Vegetarian and vegan diets have gained mainstream acceptance in recent years. While the percentage of the population that strictly follows such diets is small, a growing number of Americans are reducing the amount of meat in their diet to improve their health.
The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans didn't explicitly discourage meat consumption, but they did emphasize the importance of eating more fruits and vegetables while reducing overall caloric intake — easily accomplished by eating smaller portions of meat or cutting meat out of a few meals a week while adding servings of fruits and vegetables.
Even restaurants are figuring out that a plate of vegetable side dishes won't cut it any more. In Pittsburgh, restaurants such as Salt of the Earth in Garfield, Spoon in East Liberty, Avenue B in Shadyside and Kaya in the Strip District offer fantastic options for vegetarian diners.
