My son has decided to become a vegetarian?!
My son has decided to become a vegetarian?
I was hoping for some info about vegetarianism. My 8 year son has decided he wants to be a vegetarian (he still eats fish, dairy, eggs). I thought this might just be a passing phase, but it's been 2 weeks now. I want to encourage him. Although no one else in the family is a vegetarian, we do eat pretty healthy - no fast food, no fried foods, etc. And Noah never was much of a meat eater anyway. My concern is how to get enough protein into his diet. What types of food can you recommend he eat? And does anyone have any good vegetarian recipes out there for me to try? Should I have him take a daily vitamin to place any nutrients he might not be receiving? Thanks!
Answers:
Just so you know I made the decision at the same age and am now a grampa! It's much easier nowadaze to be a healthy veggie than back then so *don't* worry about him becoming a malnourished freak
I've given you three good links for information on being veggie. The first has good links and general information. The second is a publisher of *great* veggie books and they've got several relating to veggie kids. the last has a lot of good recipes for you! If you need any other more detailed help feel free to email me direct!
Source(s):
http://www.goveg.com
http://www.bookpubco.com
http://vegweb.com
cheese, nuts, tofu, beans, milk
he will be fine.
there is really no difficulty with protein.
especially if you are eating cheese & milk & eggs
that is more of a myth coming from the meat industry.
Here you go, ma'am.
Thai Stir-fried Vegetables with Garlic, Ginger, and Lime
INGREDIENTS:
* VEGETABLES: (OR choose your own combination of fresh veggies for this dish)
* 1 medium-size carrot, sliced
* 1 cup baby bok choy, or other Chinese cabbage (leaves left whole if not too large, otherwise cut in half or thirds)
* 1 small red pepper, cut into bite-size pieces
* 1 small green pepper, cut into bite-size pieces
* 5 or more shiitake mushrooms, sliced, or left in halves or quarters
* 3 spring onions, cut in thirds
* 1 small head broccoli, cut into florets
* 1 thumb-size piece of galangal (or ginger), sliced thinly (matchstick-like pieces)
* STIR-FRY SAUCE:
* 1/4 cup broth (vegetarian or chicken broth)
* 2 Tbsp. fish sauce, or vegetarian fish sauce
* 1 Tbsp. lime juice (or simply add 2 slices of lime)
* 5-7 cloves of garlic, minced (I actually prefer 7 or more, as I like my sauce really garlicy)
* 1/2 tsp. honey or sugar
* 1 tsp. arrowroot powder (or corn starch) dissolved in 2 Tbsp. cool water
* Optional (for use when stir-frying): white cooking wine
* Optional: to make this into a main course, add peanuts or cashews, tofu, wheat gluten, or slices of cooked chicken
PREPARATION:
1. Start by making the stir-fry sauce. Place broth, fish sauce, lime, and honey/sugar in a sauce pan over medium-high heat.
2. When sauce begins to bubble, turn down the heat to medium-low.
2. Now add the minced garlic and arrowroot/cornstarch (dissolved in water). Stir until the sauce thickens slightly - about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
3. Do a taste test. You're looking for a balance of salty (fish sauce), spicy (garlic), sour (lime), and sweet (sugar). Adjust these flavors to suit your taste.
4. Place a little oil in a wok/frying pan over medium to high heat. When hot, add the carrots, galangal (or ginger), and shiitake mushrooms. (Stir-fry Tip:Always start with the "firmer" vegetables. Otherwise, the more tender veggies will grow soggy while waiting for the firmer ones to cook.) When the wok/pan becomes too dry, add a little white cooking wine (or water), 1 Tbsp. at a time (you want to keep the wok/pan just moist enough to keep the vegetables frying). Stir-fry 1-2 minutes.
5. Add the rest of the vegetables, and continue stir-frying another minute or so (until the broccoli turns bright green). Again, add wine or water as needed to keep the vegetables frying.
6. Now pour the stir-fry sauce you made earlier into the wok/pan. Stir-fry over heat briefly - just long enough to mix the sauce in. Remove from heat.
7. Do one last taste test. If not salty enough, add up to 1 Tbsp. more fish sauce. If too salty, add another squeeze of lime juice.
8. To serve, pour onto a serving platter and have plenty of Thai jasmine rice (brown or white) at the ready. Serve with Thai red chilli sauce, if desired.
