How can I get my parents to take my decision to be a vegatarian seriously?!
I cant eat meat!. I just physically cant do it anymore!.
Ive kind of just been avoiding any situation where ill have to eat it!.!. & my parents wont support my decision to be a vegetarian!.
Its something I really care about, but they just think im being stupid or its just a phase!. And my mom "doesn't want to have to cook two dinners"
im seventeen!. living at home!.
any advise!?Www@FoodAQ@Com
Ive kind of just been avoiding any situation where ill have to eat it!.!. & my parents wont support my decision to be a vegetarian!.
Its something I really care about, but they just think im being stupid or its just a phase!. And my mom "doesn't want to have to cook two dinners"
im seventeen!. living at home!.
any advise!?Www@FoodAQ@Com
Answers:
woah cool!.!. im also 17, my name's terra, im living at home, and i was in the exact same situation 3 months ago when i decided to go vegan!.
the key is to stick to it!. if you back away at all and think!.!. well i'll just wait until i move out, then you wont be taken seriously!.
your parents cant force you to eat meat, they cant make you change your mind!.
you just have to explain to them as many times as you need to that these are your moral values and its a life changing decision that you cant back away from!.
offer to help make dinner with your mom and show her how easy it is to accomidate you!.
for example, if the family is having beef burritos with corn and rice on the side, all she would have to do is let you put beans in your burrito instead of beef!. and something that i do, is cook up a bunch of stew (really easy) with beans, tomatoes, corn, cucumber, celery, onion, vegetable stock, collard greens, rice!.!.!. what ever i can find, and i put it in tupperwear containers in the fridge for nights when the family is having something like lasagna!.
or maybe you could work out a schedule where you could cook dinner a couple nights a week!.
it also helps if you go grocery shopping with your mom(or who ever does the shopping) and help pick out things that the family would like that you would want as well!.!. like soups, frozen stirfry, boxes of those seasoned rice side dishes, ect!. and teach your parent about what to look for when picking out food while youre at it!.
something else thats helped me in convincing my parents (and in going vegan in general) is to do plenty of research and know what im talking about so i can respond to questions and concerns like where im going to get my nutrients, what foods im going to eat, why its a good idea ect!. even when youre faced with a really stupid question, its good to have some facts and information to back you up!.
heres a great "starter kit" that gives some good ideas for food and information on nutrition if you ever need either
http://www!.vegetariantimes!.com/2007/pdf/!.!.!.
goveg!.com is also a great resource!.
good luckWww@FoodAQ@Com
the key is to stick to it!. if you back away at all and think!.!. well i'll just wait until i move out, then you wont be taken seriously!.
your parents cant force you to eat meat, they cant make you change your mind!.
you just have to explain to them as many times as you need to that these are your moral values and its a life changing decision that you cant back away from!.
offer to help make dinner with your mom and show her how easy it is to accomidate you!.
for example, if the family is having beef burritos with corn and rice on the side, all she would have to do is let you put beans in your burrito instead of beef!. and something that i do, is cook up a bunch of stew (really easy) with beans, tomatoes, corn, cucumber, celery, onion, vegetable stock, collard greens, rice!.!.!. what ever i can find, and i put it in tupperwear containers in the fridge for nights when the family is having something like lasagna!.
or maybe you could work out a schedule where you could cook dinner a couple nights a week!.
it also helps if you go grocery shopping with your mom(or who ever does the shopping) and help pick out things that the family would like that you would want as well!.!. like soups, frozen stirfry, boxes of those seasoned rice side dishes, ect!. and teach your parent about what to look for when picking out food while youre at it!.
something else thats helped me in convincing my parents (and in going vegan in general) is to do plenty of research and know what im talking about so i can respond to questions and concerns like where im going to get my nutrients, what foods im going to eat, why its a good idea ect!. even when youre faced with a really stupid question, its good to have some facts and information to back you up!.
heres a great "starter kit" that gives some good ideas for food and information on nutrition if you ever need either
http://www!.vegetariantimes!.com/2007/pdf/!.!.!.
goveg!.com is also a great resource!.
good luckWww@FoodAQ@Com
Your a certainly old enough to take responsibility for your choice!. You mom shouldn't have to cook for you, as you are perfectly capable of doing that yourself!. If you take the responsibilities for your decision, then you are showing your parents that you are not going through a phase, and it won't matter if they think you are serious or not(since you are taking care of your own cooking and shopping)!.
