How do I eat less meat or vegetarian?

1. Healthy eating without meat or with less meat is not difficult. Even without meat you eat according to the Wheel of Five. In doing so, you make sure you get enough protein, iron, vitamin B1 and vitamin B12. These are nutrients that you can find in meat, but also in other products. Want to know exactly how it works? Check out the exact criteria for meat alternatives.

2. Healthy eating without meat or with less meat is not difficult. You also eat without meat, according to the Wheel of Five. You also make sure that you get enough protein, iron, vitamin B1 and vitamin B12. These are nutrients that you can find in meat, but also in other products. Want to know exactly how it works? Check out the exact criteria for meat alternatives.

Overview of meat alternatives

1. Alternatives with enough protein, iron and vitamin B1 How much is comparable to 100 grams (1 piece) of raw meat? What do you pay attention to? With vitamin B12 Eggs 2 eggs As a vegetarian, you can eat 3-4 eggs per week. If you do eat some meat, keep it at 2-3 per week. Fish 100 grams Do you not eat meat or fish? Read more below at "Do you eat no meat or fish?" Some ready-to-eat vegetarian pieces, balls and burgers 100 grams Does it contain (added) iron and vitamin B12? In addition, it should contain less than 1.1 grams of salt. So look at the label. Almost all products contain too much salt. Without vitamin B12 Legumes and products made from the legume soybean (tofu and tempeh) 135 grams (cooked) Legumes include kidney beans, chickpeas and lentils. Read more about legumes and how to prepare them. Nuts, peanuts and kernels 25 grams (a handful) Nuts are very healthy, but don't overdo it. There are a lot of calories in nuts. Which nuts are good to eat? What are legumes? Below are a few examples:

2. Alternatives with enough protein, iron and vitamin B1 How much is comparable to 100 grams (1 piece) of raw meat? What do you pay attention to? With vitamin B12 Eggs 2 eggs As a vegetarian, you can eat 3-4 eggs per week. If you do eat some meat, keep it at 2-3 per week. Fish 100 grams Do you not eat meat or fish? Read more below at "Do you not eat meat or fish?" Some ready-to-eat vegetarian pieces, balls and burgers 100 grams Does it contain (added) iron and vitamin B12? In addition, it should contain less than 1.1 grams of salt. So look at the label. Almost all products contain too much salt. Without vitamin B12 Legumes and products made from the legume soybean (tofu and tempeh) 135 grams (cooked) Legumes include kidney beans, chickpeas and lentils. Read more about legumes and how to prepare them. Nuts, peanuts and kernels 25 grams (a handful) Nuts are very healthy, but don't overdo it. There are a lot of calories in nuts. Which nuts are good to eat? What are legumes? Below are a few examples:

Vegetarian Recipes

1. View all of our vegetarian recipes.

Do you not eat meat, but do you eat fish?

1. An example of a weekly menu without meat is for example: 2 times a portion of legumes, 1 time fish (preferably oily fish) and 3-4 eggs. Also, take one portion of nuts every day and 2 portions of nuts on 2 days.

2. An example of a weekly menu without meat is for example: 2 times a portion of legumes, 1 time fish (preferably oily fish) and 3-4 eggs. Also take one portion of nuts every day and 2 portions of nuts on 2 days.

Don't you eat meat or fish?

1. Don't you eat fish? Take the example of the weekly menu above at "You don't eat meat, but you do eat fish?" And then instead of fish, choose an extra vegetarian choice from the table above every week. But you cannot completely replace fish 1 to 1, because the health benefits of fish are unique. Read more about replacing fish.

2. Don't you eat fish too? Take the example of the weekly menu above at "You don't eat meat, but you do eat fish?" And then instead of fish, choose an extra vegetarian choice from the table above every week. But you cannot completely replace fish 1 to 1, because the health benefits of fish are unique. Read more about replacing fish.

Do you eat flexitarian?