Sweet Sour Stir Fried Vegetables ( Pad Piew Wan)
[for 2 People]
Ingredients
100 gms Carrot
1 Tomato
3 Mangetout, Long Green Bean or Wing Bean
75 gms Courgette
50 gms Onion
3 Garlic Cloves
1/2 Teaspoon White Pepper
1/2 Teaspoon Sugar
2 Tablespoons Light Soy Sauce
2 Tablespoons Fish Sauce (use Soy Sauce if Vegetarian Dish)
1 Tablespoon Oyster Sauce
2 Tablespoons Sweet Chilli Sauce
2 Tablespoons Oil
1 Tablespoon Vinegar
Preparation
1. Put oil into frying and pre-heat.
2. Chop the garlic add to the pan, fry it till the garlic smell comes out.
3. Chop the carrot, onion, mangetout, courgette, into small bite-sized pieces and add to the pan.
4. Add light soya sauce, fish sauce, sugar, white pepper, sweet chilli, oyster sauce and vinegar to the vegetables.
5. Stir fry it for 1 minutes then serve.
Serve With
Hot Fragrant Rice
Both of them are Thai Recipes, ma'am.
Here are a few more, ma'am.
Mushroom and Potato Chowder
INGREDIENTS
* 1/2 cup chopped onion
* 1/4 cup butter or margarine
* 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon pepper
* 3 cups water
* 1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
* 1 cup chopped celery
* 1 cup diced peeled potatoes
* 1/2 cup chopped carrots
* 1 cup light cream
* 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
DIRECTIONS
1. In a large kettle, saute onion in butter until tender. Add flour, salt and pepper; stir to make a smooth paste. Gradually add water, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms, celery, potatoes and carrots. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add cream and Parmesan cheese; heat through.
VEGETARIAN MATZOH BALLS
4 large eggs, separated
1 teaspoon salt
Dash cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons white onion, grated
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup matzoh meal
7 cups vegetable stock
Additional stock for serving
In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites until they hold stiff peaks; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, salt, cayenne pepper, onion, and butter. Fold the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture until just combined. Gently fold in the matzoh meal in several additions. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate one hour.
In a large pot, bring the vegetable stock to a boil. Moisten hands with cold water and roll the matzoh mixture into 3/4 inch balls. After all the balls are formed, drop them into the boiling stock. Return to a boil, then reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon. Serve warm in vegetable stock.
Note: The matzoh balls can be served in the same stock they were cooked in, but the soup will be cloudy. If you do use separate stock for serving, you can cook vegetables such as carrots or parsnips in it and serve them with the soup.
Makes about 20 medium-sized matzoh balls.
Bon Appetit!!
I also include organic milk and free range eggs in my diet. I substitute my meats with soy meat. Bocca burgers in the freezer section are unbelievably great...he'll get all the protein he needs in the soy products...It's really great that your allowing him to do this..
I agree with the first poster, there is really no need to worry about protein, the meat industry created this myth. Most people in out country get way more protein than they need.
i dont take any vitamins, and I have no deficiencies. The only thing I am low on is b12, so I eat B12 fortified foods, but if he eats eggs, there is no need to worry about that either.
He is to young to decide a life decision such as becoming a vegetarian! At age 8, a parent should still have the choice and responsibility to assure their children get the proper nutrition. I believe that as he matures then he can assume that responsibility. So, Mom & Dad, make sure he follows standards set forth by the AMA.
Thank God.
Or Buddha.
Or Yahweh.
Or Muhammed.
Or Krishna.
Or Zeus.
If he eats fish, he is not a vegetarian. Vegetarians do not or never will eat the flesh of something that was once alive.
Protein is not an issue. Everything has protein in it. He gets more then enough from dairy and eggs and obviously fish.
Make sure all of you get enough whole grains and vegetables as well. I don't know what nutrients he is not receiving because I don't know what you guys eat. I give my kids chewable vegetarian vitamins because they are very picky eaters.
The fact that he still eats fish, dairy, and eggs is half the battle. Nuts, peanut butter, nutella, tofu, and beans. Honestly as far as nutrients, he should be ok with the foods above. It never hurts for young kids to take a multiple vitamin with iron.
Recipes, cook everything as usual just leave out the meat and substitute sturdy veggies in their place like squash and eggplant. Use veggie broth or stock in place of chicken or beef stock/broth. Before adding meat to recipes, take out a portion of the meal for him. Make sure it's enough for a few servings and possible leftovers if he likes them. Get into the habit of preparing meals that have the meat on the side. This way you can prepare the whole meal without too much extra effort.
