Please help with all VEGETARIAN stuff!! (new vegetarian)?!


Question: I am just starting being a vegetarian, as of about 2 hours ago, and I am 13 years old. Please let me know of
easy, quick veggie meals
what to avoid other than meat
how to get important nutrients
how to modify commen omnivore meals
foods that you like
AND ANYTHING ELSE THAT IS IMPORTANT!!


Thank you sooo much! I have already posted a lot of questions about this subject although I always forget to ask something, so here I am asking for EVERYTHING!
My mom said she would support me, although she doesn't know a lot about it so anything will help! Thanks again!


Answers: I am just starting being a vegetarian, as of about 2 hours ago, and I am 13 years old. Please let me know of
easy, quick veggie meals
what to avoid other than meat
how to get important nutrients
how to modify commen omnivore meals
foods that you like
AND ANYTHING ELSE THAT IS IMPORTANT!!


Thank you sooo much! I have already posted a lot of questions about this subject although I always forget to ask something, so here I am asking for EVERYTHING!
My mom said she would support me, although she doesn't know a lot about it so anything will help! Thanks again!

Okay =D

Foods that I really appreciate as a vegetarian (and all of these should be available in your local grocery store):

http://www.seeveggiesdifferently.com/hom... (all types of fake meat)
Mock duck (good in stir fries)

http://www.amyskitchen.com/ (all vegetarian)

I make a LOT of smoothies! Throw in a ton of frozen or fresh fruit, ice, fruit juice, and (optional) yogurt or ice cream. Then, I dump in protein powder. That and fake meat is how I get my protein, plus I eat a lot of peanut butter and beans & rice.

Beans and rice is a good source of protein, and I love it. I also mix in melted cheese, salsa/tomatoes.....any other veggies you want.

When your family is having burgers or something, make yourself a morning star black bean burger! I like it on the bun just fine, but I also eat it plain, dipping it in ketchup or in smooth taco sauce.

Or if they're having chicken, have a morning star chik patty! I also cut those up and put them on salads.

Foods to avoid:
Ramen (I think this is okay if you're not that extreme, it's got minuscule amounts of freeze dried powdered meat...)
Marshmallows
Jelly beans
Gummy bears

Let me know if you have any more specific questions! I'm always happy to help in any way I can.

tofu helps alot! but that's about all i know. also try getting some pills for protein or calcium or whatever. you can try asking a doctor, too! :) good luck!

protein eat lots of soy products um anytihng with peanuts and itr also depends on wat kind of vegetarian if u do eat fish try atlantic salmon and taliapia and mowi mowi if you need recipes you can email for the full recipes at ambie1994@yahoo.com im 13 too and my step mom is vegetarian and i make a lot of the recipes up and she loves them

Eat your raw soy, nuts, and seeds, those are very important.

Try eating lots of mixed veggies too, mixed is always best as you get a good variety.

Snacking on different fruits does not hurt when hungry. Apples are great but try to buy organic when you buy fruits.

well I am fourteen and have just become a vegetarian about a month and a half ago. Some really good recipes would be adding spinach to pasta dishes, like lasagna, and removing the meat. It is really good. Another thing that I love is bean soup with vegetable broth, this alos gives you alot of protien. I also take protien pills everyday to add to my protien intake being as I miss out on alot of it. I'm glad you've decided to not eat meat, it really is a great thing. It may seem hard, especially if your parents don't accept your decision. I almost starved for about 2 weeks bc my mom would put chicken broth in everything I would go to eat.; I finally started cooking for myself.
One thing to avoid is any thing with Geletin. They boil cow and pig hooves, and organs into it. Not to appatising now that ya know that now is it? haha
for anything else you may want to know
here is the website I used when I first stopped eating meat

http://www.happycow.net

this website was extremly useful
and I hope you stick to not eating meat
=]

vegiterian doesn't just mean you eat vegitables you could eat rice or pasta spaghetti no meat salad, fruits, bread, junk food, cake anything just no meat
so yeah
i just became a vegitarian 2 weeks ago

Vegetarian Times has a lot of good info on their website, and you can email them and ask. They have articles from time to time for new vegetarians and under-age vegetarians, and how to work it out with your parents.
Also, check out www.rawfamily.com - Victoria has done a lot of research in bringing up her children not only vegetarian, but raw vegan. She and her family glow with health, so they certainly do not miss eating cooked food or eating meat.

From experience - cheese and dairy are very tempting for a vegetarian because of the high fat content which makes up for eating meat. They are not very good for you but most new vegetarians lean heavily on dairy to help with the transition. Try the green or fruit smoothies which you will find on Victoria's website - just do NOT eat anything at least an hour beforehand - fruit and greens need an empty stomach to be digested properly, otherwise you'll get gas - do NOT mix with dairy (like yoghurt) as that also interferes with the digestion. Start investigating stir fry vegetables and fruit salads. You can make really yummie green tacos - take a big lettuce leaf, and fill it with chopped vegetables, maybe with a bit of mashed avocado - fold it up and eat like a taco.

