifestyle. I eat lots of fish like salmon, greens, and nutritious foods throughout the week. On the weekends, I like to open up my palate. I eat my fair share of chicken, steak, sushi, and a charcuterie spread here and there.

Personally, I do not like to have limits and restraints on any aspect of my overall lifestyle, but the thought of going vegetarian again is up in the air for me.

I even had a brief vegan stint back in college. It was a fun challenge, but was interrupted during Hurricane Harvey. Even going vegan, or even vegetarian can be a challenge. It is a milestone to take. The key is to not feel overly pressured. Take steps!

On a typical day, I like to eat three to four balanced, proportioned meals. Eating quality foods in consistent, rational portions will fuel you throughout the day and will create a stability in your metabolism. 

Here is a realistic example of what I ate as a vegetarian/pescatarian: 

Day #1:

Breakfast: whole wheat oatmeal with a drizzle of organic honey, cut up strawberries and pineapples

Lunch: black beans, brown rice and guacamole on tortilla

Afternoon meal: romaine salad, black beans, brown rice, w/ tomatoes on side

Dinner: collard greens, baked zucchini, and  lentils, brown rice and black beans on tortilla

Day #2

Breakfast: egg omelet with mushrooms, cantaloupe, mango & grapes

Lunch: black beans, brown rice, sweet potato and romaine salad

Afternoon meal: black beans, brown rice,  w/ tomatoes on side, romaine salad

Dinner: black beans, lentils, brown rice, collard greens