The season of Lent just ended, so Catholics are now back to eating meat on Fridays. If you'd like to keep the tradition going all year-round, though, many dietitians suggest trying "Meatless Mondays." In 2003, "Meatless Mondays" was introduced as part of the Healthy People Initiative.
"The thought behind it is that we decrease saturated fat by 15 percent," Cleveland Clinic registered dietitian Kate Patton said. "The major source of saturated fat in our diet is meat."
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Just because you eliminate meat, doesn't mean you can't include some animal products into your day: milk, cheese and eggs are still encouraged.
Confused about how to have a "Meatless Monday"? Here are some ideas:
Breakfast:
- Eggs
- Cereal
- Greek yogurt and fruit
- Frittata with spinach
Lunch:
- Sandwich made with hummus instead of deli meat
- Beans on your salad instead of chicken
- Black bean-topped sweet potatoes
Dinner:
- Whole wheat pasta
- Lentil burgers
A common misconception is that if you're not eating meat, you're not getting enough protein. Ms. Patton says that's not true.
"We get protein from so many other food sources in our diet than we realize," Patton said. "And our protein intake is higher than necessary."
Eliminating meat from your diet a couple of days a week is not going to hurt you. And, if you can't fathom avoiding meat for an entire day, eating three meals a week without meat is also beneficial.