Six Months Meat-Free!

Tomorrow will mark six months since I stopped eating meat. If you’ve deftly swerved the dubious pleasure of hearing me waffle on about it, here’s the (excruciatingly mild) T, mawma: I’ve followed a pescatarian diet since September 1st last year. Prior to that, I had gradually reduced my meat consumption over a few years.

I haven’t found it difficult at all. I thought I would crave a few specific things, but there hasn’t been a single meat product I’ve missed. Not even bacon.

Some of my favourite meat alternatives include:


Richmond Meat-Free Sausages
No shit, these sausages taste like the real thing. I was shook the first time I had them, and quite honestly, I remain shooketh. Richmonds are my Mum’s favourite, and they’re so good that she’s permanently switched to the meat-free version.


Linda McCartney Vegetarian Shredded Hoisin Duck
The whole Linda McCartney range is miraculous, and this is a real treat. The texture is on point, and the flavour of Chinese-inspired spices makes it really authentic. You can also buy a meal kit that contains thin pancakes.


Vegetarian Butcher Chickened Out Burger
They’re a little pricy, but absolutely delicious. These burgers have a savoury chicken flavour, without the rank poultry aftertaste. Yummy in a bun, or with rice and veggies for a filling dinner.


Vivera Steak
My beloved. Similar to the faux chicken burger above, these steaks have a complex, savoury flavour that approximates real meat, but not specifically steak. It sounds strange, but they’re really good. If you miss the visual of a rare steak (I always had mine very well done, so that ain’t me, fam), Vivera use beetroot juice to create the illusion of real blood. I cook mine a bit longer to avoid that!


Fry’s Chicken-Style Strips
I’m a big fan of Fry’s; they make lots of brilliant meat alternatives. The chicken strips are really tasty on their own, and work well with every sauce, seasoning, and application I’ve tried so far. The only slight downside is that they’re a little high in fat, so I use them sparingly.


Oumph! Kebab Spiced
Quite expensive, but SO GOOD. If you’re planning a veggie fakeaway, get involved in this masterpiece. The kebab pieces have a fantastic texture, a lovely kick of heat, and they take literally minutes to prepare, straight from the freezer.


Sainsbury's Pigs in Blankets + Stuffing Pack
I was a bit glum at the prospect of no pigs in blankets on my Christmas plate. But Sainsbury's came through in their festive catering catalogue, with a pack of vegan pigs in blankets and sausage meat-style stuffing balls. I thought they were fabulous, and the meat-eating taste testers agreed. Plus, it was great to still be included in these essential components of Christmas dinner.


One of the best things about this change has been the support of family and friends. Some of them are vegans, vegetarians, or pescatarians already, and they’ve offered lots of helpful advice, as well as recommendations and recipes!

My meat-eating homies have also been lovely. I didn’t want to make this change inconvenient for other people – especially at events like Christmas – but everyone’s taken it in their stride, accommodating my dietary tomfoolery with kindness and encouragement.

A few folks have asked whether this is a long-term choice, a step on the path to a fully-vegetarian or vegan diet, or a temporary move away from meat. I hasten to add that these questions are always asked with respect and sincerity.

To be honest, I’m happy where I am for now. I’m about 95% sure I’ll never eat meat or poultry again. I eat a relatively modest amount of fish and seafood, and it seems to be a healthy balance for the time being. It’s never say never for going vegetarian, while a fully-vegan diet is probably less likely. Then again, I didn’t anticipate giving up meat until last year, so don’t believe anything I say!