Just a semantic observation, eating more vegetables is not equivalent to cutting back on meat and dairy (and other animal products).

I don't really have goals or resolutions for 2012, but I would like to eat more vegetables (not cut back on dairy).

Without even a hint of substantive research, Mark Bittman assumes veganism, or partial veganism, to be the healthiest diet.

Sorry, but I'm not buying.

Having once been a vegetarian, and having been close to a number of vegans, my personal experience makes me highly dubious of his assertions.

I can get behind eating more vegetables, but becoming vegan -- purely for the health benefits? No. And definitely not without significant research backing it up.

Perhaps you should watch the Forks Over Knives documentary.

Yes, by all means, eat less meat, y'all.
That will leave more for us of the paleo persuasion.

My husband (already a vegetarian) and I are going vegan at home in the New Year. It is fun to retool my kitchen and techniques. I am truly excited for this new avenue in my cooking.

No plans to cut down on meat or dairy; in fact, I'd like to increase them both and get rid of as many starches as possible.

Eh. Nothing I didn't already know. We eat faaar too much meat in North America (we should roughly be eating it 3-4x/WEEK, as opposed to the 2-3x/DAY that most of us do). But I think the real key is to attempt to reduce or eliminate the processed foodstuffs... it's frightening to read food labels. (and I don't mean just reading the fat/calorie content... I mean actually reading the WHOLE thing).

On the more veggies note; yes, yes, yes. I'm not entirely sure why there's such a stigma attached to veganism; it's some of the damned tastiest food I've ever eaten. My very favourite lunch place near work is a vegan restaurant. Best. Falafel. Sandwiches. EVER. They weigh like a pound each and are crammed with so much goodness that I can hardly finish it, I'm so full (and FYI, I stay full for the rest of the day).

Obnoxious comment coming, but most of the meals you listed: PB&J, Black Bean burrito, etc... not vegan. Tortillas are made with lard and bread is often made with milk. They can be vegan, but aren't always.
I think its important to remember that while eating more vegetable oriented food, there is no need for most of us to go out of our way to eliminate all traces of animal products. It is amazing for those who have the patience and desire to do it, but I'd rather spend the extra energy chopping strawberries than finding lard free tortillas.

I've reduced my family's meat consumption by insisting that we only consume meat humanely produced on small local farms. I hope to increase the amount of yogurt I eat, and to eat more LOCAL and SEASONAL vegetables (such as carrots and Brussels sprouts). I'm grateful that I have the financial resources for this more expensive approach to eating.

without being philosophical about it, I have cut some meat out of the routine. I just moderate portions and slip in veggie soup and a cheese sandwich once in a while, or a salad, orhummus and tabouleh on pita, or rice and veggies. Not all the time and not with a vengeance, but it works.

Also have found that using decent meat for chili to give good flavor and adding more beans helps. Not purist, but damned good with cornbread.

Not dogmatism, just practical changes that are good for my system.

I am trying to buy as much organic meat as possible. Since it's so expensive, I buy less than I would otherwise.

Re: Forks Over Knives

The basic concept of that diet is contained in the book The China Study.

It's sloppy science -- exactly what I am talking about. When you give it a serious look (which Oprah and her cronies -- e.g., Dean Ornish don't do, and which Mark Bittman is not qualified to do), you'll find it based on dubious claims and "studies" which just don't stand up.

Instead, check a review from someone in a position to be able to evaluate the research claims made --

http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/index.php/385/

Here is what the research actually shows:

"Vegetarians form a non-homogenous group consisting of semivegetarians (plant food, dairy products, eggs and fish), lacto-ovo vegetarians (plant food, dairy products, eggs) and vegans (plant food only). According to pure vegetarian ideologists, people consuming vegetarian diet have better health and live longer than nonvegetarians, because persons consuming milk, dairy products, meat, eggs and fish are at health risk.In fact the most healthy people in Europe are inhabitants of Iceland, Switzerland and Scandinavia, consuming great amounts of food of animal origin. Meta-analysis of several prospective studies showed no significant differences in the mortality caused by colorectal, stomach, lung, prostate or breast cancers and stroke between vegetarians and “health-conscious” nonvegetarians. In vegetarians, a decrease of ischemic heart disease mortality was observed probably due to lower total serum cholesterol levels, lower prevalence of obesity and higher consumption of antioxidants. Very probably, an ample consumption of fruits and vegetables and not the exclusion of meat make vegetarians healthful."

Like I once said here (http://www.poormansfeast.com/archives/my-plant-based-diet-of-delusion.html), grass fed beef is not a vegetable. Being hip and trendy, and jumping on a bandwagon does not make one a vegan, or a vegetarian. Bittman is neither (and neither am I, for the record). He's also a little late to the party (see Pollan's "Eat more plants"). We're totally hung up on labels in this country: you're not a vegan unless you are. You're not a vegetarian if you eat a little meat every once in a while. Either do it, or get off the soapbox. I much prefer Bill McKibben's approach: he's a vegetarian, but if he's in someone's home and they serve him meat, he eats it out of respect for his hosts, and appreciation. To not do so would make him a disrespectful idiot. Bittman's claim that PB&J is vegan is ridiculous; in that case, so is popcorn. So are potato chips and pretzels and Funyans and Bugles.