1. Do you not eat meat on some days? Then you can call yourself a flexitarian. For example, eat a portion of nuts or legumes on the days when you do not have meat.

Do you eat vegan?

1. If you don't take animal products at all, you need vitamin B12 fortified products or vitamin B12 pills. As a vegan you need a little more protein than vegetarians (30% more than people who eat meat). Read more about how to eat a healthy vegan diet.

Are you pregnant?

1. If you are pregnant and eat little or no meat or fish, it is important to watch your vitamin B12 intake. If necessary, supplement this with a vitamin B12 supplement. Read more about vegetarian food during pregnancy.

Extra tips for iron

1. Iron from meat is more easily absorbed by the body than iron from vegetable products, such as vegetables and bread. That is because there are 2 forms of iron. Iron is found in meat as heme iron. In vegetable products such as non-heme iron. 2 tips for enough iron in your body: 1. Eat fruits and vegetables with meals. It contains vitamin C, which ensures that your body absorbs iron better 2. In addition to the choices from the table above, eat other products with iron, such as: Vegetable. Especially green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, endive and lettuce Whole grain cereal products, such as whole wheat bread, whole grain breakfast cereals, whole grain couscous, bulgur, brown rice, and whole wheat pasta Seitan Potatoes

2. Iron from meat is more easily absorbed by the body than iron from vegetable products, such as vegetables and bread. That is because there are 2 forms of iron. Iron is found in meat as heme iron. In vegetable products such as non-heme iron. 2 tips for enough iron in your body: 1. Eat vegetables and fruit with meals. It contains vitamin C, which ensures that your body absorbs iron better 2. In addition to the choices from the table above, eat other products with iron, such as: Vegetable. Especially green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, endive and lettuce Whole grain cereal products, such as whole wheat bread, whole grain breakfast cereals, whole grain couscous, bulgur, brown rice, and whole wheat pasta Seitan Potatoes

Attention to vitamin B12

1. Vitamin B12 is found in animal products. Vegetarians are therefore dependent on eating eggs, cheese and dairy products for vitamin B12. In addition to the choices from the table above, take other products with vitamin B12, such as: Milk, yogurt and cottage cheese Cheese Soy drinks with added vitamin B12 If you take little or no animal products: vitamin B12 tablets or products fortified with vitamin B12

What about protein

1. Vegetarians need 20% more protein than people who eat meat. That sounds a lot, but in practice most people eat a lot more protein than necessary and protein is no problem if you eat less or no meat. As a vegetarian, you do have to make sure that you take protein from different sources. This is because the quality of the protein differs between different products. Therefore, eat other products with protein in addition to the choices from the table above. Cereals with legumes are a golden combination. You can read why this is so in the extensive explanation about protein and vegetarian food. Other products with protein: Milk, yogurt and cottage cheese Cheese Whole grain cereal products, such as wholemeal bread, wholemeal cereals, wholemeal couscous, bulgur, brown rice and wholemeal pasta

Do you want to know if you are getting enough?

1. Do you want to know if you are getting enough iron, vitamin B1, vitamin B12 and protein? Then get started with the Eetmeter via My Nutrition Center or the app. In this online food diary you keep track of what you eat and drink in a day. To see if you are getting enough, you have to fill in the Food Meter for several days.

Do you think you have a shortage?

1. Are you very tired, do you look pale, do you ever feel tingling in your fingers or do you suffer from muscle weakness? You may be deficient in iron or vitamin B12. A shortage of protein and vitamin B1 hardly occurs. If you suspect a deficiency, see your doctor.

Listening food

1. You hear more and more that eating less meat is better for your health and for the climate. Knowing is one thing, but how do you replace that steak in a way that you not only make a more sustainable but also healthy choice? And is a completely vegetarian or even vegan diet by definition healthier and more sustainable? Our experts Corné van Dooren (Sustainable Food expert) and Iris Groenenberg (Nutrition and Health expert) will elaborate on this. Listen to the Podcast