Look for Indian vegetarian recipes, a lot of them are really good for you (like one called kitcheree or kitchari or kitchadi - all the same thing).

As a vegetarian you will actually learn how to prepare food with more imagination than if you eat meat. And have more fun with it.

A good quick soup can be made with miso which you can find in a health food store or in a Japanese store.

In a restaurant, like e.g. a steakhouse, order side dishes - mushrooms, spinach, potatoes - they taste great and you can eat enough for a nice meal.

When eating out always ask if something was made with animal ingredients - I found out that Panda Express cooks their veggies in chicken broth! Also in a Mexican restaurant, ask if they prepare their beans with lard.

A lot of times when you eat out you can ask, if there is nothing on the menu for you, if they can adapt a dish to your needs. I have had excellent food in hamburger restaurants just by asking. [A lot of chefs get tired of cooking meat day in, day out - they love getting creative with veggies!]

If you eat enough fruit and greens in your diet you don't have to worry much about deficiencies, the only supplement that you should take (find a good one!) is Vitamin B12.

An easy high calory snack is peanut butter or almond butter - but make them yourself in the blender. Same with creamed or cooked spinach - make these from scratch. Both of these can have some amount of insects or worms in them if you buy them ready made (like frozen creamed spinach or peanut butter) as it can't be all picked out during harvesting when these items are being mass produced.

Good luck!

you might want to get a protein powder to just stick in your drinks so that you get enough protein without meat! [= hope that helps.

Avoid gelatin (present in marshmallows, some ice creams, gummy candies, pills, and a lot more) and rennet (a bi-product of veal, it's present in a lot of fancy cheeses).
You need to focus on dairy and complementary proteins (beans + grain). Good ways to get this are hummus and pita bread, beans and rice, tofu dishes, bean&barley soups, et cetera.
Make sure you get enough iron (present in dark leafy greens), and if you can't take iron tablets, but make sure that the iron is derived from a plant source as opposed to meat.

What is important in a vegetarian diet:
whole grains & cereals (corn, rice, oat, wheat, rye)
legumes,lentils, soybeans
Nuts, seeds (sesame, pumpkin, flaxseed, sunflower)
all kinds of vegetables and fruits...
Soybeans are a great source of protein and iron only that this type of iron isn't easily absorbed by our organism like the iron in meats, so it's important to drink juice of a citric fruit during meals because Vitamin C helps your body absorb non heme iron.

things to avoid other than meat: gelatin, lard, rennet (slaughter byproducts)

If u can't remeber everything, just remeber this:

At EVERY meal, eat protein, carbs, and veggies.

(i eat a fist of brown rice- my mom loves brown rice plus its healthier- with unlimited veggies -well until i'm full and a deck of cards size/ or palm of hand size protein- usually nuts,chickpeas, beans) MAKE SURE YOU GET THIS!! I just turned 17 and was vegetarian for 2 years. But lacked protein and stopped menstruating bc i was nutrient deficient. Know i know why i feel weak- i'm missing one of my 3 foods (mostly its protein)

plus, i eat a teaspoon of oil at every meal. I just FEEL healthier eating this plus no weight gain. I feel SO SATISFIED surprisingly. its flaxseed oil and i love drizzling it on my salad/ or yogurt snacks. Oh yea get barleans and don't forget to shake the bottle =)

I'll tell you what I tell all my friends who are considering joining me on the veggie side: If you're not sure about meeting your nutritional needs, consider a visit to a nutritionist. Chances are your parents' insurance will cover it.

That said, the best thing to do to meet your nutritional needs is to eat a colorful meal.

I love wraps because I can take them to work with me. I fill them with hummus, tomatoes, shredded lettuce and cucumbers. Also really good is avocado mashed with a bit of peanut butter and soy sauce, diced tempeh, lettuce, red onion and peppers.

Stir fries are also quick and easy. Use sesame oil and some fresh ginger and tamari sauce for a great flavor and throw in whatever veggies you have on hand. Add some beans, tempeh or tofu and serve it over brown rice for a really healthy meal. With this you can cook extra for tomorrow's lunch or dinner and it's really convenient.

Good luck.

Hi! First off, congratulations on your lifestyle choice. I'm 18 and I've been vegetarian for 8 years now, and wouldn't change a thing. The diet is surprisingly easy to maintain as long as you're willing to try new and yummy things.

