A Vegetarian Life

     I have been a vegetarian for over seven years now. When I first began, the tofu dogs resembled tubes of grain and plastic—hardly mimicking the normal look and taste of an all-beef, American baseball game dog—and the options were more limited than the water supply in a barren desert. I could hardly even find meat-free salads with the exception of a small house plate of iceberg lettuce and meat was always lurking in broths, dressings, and the like. I was forced to eat pure veggies (not truly a problem for me), breads, and cheeses.
     Throughout my seven year venture, things have drastically improved. Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods used to be the only places with a fairly sufficient vegetarian selection, but now every grocery store has an entire freezer door devoted to the items. Their green packages and large food photos are hard to miss. The days of dull hot dog vomit and meat-intensive struggles are long gone. Now, the options range from orange chick’n to “beef” strips and more. It’s a pretty easy, veggie friendly world out there.