Basics
Where do I start if I am cutting down on meat?
Short answer
Swap one meal a day to legumes or tofu, learn three sauces, read one new ingredient a week. You do not have to “become vegan” on day one. B12 matters once dairy and meat are gone for good.
NHS and the BDA describe plant eating as a spectrum, not an exam. Cutting processed meat has a separate health case (IARC/WHO on red and processed meat).
Practically: for a week, cook three dinners you already like in a pulse version — spaghetti with lentils, bean chilli, chickpea curry. Put fortified plant milk in coffee. Once dairy and meat are gone for good, add B12 (supplement or fortified food). This is a practical path, not a purity ranking.