So you've made up your mind to stop eating meat and become a vegetarian.
Good for you! Vegetarianism is a much healthier form of eating but in the beginning it may be difficult to find enough variety to stop you getting bored.
I've listed a few ideas that may help as you take your first steps to becoming a vegetarian.
1.
Do your research Buy vegetarian cookery books and magazines.
Surf the net for vegetarian websites and join forums where you can get advice and swap recipes.
2.
Build a portfolio of your favourite recipes Try out recipes and if you like them paste them into a folder or scrapbook.
Soon you will have a list of about 15 to 20 of your favourite recipes which you can cook on a rotation basis.
Find ones you can freeze too for a quick fix when you're in a hurry.
3.
Eat out! That's right, I said eat out.
Find where your local vegetarian restaurant is and go, simple as that.
You don't have to go on your own either many mainstream restaurants have great vegetarian selections these days.
Just ask when you book.
If you find something you really like ask if the chef will let you have the recipe.
They're not all Gordon Ramsey so you won't get shouted at.
4.
Take it easy! Don't go cold turkey (if you pardon the pun).
Ease yourself in to the vegetarian lifestyle.
A good way to start is by replacing some of your favourites like burgers and sausages with the vegetarian substitute kind.
All supermarkets stock these nowadays.
In the UK Quorn and the Linda McCartney ranges are very popular and very tasty.
5.
One day at a time This is a big lifestyle change for you so take it slowly.
After you have integrated your substitute items into your diet why not and you're feeling OK with this, why not have one day a week that is totally vegetarian with no substitutes at all.
Slowly build this up to every other day until you're finally totally vegetarian.