First off, you can find a whole lot of canned and fresh soy vegetarian 'meats' in your local supermarket. Sanitarium produce a whole range of fake meat for vegetarians called Veggie Delights (a green packaging) - including Tender Pieces (strips of 'beef', great for stirfrys), Savoury Lentils (millions of uses, my fave is stuffed inside a baked potato and topped with melted cheese), soya Sausages of all flavours (use exactly like normal sausages), soy bacon, soy chicken, Country Hotpot (like mince with bits of carrot and peas in it) and my new favourite Bolognaise Mince (YUMMY! to the max... for on top of pasta like spaghetti bolognaise). Really, the list is endless and there are lots more you will find that I haven't mentioned. The canned ones can be found usually within the health food and the fresh is usually with the tofu and so on, near the cheeses. All the Sanitarium options can be used in replacement of meat in any recipe that calls for a similar meat - so you can have basically the same thing as the rest of your family does but with soy products!

Seriously, I love that stuff.

Then there is the world of tofu. A little intimidating at first, but have a look around for a good tofu cook book and some recipes on the net. It comes in many varieties - silky, hard, marinated etc. - and you will need the right kind depending on your usage. Tofu can be used to create brilliant vegetarian cheesecakes and deserts, as well as be marinated and used in stirfries. The only issue with tofu is that it usually takes more preparation than already prepared vegetarian options. Try the links below for some vege recipes and tofu recipes. The first link has millions and millions of recipes that I would DEFINITELY recommend.

Try, also by sanitarium, a product called Textured Vegetable Protein (or TVP). By adding flavours, spices and sachets to this, you can create a BRILLIANT mince alternative... it is very tasty if you add things to it... but I wouldn't recommend it on it's own!

Other than meat, I avoid gelatine (found in jelly and jelly-like foods/lollies) as it's made from animal products. Aeroplane Jelly Quick Set contains no gelatine so you can get your jelly fix there. Also, there are many jelly-lollies that don't contain gelatine, just check the ingredients list. There is a substitute for gelatine made from seaweed extract called Agar Agar, which you can use in all recipes as a replacement for gelatine.

Avoid McDonalds - their salad and (despite controversy) icecream is okay, but their fries are flavoured with a beef product.

Cochineal, carmine, or carminic acid is a kind of red dye - not the most common, but can be found occasionally. It is made from the cochineal beetle and so should be avoided.

Lanolin - a type of oil, sometimes in beauty products - comes from sheep.

You need to properly supplement your diet in order to get a healthy supply of B12 and iron, usually found in red meat. This can easily be done by eating nuts, legumes (beans and lentils, chickpeas etc.) and taking a B12 supplement - available over the counter cheaply from your chemist. The highest known B12 source is also found in spinach, believe it or not. I would definitely recommend a quick visit to your doctor to talk about what they would recommend for a vitamin supplement to support you.

You will encounter some prejudice, but I believe the best philosophy is not to argue - just live and let live. Explain your reasoning and accept that others may not be as compassionate as you are. See this website for VERY common comments made by omnivores to vegetarians: http://users.erols.com/epastore/veg/

Don't listen to anyone who says you can't grow properly on a vegetarian diet! THIS IS NOT TRUE! As long as you carefully monitor your health and supplement correctly, you will be just as healthy (probably more so) than a teenager with a meat diet.

I really hope I've helped you out a little. Feel free to contact me for more information.

Do your research. The internet is a big place. There's all kinds of information out there.

http://www.goveg.com

http://www.fatfreevegan.com
http://www.vegetarianlunchbox.com
http://www.veganlunchbox.com
http://www.peta.org/accidentallyvegan
http://www.theppk.com

First, decide what you're okay with eating and doing and what you're not okay with, then label accordingly (IF there is an appropriate one.)

Vegetarian is a blanket term. It covers the 5 levels.
NO vegetarians eat meat. Fish and chicken are meat. Anyone who eats ANY meat, however picky they are, is an omnivore, not a vegetarian.

Lacto vegetarians - milk, no eggs.

Ovo vegetarians - eggs, no milk.

Lacto-ovo vegetarians - eggs and milk

Strict vegetarians - strictly plant based diet. Some call it a vegan DIET (which is NOT the same as being vegan) No animal products. No dairy, no eggs, no honey, nothing animal-derived.

Vegans - plant-based diet (as above). Vegan implies moral concern for animals and extends to lifestyles as well. We avoid animal products in our consumables such as shampoo, make up, cleaning products, and so on. No leather, wool, suede, silk, and so on, and we avoid animal testing, circuses, traditional zoos & aquariums, horse/dog racing, bullfighting, etc.

Vegiterianism is retarded. Eat meat like a human being is suposed to. Why do you think people get skinny and sickly when they don't eat meat. many animals do and it's going against nature if you don't.





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