Seven ways to cut back on meat

Looking to reduce your meat consumption? Here are some tips and strategies: 1. Decrease the portion size of your meat. If you must have meat with your meal, Middleton suggests following UC Berkeley’s “flipped plate” example, which makes vegetables the star of the meal, with meat in a supporting role. 2. Don’t go it alone. “Our communities have a very big impact on the way we eat, and (that) has an impact on our success,” says Middleton, who suggests asking a friend or family member to join you in your efforts to reduce your meat consumption. Both Middleton and Kateman stress this will not only help you stick to your goals, but will also multiply your impact. 3. Skip the plant-based meats, which can be expensive. Especially for folks with budget concerns, stick to whole foods like beans, rice, tofu, lentils and fresh produce. 4. Branch out at the grocery store. When you’re out shopping, Kateman suggests finding one new plant-based food, like vegan nut-based cheeses, to incorporate into your home cooking. 5. Change your home environment. Make plant-based and meat-free foods more accessible in your kitchen, like prominently displaying them on the kitchen counter. 6. Think about concrete strategies. Meatless Monday, a global effort launched in 2003 to reduce meat consumption by 15 percent by abstaining from meat once a week, and Vegan Before Six, cookbook author Mark Bittman’s strategies for adhering to a vegan diet for breakfast and lunch, can help with accountability and structure. 7. Resist the urge to get super complicated. Keep meals simple and use simple swaps, like having a burrito with lots of guacamole, but hold the chicken. Or order a Thai curry with vegetables and tofu instead of chicken.