I definitely eat too much cheese and wheat-based products, so that's one of my 2012 goals. I'm starting the year with a three-week cleanse to re-set my eating habits and get over my "bread addiction." I hope by the end, I'll not rely so much on carbs to make a meal--instead focusing on high-quality protein (meat, fish, beans) and veg.

i think the point of this article is to remind everyone to "eat your greens", just like your parents told you as a child. whether you are a vegan, vegetarian, or eat meat and drink milk with every meal, everyone could use an extra serving of veggies, right? right. end of story.

then, naturally, if you are filling up with more veggies, your bellies are too full for SO much meat. i mean, come on people, if you actually ate the celery that came with your bowling-ball-sized bucket of wings, you might not eat them all.

(for a little humor in the heated arguments)

http://twopeasteenypod.blogspot.com/

Most people have to go out of there way to buy proper tortillas made with lard. Most people are buying supermarket tortillas and they are not.

Dairy I don't worry about. Fish I would consume more if it is was easier to find ethical and top quality fish. I have to really struggle to serve it once a week at a minimum. Buying pastured meat helped us limit frequency and serving size because of the expense.

People get so fired up about eating less meat. And I really don't understand the emotional attachment some people have to it or why the thought of eating less of it is so controversial. I eat a lot of vegetables, ie a "mostly vegan diet," just because I like vegetables. Those who don't, well they just don't know what they're missing.

I don't "get fired up about eating less meat."

I "get fired up" about misinformation based on poor science.

When you link to the Bittman article, you will read his assumptions about healthy eating -- that it means less dairy, and less meat. That is not borne out by science. THAT's what I "get fired up about".

Some of the healthiest people eat A LOT of dairy and meat. Read the studies.

My eyes were opened just after moving to Switzerland, and hearing a top cardiologist speak about how he tells his patients to eat more cheese -- alpage cheese, which is naturally high in omega 3s.

I want to eat more vegetables because frankly, I really like vegetables, but sometimes it's just easier to make mac 'n' cheese from scratch than to make a vegetable-only meal.

I really like beans. I really like cooked whole grains. I really like fresh fruits and veggies. But I also LOVE dairy and like meat, particularly pork products when they flavor beans.

I think to eat more vegetables and eat less sugar is a better endeavor. And less food overall, since I'm a typical American who eats too fast and can't help myself when something is truly delicious. I'm trying to do all three.

JudyAU, I live in Texas. Our grocery stores have tortillerias making fresh warm tortillas to order in them. They all use lard, and smell amazing.
Your stores may be different, but here, no one buys the premade tortillas on the shelf because they are gross in comparison.

If anyone here actually follows Bittman's blog, they know he's more against processed food than he is against meat and dairy. He, like Pollan and many others, are in favor of eating "real food"-- the closer to its form in nature, the better.

And I completely agree with feasby05 that if you're filling up on more plant foods, that just by necessity leaves less room for meat, dairy, and processed foods.

I know that Bittman's doctor strongly recommended he go on a strict vegan diet for his health problems, which is not at all a fad that only the hippest, quackiest doctors are prescribing for their patients-- it's downright common, and a healthful, well-planned vegan diet can be good for a number of health concerns, particularly heart and artery problems. Meat eaters need to stop freaking out just because some people want to eat fewer, or no, animal products. Your lifestyle is not under attack-- but if you feel your health is not what it could be, maybe being "vegan until 6" isn't such a bad idea. Everyone's different.

My son had me join his science fair project a couple of years ago and we all became vegetarians for a month. We live in the Arctic and thought it would be really expensive - it was not, it was cheaper. We thought we wouldn't like it, but we loved it. I didn't try to lose weight or diet, but I lost almost 30 pounds in just one month! And... I found out that all the chicken I have been eating all these years while avoiding red meat, really doesn't agree with me that much. It was a great way to declog all of that over-processed and not terribly nutritious pre-prepared "fast food" out of our diets. We found we could get our entire meal cooked (from scratch) in less time than it takes to heat up the chicken kiev or whatever, and we all felt much better.

I now do a mostly vegetarian diet most of the time. BTW I have found that although my body doesn't love most store bought or processed meats, I can eat any wild meat, fish or bird out there without any negative consequence.

I also like Pollan - "real food", made with ingredients you know about has to be better. I'm too lazy to make anything really bad for you anyway!

A note on grass fed and antibiotic meats and local, organic produce. It CAN be heart-stoppingly expensive, but I am beginning to learn it doesn't have to be. When in season, some organic produce is actually cheaper at the farmers market than at the grocery store. But the big one - organic meat - has stumped me for a while. I got Secrets of the Best Chefs for Christmas and got re-inspired to go get organic meats for my kitchen. What I found were $20 chickens. That is just not in my budget! Then my mom told me about a local farm in Dripping Springs, Texas (I'm in Austin) that sells organic meat online. You place your order, and then go pick it up at a certain location on a certain date. She picks hers up in the parking lot at the Catholic church every other Sunday. It takes some planning, but the price is comparable to what the grocery store charges for conventionally raised meats. I'm going to budget and stock my freezer with my next check! I imagine there are farms like all over. And yes, of course, eat more veggies!