Hi-oh Challengers! We’re on to Week 19 and here’s what we’re doing this week: Going Vegetarian!

Now, we’re not asking you to forgo all animal products indefinitely (unless that’s your thing) but we do want you to try going meatless at mealtimes and introduce your palate to some non-meat fare.

You may have already heard of “Meatless Mondays” (we’ve blogged about it before) but let’s learn a little more about it. Interesting fact #1: the first Meatless Monday happened during World War I, when Americans were encouraged to give up some of their staples foods to aid the war effort. Decades later the purpose has changed but the method is much the same – get creative and get meatless one day a week.

Today, the movement is spreading across the globe and across Canada as people become more aware of the environmental impact their food choices make.

Interesting fact #2: Animal agriculture is responsible for a whopping 18% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming. That’s more than all forms of transportation combined – on the entire planet! (The nasty emissions come from methane in animal manure, nitrous oxide from fertilizer used to grow animal feed, and the cutting down of forests for grazing land).

Interesting fact #3: Going meatless once a week may reduce your risk of chronic preventable conditions like cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity. Now that’s pretty a decent ROI!

With meat-free on the mind, here is your Do It, Post It Challenge for this week:

Do It: Go Meatless on Monday and 2 other days this week. Tell others about it. Hey, maybe they’re doing it too!

Need some scrumptious meat-free meal ideas? Check out the Meatless Mondays site for tons of recipes, sans any four (or 2) legged friends.

Post It: How did going Meatless feel? Did you find it yummier than you thought it might be?

-A & M.

PS – Don’t forget to check back every monday for our Meatless Monday featured recipe and tip of the week.