The Simple Mindset Shift That Helped Me Eat More Vegetarian Meals

Why “adding” feels better than “cutting out”

For a long time, I thought eating more vegetarian meals had to be an all-or-nothing decision. Either you committed to a strict meat-free lifestyle, or you didn’t bother. And since I couldn’t imagine cutting out some of my favorites, I never really tried.

Then one day, almost by accident, I stumbled into a different mindset—one that changed everything.

From Restriction to Abundance

The shift was simple: instead of thinking “I must be cutting out meat,” I started thinking “add more plants.”

That might sound subtle or obvious, but it completely reframed my approach to food. Suddenly, eating more vegetarian meals wasn’t about loss or sacrifice. It was about creativity. I wasn’t giving anything up—I was adding more color, texture, and flavor to my plate.

A pasta night became an opportunity to experiment with spinach, sundried tomatoes, or roasted zucchini. Tacos turned into a vehicle for black beans, charred peppers, and creamy avocado. Even my go-to sandwiches got an upgrade when I swapped my beloved deli meat for hummus and piled it high with veggies like cucumbers, pickled onions, and a Brussels-sprout slaw. 

Why This Works

There’s something psychological about focusing on what you can add instead of what you can’t have. Abundance feels freeing. Restriction feels like punishment (and then makes me want the forbidden thing more). That shift made it easy for me to choose vegetarian meals most of the time; not because I “had” to, but because I wanted to.

And here’s the best part: once I leaned into this mindset, eating more plant-based meals felt exciting. Each week was an opportunity to discover a new ingredient or recipe.

The Ripple Effect

One small shift in my thinking also had a bigger impact than I expected. According to research:

• A diet rich in vegetarian meals can reduce your food-related carbon footprint by as much as half.  

• Swapping a single beef-based meal for a vegetarian option can save 1,000 gallons of water.  

• Eating more plant-based foods also supports better heart health, thanks to higher fibre and lower cholesterol.

I loved knowing that my plate wasn’t just helping me, it was helping the planet too. Knowing that a change this small could make such a big impact made the habit even easier to stick with.

Practical Ways to “Add More Plants”

If you want to try this mindset shift, here are some easy entry points:

• Start small: Add one vegetarian day a week, like a Meatless Monday.

• Upgrade your sides: Roast extra vegetables and add them to tomorrow’s lunch. You don’t have to get rid of your favorite potato chips you’d eat with your sandwich, either; it’s just about balance.

• Think protein differently: Lentils, chickpeas, and tofu can all stand in where meat usually goes, and you can even season them the same way you would your favorite meats.

• Lean on flavor: Herbs, spices, and sauces make vegetarian meals feel abundant and satisfying.

Final Thoughts

Eating more vegetarian meals doesn’t have to mean cutting ties with the foods you love. It’s about building meals around what excites you, not what restricts you. Once I stopped thinking in terms of “less meat” and started thinking in terms of “more plants,” the whole process felt lighter, easier, and honestly, more fun.

And the ripple effects—for me, for the planet, for my energy—made it one of the simplest, most rewarding changes I’ve ever made.

Words by Camille Rhodes