How would I *start* to become a vegtarian?

Thanks. Uhm, How would I ask my mom about this, as I’m only 13, come home for dinner ect. I’ve found a good website that will help me choose vegtarian foods, even burgers, hotdogs ect.

well id go about it like this. “ heymom I’ve found some new foods to try in ( insert food ) I’ve heard they are healthy and they dont cost much more than the food we already buy.

say that you want to go on a ‘health kick’ and explain that you dont want to have to pay for the way you treat your body later in your life. tell her you want to change for the better.

If you get low in iron, even though you still eat meat, then you are going to have to eat a lot of spinach and veges like that. It doesn’t matter what you like and dislike- sometimes you just have to eat it because you need the nutrients. Foods like falafel and hummus are good, they taste nice (come in different flavors), and aren’t too expensive or hard to cook with. You’ll have to watch your weight, if you loose too much weight fast it could be an indication that your body isn’t getting the right nutrients it needs and you should see a doctor. You have to be careful when cutting out meat. You should research some supplements, but don’t take too many. I wrote a How To a while ago for parents with vege children, it may help you a bit just to see some different meals, easy dinner ideas etc: http://www.funadvice.com/howto/teenage_vegetarian_enoughnutrients

I didn’t become a vegetarian until college so I didn’t have to worry about my parent’s resistance.

Before becoming a vegetarian I was very much a meat and potatoes kind of guy. I didn’t like salad and I only liked a few vegetables. I have to admit that I pretty much lived on boxed macaroni & cheese dinners and raman noodles at first but this was largely dictated by my budget. Over time I learned to like a lot of new foods and ironically by limiting myself to eating plants I enjoy a much wider variety of foods than I ever did as a meat eater.

Healthy vegetarian diets are based on whole grains, vegetables, and fruit. Highly processed vegetarian “meats” are ok for a treat and to have something to throw on the grill when cooking out but a lot of new vegetarians almost live on these products which isn’t the best choice.

As far as dietetic advice goes I like to follow Dr McDougall. He writes books and runs retreats but also has enough information on his web sites, newsletters etc. to do his diet without spending any money. I think he does go a little too far on the low-fat kick though.

Vegetarians actually have to eat more iron than meat eaters because the iron in vegetables is non-heme iron which is harder to absorb. Luckily many vegetarian foods are rich in iron including soy, lentils, most beans and most greens. Vegetarians tend to have slightly lower levels of iron but anemia is no more common in vegetarians than meat eaters.

A lot of parents will freak when you tell them you want to become a vegetarian. Teens with eating disorders sometimes use vegetarianism as an excuse not to eat.

As far as starting out your best bet is to start finding vegetarian foods you like. When you have a repertoire of foods and recipes the transition will be easy. If you go vegetarian and can’t find anything you like to eat you won’t last long.

I don’t really agree with the supplement thing. Humans are omnivores but physiologically we are much closer to herbivores than carnivores. Humans have eaten mostly plants over most of their evolutionary history. It is heavy meat eaters who should worry more about getting all their nutrients. I used to take a multivitamin -mineral supplement as a precaution because I reasoned that being busy and eating out too much I wasn’t eating as healthy as I should. Now I think in terms of eating healthier rather than supplementing; when you think a pill will fill your dietary gaps it is easier to eat crap. No pill can make up for a poor diet.

Thanks so much for sharing your story. Uhm, My aunt is making a pasta dish for supper, it has ground beef in it, and I’m not completly made on my dision to go veg… The thought of eating meat both grosses me out, and makes my mouth water. Can I eat around the meat carefully, without her noticing?

Thanks so much for sharing your story. Uhm, My aunt is making a pasta dish for supper, it has ground beef in it, and I’m not completly made on my dision to go veg… The thought of eating meat both grosses me out, and makes my mouth water. Can I eat around the meat carefully, without her noticing?