What?
“Lacto what?” I hear some of you ask. Others probably will speak their minds right away and say “What the fxxx!” and flick to another article. I don’t blame you. Go right ahead. Perhaps I’ll see you reading the chocolate article, or hanging out later in the shopping aisle smelling the bacon samples!
Okay, okay. So, what am I getting at? Writing this article, I am starting to wonder. This will be the beginning of my foray into vegetarianism. It will be an adventure (perhaps a poor choice of words on reflection… maybe “mad decision” would be more appropriate in some people’s minds!) of huge proportions for a non-chef who has hardly eaten a ”vegetarian meal” in her life. Of course we have had meals that haven’t deliberately either included or disallowed meat. But a “vegetarian menu”? I come from a family who are not “faddy” eaters, and who like their traditional plate of meat and 3 veg with a massive portion of carb on the side. I have now lost all the vegetarian readers who had started reading this article. It’s all passé for you guys, but for me it is a big deal!
You have to remember, we’re in France, where you live to eat, not eat to live!
So what the heck am I trying to do?
Goodness. With those words on the page, already I am finding myself wanting to chicken out. I am the person who doesn’t invite anyone to dinner, so ashamed am I of my amateurish ‘child-friendly’ cooking. So where will I start? How will my family even react to the meal changes as I experiment on them? I can already imagine their scowls.
Why?
Firstly, the question of the hour, why? Well, two reasons.
- Firstly it will mean I can theoretically reduce my carbon footprint from food nearly in half.
- Secondly, I have this vague idea that it will be healthier choice for me.
For a nearly fifty-year-old woman who has stormed angrily into the menopause screaming madly into the empty room, perhaps this sort of lifestyle will make me appreciate and explore quality food more than I ever did before. Let’s just say that a midlife crisis can affect people in a variety of ways, so quit pestering me for the time being and just celebrate the fact that I am willing to give it a go before I shoot anyone else down for asking!
Tiny steps
So, what is this Lacto-ovo-vegetarian sh**?
Simply put; vegetables, fruits, eggs and dairy. Doable. I think… I hope. No?
First step on this journey, finding the motivation to start and to continue. Tick.
How can I not? It is my children’s futures that I am playing with. Sounds dramatic, but I think we have to face the fact the world as we know it is in a crisis. If boundaries have to be pushed and if we have to make uncomfortable choices, better make them now whilst we can still change the path of this impending environmental disaster. If this small step can add to a global movement that helps our planet, I’m in.
Second step. What are the rules? There are always rules. Essentially, no meat, fish or poultry in any form. However, you suddenly remember all those hidden ingredients in food, that are not vegetarian. I suddenly vaguely remember a friend complaining decades ago that certain items couldn’t be eaten due to the minute additives of meat products being included in a restaurant meal. Research needed. Or else just survive on the 10 carrots in the fridge. Possible. 9 carrots now. The dog just ate one. *Sigh*
Third step. Recipes. Okay. This is going to take some more work. I have no idea even where to start. Digital. Book. Simple. Complex. Spicy. Mild. Exotic. Share? Hmm. The internet is awash with anything and everything. I didn’t know I needed glow in the dark toilet roll until I received an email telling me I did. Hopefully it will guide me to the right recipes I will need. If I type in ‘midlife crisis vegetarian recipe’ I learn that apparently men don’t have a midlife crisis, but instead they go vegan. Really?
Step four. And breathe. No, seriously, breathe! This is a project to be taken on over a period of a year or so. Especially for me. Fingers crossed it goes well.
Small steps.
Tiny steps.
On further reflection… change of tack.
First step. Try this week to have at least one meal that has no meat in it at all (breakfast and snacks not included). Even that would be counted as a success. Now the question of the hour is, “Can I eat cake?”
MidLife Crisis In France
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