Besides cooking for yourself, you can also pay for your own groceries, or at least go with your mom/dad shopping to get some of the fruits, vegetable, etc, that you may need to cook your dinner!.
Your parents do not have to agree with your decision as long as you are taking full responsibility for it!. They may not agree with your choice, but since you are shopping, buying, and cooking they do not have to!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
Besides cooking for yourself, you can also pay for your own groceries, or at least go with your mom/dad shopping to get some of the fruits, vegetable, etc, that you may need to cook your dinner!.
Your parents do not have to agree with your decision as long as you are taking full responsibility for it!. They may not agree with your choice, but since you are shopping, buying, and cooking they do not have to!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
*Funny that kids seem to think parents owe them support in everything they do*
Anyway, your options are straightforward: Move out and get a job and buy your own food especially since you find the household your parents try to provide for you so intolerable,
If that is not an option, then act more maturely at home!. Convince them that you are someone to be taken seriously!. Assuming that you don;t have an eating disorder and want to be a vegetarian to hide that fact, sit them down, tell them why you don';t want to eat meat anymore!. Explain why it would not be detrimental to your health if you become a vegetarian etc etc!. You know the facts or at least I hope you do!.
Look at it from their point fo view!. they probably say it's just a phase because they recognize a lot of things that are similar to the countless phases you've gone through and they have had to endure!. Prove them wrong!. One thing to do is cook a dish or two that is vegetarian but everyone can enjoy!. It is easier toconvincee someone if they see the good in what you want to do instead of hearing themselves being referred to as "unsupportive meat eating parents"Www@FoodAQ@Com
Anyway, your options are straightforward: Move out and get a job and buy your own food especially since you find the household your parents try to provide for you so intolerable,
If that is not an option, then act more maturely at home!. Convince them that you are someone to be taken seriously!. Assuming that you don;t have an eating disorder and want to be a vegetarian to hide that fact, sit them down, tell them why you don';t want to eat meat anymore!. Explain why it would not be detrimental to your health if you become a vegetarian etc etc!. You know the facts or at least I hope you do!.
Look at it from their point fo view!. they probably say it's just a phase because they recognize a lot of things that are similar to the countless phases you've gone through and they have had to endure!. Prove them wrong!. One thing to do is cook a dish or two that is vegetarian but everyone can enjoy!. It is easier toconvincee someone if they see the good in what you want to do instead of hearing themselves being referred to as "unsupportive meat eating parents"Www@FoodAQ@Com
I have to agree with what is said!. It is unfair that your mon should have to cook two dinners!. But you could compromise with her!. Eat the parts of the dinner that are vegetarian and don't eat the meat!. Cook your own alternative!.
Help your mom out with the cooking, a great way to chat about your new eating habits!. Talk about nutrition and let her know that you are informed and conscious of eating healthy!.
Show that you are responsible to make your own decisions about food by offering to cook for the whole family once a week!. Experiment with cooking and introduce them to new flavours and foods!.
Respect that your parents have only your interests at heart!. That mom works hard at feeding the family and cooking an extra meal will be a huge workload for her!. They are the one's that cloth and feed you, so be grateful!.
Otherwise, you will need to wait until you leave home and provide a vegetarian lifestyle for yourself!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
Help your mom out with the cooking, a great way to chat about your new eating habits!. Talk about nutrition and let her know that you are informed and conscious of eating healthy!.
Show that you are responsible to make your own decisions about food by offering to cook for the whole family once a week!. Experiment with cooking and introduce them to new flavours and foods!.
Respect that your parents have only your interests at heart!. That mom works hard at feeding the family and cooking an extra meal will be a huge workload for her!. They are the one's that cloth and feed you, so be grateful!.
Otherwise, you will need to wait until you leave home and provide a vegetarian lifestyle for yourself!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
At seventeen you should be cooking youGet the Vegetarian Starter Kit from -
Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine
http://www!.pcrm!.org/health/veginfo/vsk/
Vegetarian Nutrition for Teenagers
http://www!.vrg!.org/nutrition/teennutriti!.!.!.
