What's the healthiest way to be a vegetarian?

I became a vegetarian to the shock and horror of my family at age 13. Didn’t know why I did it at the time. I didn’t feel bad for animals, I believed in animal control and that they are here for us to eat.

It didn’t do much for me because all I did was eat a lot of pb and J and cheese sandwiches. I didn’t replace proteins or anything like that–just stopped eating meat and replaced it with super high carbohydrate (the bad kind) foods. I didn’t introduce new veggies in my diet, I didn’t know how. Since my family was as confused as I was about how to feed me, I had to make do with whatever normal staples were in the house. So definitely read up and learn how to cook. That will serve you best.

Once you know firmly what your reasoning is, tell your mom about your decisions and that you are firm within it. But most importantly, be super aware of your reasons behind it, so that you can explain yourself efficiently. Personally, I used the whole, “I don’t want to be mean to animals” thing as an easy excuse. Looking back that was a mistake to do. The reason I became a veggie was because I just wanted to make a change in my life, to prove to myself that I could control aspects of my life and diet was the easiest place to prove that. Instead I got wrangled into argument after argument of my “animal beliefs’ was told how silly I was, etc. All I should have said is that I didn’t have a desire to eat meat and wanted to explore other foods.

So by using the anti cruelty to animals card in your reasoning behind this decision, be prepared for all sorts of rain on your parade. I stayed a vegetarian until the age of 18. I always knew I’d go back to meat eating, but I wanted to in my own time. it got to a point where I completely kept my way of eating to myself because I grew bored with the conversations and people trying to suck me into debate about my “beliefs”. Lots of people become vegetarian for attention. This whole, “I’m different and you will respect my beliefs by God!” I have a friend like that now. She makes it a point to raise awareness at potlucks, buffets, school functions with her daughter that “not everyone eats meat and we should ALL be accomodated!”. It’s annoying. So don’t turn into one of those. I don’t see Kosher Jews going around insisting that everyone’s potluck accomodate them. Bring what you like to eat, leave it at that. No one wants your anti-carnivore talk given to them anymore than you want to hear their pro-carnivore talk.

Oh, and Indian food. Indian food cuisine is some of the best vegetarian dishes you will ever find in the world. Tons of them, too. I wish I’d known about it when I was a veggie. So start experienting!

Good luck!