Could you live without bacon in the morning, a slice of ham at lunch, and sausages for dinner? Apparently more and more people are, as vegetarianism is on the rise in Bermuda.

Recently the Vegetarian Society of Bermuda held a Meat Out Day for people to test the waters by skipping meat for 24 hours.

It was a day celebrated around the world, and was aimed not at vegetarians, but at meateaters and last year as many as 40 Bermudians signed pledge sheets to take part.

And according to Vegetarian Society of Bermuda member Pamela Greyson: "Interest in vegetarianism is on the rise in Bermuda. We have definitely seen an increase in membership in the Vegetarian Society of Bermuda.

"New members are people who are already vegetarians and also people who are interested in cutting back on their meat consumption."

She partly credited health programmes on the Island, such as the Argus Challenge, that encourage people to get fit and be conscious of what they eat.

"I think people are becoming more conscious and aware of the benefits of vegetarianism," she said. "Argus has the challenge. Some people look to us as a resource for that."

People are also kicking the meat habit for environmental reasons and because of concern for the welfare and treatment of farm animals.

The Vegetarian Society of Bermuda not only provides information about living without meat, but also fields questions from vegetarians visiting the Island.

"They want to know where they can stay and what their options are," said Nicole Stovell, another member of the society. "They want to know things like where they can eat, and where can they stay that will cater to their needs."

Ms Stovell said this year local vegetarians were pleased that another vegetarian restaurant had opened up on Front Street, Juice & Beans Café.

"It is an extremely vegetarian café," she said. "It is run by one of our members, Angela Bean."

She said there were a number of other restaurants in Bermuda with vegetarian options on the menu, some more extensive than others.

If you fancy trying to be meat free for a day, here's a meal plan to try:

Breakfast: Have cereal or eggs. Pancakes, French toast or bagels are also breakfast options. If you are going vegan (completely without meat or animal byproducts) for the day, try scrambled tofu. Don't forget the fresh fruit!

Lunch: Try a meatless soup or salad. Some restaurants include a buffet bar with tofu and bean options. Have some raw vegetables with hummus as a snack.

Dinner: Try a meatless pasta dish with vegetables. Anything with beans will add bulk to your meal. If you go out for dinner, try an Indian restaurant as they often have extensive vegetarian options on the menu.

As a snack for the kids, try offering vegetable sticks with fun dips and cutting up sticks of cheese.

For more information contact vsbda1@yahoo.com or go to the website www.meatout.org

FACT FILE: Environmental benefits of vegetarianism according to the Vegan Society of East Sussex, United Kingdom.

¦ Vegetarianism and veganism frees up farm land to be used in more sustainable ways such as to grow timber or fruit trees.

¦ Vegetarianism, frees up water. Farm animals are a heavy consumer of water. A day's food for a meat-eater requires over 15,000 litres compared with 5,000 for a vegetarian and 1,150 for a vegan.

¦ It decreases air pollution. Ammonia from farm waste contributes to atmospheric pollution.

¦ It improves the world food supply. Nearly one billion people are undernourished or starving in the world despite the fact that the world produces enough food to feed twice its population. One third of grain grown is used to feed farm animals.