I want to extend a HUGE welcome to all my new Cheap Peeps! It's a par-tay over here at Cheapskate Mom! I am having so much fun reading your comments and watching my readers grow! I can't wait to personally come by your blog and thank you! It will take some time, but I promise to return all this bloggy love I am getting!Because I have so many newbies right now, I want to reintroduce something near and dear to my heart (and wallet!) There is a website called MeatlessMonday.com which promotes removing meat out of your diet for just one day. There are so many benefits for doing this. Too many to list here, but I'll name a few!
From the Meatless Monday Site:
Meatless Monday is a non-profit initiative of The Monday Campaigns, in association with the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Our goal is to help reduce meat consumption 15% in order to improve personal health and the health of our planet.
So in other words, the folks over at Meatless Monday Campaigns are interested in our health and the environment. Of course, I am on board!
There really is little to no effort on your behalf when it comes to being a part of Meatless Mondays. You don't have to be a vegetarian or a fan of tofu to enjoy a meat free meal from time to time!
The best part is, the Meatless Monday site has a ton of delicious recipes to choose from!
Here are some more tidbits I found interesting on the site:
Going meatless once a week may reduce your risk of chronic preventable conditions like cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity. It can also help reduce your carbon footprint and save precious resources like fresh water and fossil fuel.
Presidents Wilson, Truman and Roosevelt galvanized the nation with voluntary meatless days during both world wars.
The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization estimates the meat industry generates nearly one-fifth of the man-made greenhouse gas emissions that are accelerating climate change worldwide . . . far more than transportation. And annual worldwide demand for meat continues to grow. Reining in meat consumption once a week can help slow this trend.
The water needs of livestock are tremendous, far above those of vegetables or grains. An estimated 1,800 to 2,500 gallons of water go into a single pound of beef. Soy tofu produced in California requires 220 gallons of water per pound.
On average, about 40 calories of fossil fuel energy go into every calorie of feed lot beef in the U.S. Compare this to the 2.2 calories of fossil fuel energy needed to produce one calorie of plant-based protein. Moderating meat consumption is a great way to cut fossil fuel demand.
My favorite recipe I make is a Vegetarian Lasagna. It is one of my own recipes. I need to take a picture next time I make it so I can contribute it to the Meatless Monday site!
In the meantime, check out this recipe and how to video from Meatless Monday:
Lemon Asparagus PenneCheapskate Tip: Beef up your budget by going meatless!
I started going meatless once a week and liked it so much that we now go meatless twice a week! I am saving on average $20.00 per week because of this. That is $80.00 a month off my grocery bill! Meat is expensive. There are lots of great, less expensive alternatives to meat. Don't be afraid to try something new, you just might like it!
Hope you enjoy your Monday!
13 Cheap Peeps plunked in their two cents!:
This is a great idea! There are so many health benefits to reducing red meat consumption but I never though about the environmental impact. I'm definitely going to try this, though I may have to be a bit sneaky about it as my fiance is a total southern meat and potatoes type of guy. LOL He'll eat meatless meals but not if I advertise that they're meatless.
I will definitely keep "Meatless Monday" in mind as I prepare my menu and grocery list for my next 2-week period. (my blog details my menu planning, in case anyone is interested). The recipe you posted looks super yummy! I will definitely try it.
What a great idea! Thank you for sharing!
It's a holiday today here in Canada, so we're BBQ-ing, but I promise to go meatless tomorrow. It's a great idea and a budget-friendly thng I should be doing more often anyway. Incidentally, I'm glad you got your Thomas stuff back. Optimist or not, I was kind of stressing there for you and your little guy!
I may be able to get away with leaving the ground beef out of my spaghetti . . . :)
Thanks for opening my eyes to something completely new to me, and healthy for that matter! I look forward to more recipes...
Thank you for sharing this wonderful link with us. :)
yay!! thanks for posting this. I also hold a money saving tip blog and have posted about this before (meatless meals) I pretty much was 'BOO'ED off stage :) Deleted the post- but i continue to make one meatless meal a week - and it DOES save money!!!!
Great idea- I think I will make my family of six vegetarians for a day!
I often forget how much money you can save without eating meat - and I'm so cheap, this should be drilled in my head by now.
Thanks for the link. I'll 'see' you tomorrow :)
I've been vegan and veggie for most of my life although I have slipped in recent years and introduced a little fish into my diet.
There is a town in Denmark that has decided to be meat free on Thursdays as a social experiment to measure the environmental impact of an entire town giving up meat for one day a week. I'm excited to see the results. I by no way believe or accept that the meat eaters out there cannot cope with one veggie day a week. After all we are omnivores!
Ohh! What a wonderful idea! I think I should do this with my sister -- help us save some money that we don't have anyway!
I just posted my meatless monday recipe - would love it if you could come by and check it out!
Post a Comment