Life in France

Eat less, gain more

Two of our neighbors are vegetarian, or rather were vegetarian. Last Saturday, just before we left for the weekly open-air market they told us not to buy any eggs because they had several for us, along with cheese and milk. We should have guessed why they were giving us these items produced by or from animals and sure enough, when we got home we found out that they are now vegan. The four of us had already enjoyed a vegetarian dinner together but next week we’re having game night at our house so our snacks can’t include dairy, eggs, or even honey since insects are animals and we’re avoiding that connection. Interestingly I had just read a study suggesting that by reducing meat consumption, France could reach its environmental targets.

Carcassonne fruits and veg vendor

According to the French environmental organization, Réseau Action Climat, food makes up 22% of France’s carbon footprint, and “60% of these emissions come from the agricultural production of the food we eat.” France’s meat consumption is significantly higher than the global average of 43 kg per capita per year but still much less than the US average of 122.5 kg according to the US Department of Agriculture. Réseau Action Climat says that if the French cut their beef/chicken/pork consumption in half, to 450 grams per week (about 1 pound), the country would achieve its climate goals.

But how easy would that be? Our first clue came from former Carcassonne resident Tracy who told us that by the end of the first year after moving here from the US, she and her husband had lost a combined total of 100 pounds. The secret was both practical and economic. Like us now, they were great fans of the weekly market, spending around 10€ for 10 kilograms (22 pounds) of fruits and vegetables. Although that was several years ago and today that figure might be 20€, we fill our backpacks to overflowing, still finding some bargains at 1.50€ or even 1€ per kilo. 

With the abundance of fresh produce at bargain prices it was just logical for us to devote less space on the dinner plate to more costly meat. We make vegetable soup by the potful and large, colorful salads by the plateful. I can’t say that we’re vegetarian but our meals are far different from those “meat at every meal” days gone by. As far as vegan: Google tells me that there are 1.6 billion results for “vegan recipes” including a site that promises, “Even meat lovers will enjoy these!” We’ll see if the roll of the dice applies to more than just the game board next Saturday! 🎲

Photo note: The featured photo is a market in Sète and those bright red cherry tomatoes are from our own weekly market in Carcassonne.

12 thoughts on “Eat less, gain more”

  2. I’ve been a vegetarian for most of my adult life and I was vegan for 5 years before moving here to Carcassonne. I found I needed to make some adjustment to my eating as it can be quite difficult to eat out as a vegan here in France, in addition I don’t wish to make people jump through culinary hoops if they should be kind enough to invite me to eat with them. So I added back eggs and cheese to my diet while eating out but mostly eat vegan when at home. My husband isn’t vegetarian or vegan but cooks delicious vegan meals for me, I’m very lucky.

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  3. For a number of years we’ve been trying two meatless dinners each week Only a tiny drop in the bucket, I know, but easily done and not a sacrifice for me at all, though another household member finds it difficult. I think it shakes cultural comfort norms for some older people who have very fixed ideas of what a “meal” should consist of. I think your neighbors are exemplary.

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    2. So Katherine, when you say, “though another household member finds it difficult” you mean, of course, that the dogs aren’t vegetarian? 🤣

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  5. Enjoyed this post! I’d love to know what you serve on game night. A lot of recipes that I’ve made (I’m not vegan…but enjoy vegan/vegetarian meals) use coconut milk, which I especially like the taste of.
    Also, to date, I have not had a bright red cherry tomato as delicious as the ones we had in Carcassonne! I was the one who ate most of them!!!

    PS: good thing wine is vegan!!!!

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  6. In the U.S., the Environmental Work Group (EWG) publishes annually 2 lists, “The Clean Fifteen” and “The Dirty Dozen”, referring to pesticide and herbicide levels found in sampled produce. Much of the chemicals they find are noted as “banned in the EU”. My own diet has evolved over the past 10 years to favor plants, which in the U.S. might even be a bit hazardous by the sound of it (unless you have access to and are willing to afford organic). While I was in Carcassonne for 4 days recently I subsisted on avocados, hummus, and boiled eggs on toast with salads and croissants thrown in – and coffee and wine, of course! I’m sure I’ll sample the cassoulet when I return – the restaurant, “Au Lard et Au Cochon” next door was closed for my entire stay. Horrible name, but according to reviews they serve authentic cassoulet, which I feel compelled to taste, even if only once. While on my trip, I also lost somewhere between 5 and 10 lbs, probably resulting from all the walking. I am really looking forward to a new lifestyle 6 months from now! Alimentation saine, marche, vélo, train… et voila!

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