The Obesity Epidemic- An Alternative Take on Why Americans Can't Eat Healthier

An argument that I have seen made time and again when it comes to eating a more sustainable and healthier diet in America is that Americans cannot give up their meat. This is always backed up by the statistic that only 2-3% of Americans are vegetarian and the numbers have remained steady over decades. To someone who grew up on an Indian vegetarian diet and who loves food, this statistic is not surprising. I mean, just take a long hard look at American mainstream cuisine. It is geared for meat eaters and meat eaters alone. Extra validation for this carnivorous tendency is provided by cheap (albeit often poor quality) and easy availability of meat sources, as well as the human body's inability to reject unhealthy choices. When all someone knows growing up is bacon, burgers, meatloaf and steaks, it is hard to expect that individual, as an adult, to suddenly develop a love of lettuce and whole grains.
But what these "pro organic food" articles never ever suggest as a solution is to not just encourage people to eat less meat, but to teach them an entire new way to make and serve food for their families. You cannot take away certain food staples without coming up with equally appealing and convenient finished dishes with alternative (aka healthier and sustainable) food ingredients! Your taste buds will only allow you to eat "vegan" food only so long before they resort back to the comfort zone of "fried chicken."
The reason certain cultures in the world have vegetarians as the majority in their population or other cultures where meat is only eaten for special occasions is not simply scarcity or lack of resources. It is because these cultures, have over centuries, developed intricate, complex and versatile cuisines that use ingredients such as lentils, soy, rice, wheat, vegetables and dairy, just to name a few, as the key components with generous use of natural spices and condiments. It is not hard to be a vegetarian when you can come up with a thousand different permutations for a vegetarian dish on an everyday basis, and not even mention the word salad! If you want the cattle factories to go away, take away the demand for their products and replace it with more wholesome and tasty choices.
The food revolution in this country should not simply include food elitists or environmental activists, but also creative food innovators who can make these ancient vegetable and grain based cuisines more accessible to an American audience. Teach the next generation a new way to eat, not just preach about what not to eat.