Half it.

Posted on May 12, 2008 by Allie

If you or your family aren’t open to the idea of eliminating meat and/or dairy from a meal, work on using less. 

  • Instead of making two chicken breasts for two people, split one.  Add a salad, vegetables, potatoes or, sliced avocado or other sides to fill up instead.
  • Slice meat thinly and serve the slices instead of a slab.
  • Add black or refried beans to dishes like chicken quesadillas or enchiladas, and half the amount of chicken and cheese you use.
  • Finely shred cheese.  It makes less look like more and makes it easier to distribute evenly over a dish.

5 Comments +

  1. This is something I’ve been working on with my boyfriend, but he always seems to notice :-) I guess if I’m the one who’s cooking then he can’t complain.

    May 12th, 2008 at 3:28 pm
    Comment by The Modern Gal
  2. Exactly! If he has an issue with it, he can always cook! :)

    May 12th, 2008 at 3:55 pm
    Comment by Allie
  3. That’s why we eat vegetarian at home… I am, and I’m the one who taught my husband to cook. He’s too lazy to learn how to cook meat (by his own admission… I”m lazy, too!).

    Those are good suggestions… I need to listen to the shred cheese finely one!

    May 12th, 2008 at 7:01 pm
    Comment by Jennfier
  4. That’s a great idea! I’ve actually managed to get my husband to cut his meat intake at home and eat more vegetarian dinners… but when we’re out, all bets are off. I’ll convert him completely one day! :-)

    May 12th, 2008 at 10:10 pm
    Comment by MrsTwink
  5. Great tip, especially with the cost of food increasing substantially. I posted your idea and a link to your site because we’ve also been suggesting ways to cut down meat consumption and I figured readers would like your idea!

    http://www.ecollo.com/post/2008/05/Share-your-chicken-to-reduce-meat-consumption.aspx

    May 13th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
    Comment by Pinky Bean

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Tip of the Day

Bring Your Own Utensils

I carry a titanium backpacking spork around in my purse.  I know that sounds kind of weird, but it saves me from using disposable utensils when I eat out, and it’s so light, I never even notice that I’m carrying it.

Before the Industrail Revolution it was common for guests to be expected to bring their own utensils with them when invited to dine, because utensils were expensive, labor intensive items, and most people didn’t own extra sets.  Now, when it’s possible to buy a set of 1,000 plastic utensils for under $20, people don’t even think about bringing their own.

But think of the plastic waste that can be saved by slipping a fork from home in your purse on the way out the door.  You don’t need anything fancy.  Grab one from your kitchen drawer, or if you’re worried about loosing a piece of a set, pick up a few spare utensils the next time you hit a discount store, thrift shop, or yard sale.  It’s simple a simple way to cut down waste, and it’s always nicer to eat with real utensils anyway.

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