Meat: it’s what’s for dinner.

I gave up meat for Lent this year. In past years I’ve done some variation of this (one year I went full-out vegan) because it’s meaningful to me – I have a conscience about eating animals for ethical and environmental reasons. But I haven’t gone full vegetarian because, let’s face it, meat tastes good and in our country it’s just plain inconvenient…at restaurants, at lunch meetings, and at the dinner table with meat-eaters.

At home with my meat-and-potatoes boys, I have been preparing my dinner separately from theirs. I’ll cook their chicken or whatever (or my husband will, we pretty much share dinner duties equally) and then throw together something simple for myself: a vegetable salad with beans and peas, a bean quesadilla, a bowl of quinoa with vegetables and lentils, or baked fish (I kept in eggs and fish to make my life easier). I find myself picking things that are low-maintenance to make since I’m doing double duty and there just isn’t much time in the evenings.

I think there have been advantages, though, in spite of the inconvenience. Like if I’m cutting up vegetables for a loaded salad, I make a little extra for the boys to eat, too. Even my picky stepson ate a salad at dinner recently! My veggie ways are rubbing off on them, and that makes the extra work worthwhile. Trying to be a model for well-being for my kids is so important to me…not only by eating my vegetables, but also by taking action on something I’m passionate about.

Have you made a diet change that affected your family?

Megan Brooks is a Sr. Public Relations Specialist for Texas Health Resources, Stepmom to a 12-year-old and Mom to a 15-month-old.