Vegetarian Teen - online Magazine
http://www!.vegetarianteen!.com/
Get yourself a vegetarian cookbook!. There are a few written just for teens like:
The Teen's Vegetarian Cookbook - Judy Krizmanic
A Teen's Guide to Going Vegetarian - Judy Krizmanic
Student's Vegetarian Cookbook - Carole Raymond
Vegetables Rock!: A Complete Guide for Teenage Vegetarians - Stephanie Pierson
The Starving Students' Vegetarian Cookbook - Dede Hall
The Vegetarian Kids' Cookbook - Roz Denny
Better Than Peanut Butter & Jelly - Marty Mattare & Wendy Muldawer
r own meals!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine
http://www!.pcrm!.org/health/veginfo/vsk/
Vegetarian Nutrition for Teenagers
http://www!.vrg!.org/nutrition/teennutriti!.!.!.
Vegetarian Teen - online Magazine
http://www!.vegetarianteen!.com/
Get yourself a vegetarian cookbook!. There are a few written just for teens like:
The Teen's Vegetarian Cookbook - Judy Krizmanic
A Teen's Guide to Going Vegetarian - Judy Krizmanic
Student's Vegetarian Cookbook - Carole Raymond
Vegetables Rock!: A Complete Guide for Teenage Vegetarians - Stephanie Pierson
The Starving Students' Vegetarian Cookbook - Dede Hall
The Vegetarian Kids' Cookbook - Roz Denny
Better Than Peanut Butter & Jelly - Marty Mattare & Wendy Muldawer
r own meals!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
Just learn to cook on your own, it's not that hard!. Eating vegan is much easier and cheaper, Once you've learned a few basics, you should be able to make a gradual transition!. In any case, you can always switch back if you feel like wasting ur money away and can handle the bloated and coucious feeling everyday!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
it shouldn't be a problem since they should be serving vegetables and fruits anyways in the first place!.
i'm finding many parents are bad at parenting!.!. and i hear them making excuses and remarks like:
i'm not cooking two meals!. huh!? so you guys cook meals with no vegetable and fruit elements so there's no nutrition in your household!?
vegetables are unhealthy!. WHAT!? when did that happen!?
your decision is wrong, you will get sick!. OH!? so eating fresh fruits and veggies is going to kill me!?
the list goes on!.!.!. it's stupidity in action!.
so!.!.!.!.!. what happened to the diet of the family regiment!?
it died!.!.!.!. that's why everyone is getting big as a house!.
fruits and veggies have been phased out!.!. and now we're all suffering for it!.!.!.
folks must get an education!.!. but i see that's way too much trouble!.
at least!.!. in my house we are eating right!.!.!.!. i fix meals that are very very well acclaimated!.
well balanced and those who eat meat in my house!.!. also get tons of fresh fruits and veggies and the meat is fresh from the butcher or as fresh and unprocessed as possible!.
ignorance is bliss!.
and why does mom have to cook two dinners!?
doesn't she have fruits and veggies on the table to go along with the meals!?
and when did it happen that meals don't have fruits and veggies!?
don't folks recall that the meat part is suppose to be the smallest part of the meal!?
wow, just keep thanking mom for your future obesity and chronic diseases like hypertension!.
she'll be annoyed but i'd do it!.!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
i'm finding many parents are bad at parenting!.!. and i hear them making excuses and remarks like:
i'm not cooking two meals!. huh!? so you guys cook meals with no vegetable and fruit elements so there's no nutrition in your household!?
vegetables are unhealthy!. WHAT!? when did that happen!?
your decision is wrong, you will get sick!. OH!? so eating fresh fruits and veggies is going to kill me!?
the list goes on!.!.!. it's stupidity in action!.
so!.!.!.!.!. what happened to the diet of the family regiment!?
it died!.!.!.!. that's why everyone is getting big as a house!.
fruits and veggies have been phased out!.!. and now we're all suffering for it!.!.!.
folks must get an education!.!. but i see that's way too much trouble!.
at least!.!. in my house we are eating right!.!.!.!. i fix meals that are very very well acclaimated!.
well balanced and those who eat meat in my house!.!. also get tons of fresh fruits and veggies and the meat is fresh from the butcher or as fresh and unprocessed as possible!.
ignorance is bliss!.
and why does mom have to cook two dinners!?
doesn't she have fruits and veggies on the table to go along with the meals!?
and when did it happen that meals don't have fruits and veggies!?
don't folks recall that the meat part is suppose to be the smallest part of the meal!?
wow, just keep thanking mom for your future obesity and chronic diseases like hypertension!.
she'll be annoyed but i'd do it!.!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
vegan, 34 years!.!. OMG i'm evil!Www@FoodAQ@Com