First off, I am a big proponent of vitamins - most of our food is ridiculously low in nutrients due to soil depletion, early picking prior to ripening at the peak of nutrients so shipment is possible for long distances at a cheap rate. If you aren't buying local and organic, I'd go for vitamins for everyone in the house. Don't forget good calcium supplements. I know you didn't ask, but I found it interesting that your 8 year old tells you what he is going to do, and you are complying. I understand and appreciate that you want to support him. But at this age, he may know what he wants, but that isn't necessarily what is best for him, and I'd think he needs to realize that before you start letting him tell you what he will and won't do. If he does that at 8, what do you expect in another 8 years? Just asking. But back to the question at hand - make sure he gets plenty of protein - beans, soy (tofu), etc. Try www.allrecipes.com , then search within the site for vegetarian recipes. You should call his pediatrician and make sure there is no reason you shouldn't change his diet, as you should any diet change for anyone. He may want to send you to a nutritionist, or a dietitian. Good luck!
I think its WONDERFUL that you are allowing your son to make his own choices about what he eats. Don't stop encouraging his individualism. I was a vegitarian for the first 16 years of my life, and I never felt deficient or undernourished. Eat lots of rice, beans, tofu, falafels, yoghurt, eggs, whole grains, etc, and yes, a multi-vitamin wont hurt. Good luck and yay Noah! The animals and your arteries thank you.
First let me start by asking you to ignore the militant vegetarians on this forum, they know who they are. Its great that you want to be supportive. I'm the only vegetarian in my house too. Since he is still eating fish and eggs he'll get lots of protein that way. Black beans are a great souce of protein.
I subscribe to Vegetarian Times and they have so many great recipes...perhaps that might help you?? They also have articles on how to make sure kids get what they need from a vegetarian diet.
Check out www.vegetariantimes.com
Great magazine!!!
You sound like a wonderful mother! If only half the children were as lucky as your little Noah! Vegetarianism is a wonderfully healthy choice for anyone of any age! He will most likely get plenty of protein from his dairy and egg consumption. Peanut butter is also a wonderful source of protein that kids usually love. Be careful, however, as eggs, dairy and peanut butter are also high calorie sources and this diet has the potential of weight gain. Be sure to add a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables and, of course, plenty of activity! Good luck!
There's lots of protein sources out there... but like others have said, if he's lacto-ovo-pesco veg than it's not an issue anyway.
To make meals easier... stock up on Morningstar Farms stuff. They have chic'n products (patties, nuggets, strips), steak strips, corndogs, hotdogs, sausage links & patties... all meat free and lower fat than the meat alternatives. They taste every bit as good as the real thing too! In fact I like the sausage BETTER since there's no "mystery crunchies" in it. :) They're fairly expensive (no more so than meat though)... but if he's the only veg, you could just stick one in the oven for him while cooking everyone else's meal. Even at $4 (which is about typical price, but they go on sale often), it'll feed him 4 times (maybe less with nuggets).... that's a pretty cheap meal.
A great place to find vegetarian recipes is www.allrecipes.com. Click on the "vegetarian/vegan" section and they've got loads of stuff. I recommend the zucchini pie that's made with a crescent roll crust... VERY tasty. It's fun to experiment with their recipes... and they have "user ratings"... so I only try stuff that's earned 4 or 5 (of 5) stars by those who've made it. Anyway... thanks for allowing your son to choose. It might be a passing phase... but it might not. A lot of veg's go that way early on. :)
Nevermind the technical definition of what a vegetarian is, I understand your question. I think it's so wonderful that you are supporting your sons decision. You are a good mother. The fish, eggs and dairy that he is still eating are excellent sources of protein. Also very important are nuts, beans and legumes which can be very versatile if you explore your options. Check out the vegetarian section on the website www.allrecipes.com. I LOVE IT! There are also certain grains, like quinoa, which are prepared just like rice, but are actually a whole protein! Good luck mom.
I've been a veg. for a while now and I get more protein and have stronger bones then most meat eaters. You don't need meat for protein, you can find it in milk, yogurt, nuts and berries, some orange juice, cereal, oatmeal.. I could go on and on. Plus, if his still eating fish on his diet (pesco-vegetarian) then he has all the protein he'll even need. Not only will your son have a better diet, he'll also have more energy, better skin and less depression. Be careful with vitamins.. you can take too many and o.d. If you take in all the servings you need daily, there should be no reason for it. Pay attention to his health, skin color and bole movements, if anything is abnormal, start him on vitamins then.
If he still eats fish, then he's not a true vegetarian.