Help, My Teen Wants To Be a Vegetarian
A couple days ago I was making lunch for the kids. I was throwing some fishsticks in to the oven when my eight-year-old daughter said, “I don’t want fishsticks. That’s fish. I’ll eat chicken, but not fish. Fish are pretty.”
Right then she reminded me of my childhood self. When I was a little girl I wanted to be a veterinarian and I went through a phase where I wanted to be a vegetarian. I figured a vet couldn’t eat animals. Surely it goes against some vet law or something. But it didn’t last long. I just couldn’t give up my chicken. (I’m pretty sure I could eat chicken for every meal, even breakfast. Have you ever had a chicken omelet? Yum!)
A few months ago I found out my seventeen-year-old sister is a vegetarian. It wasn’t something she jumped in to quickly. She told her parents of her wishes and they gave her the ok as long as she researched it and made sure she was eating healthy. She did a lot of searching on the internet and discussed it with her doctor. She’s very good about sticking to her meat-free diet and making sure she eats meals that will give her the necessary nutrients and vitamins. Many teenagers do not yet understand their nutritional needs and do not make good vegetarian food decisions. So it’s really important that the parents are involved, they do a lot of research and they consult their doctor.
Many parents believe their vegetarian children will not get enough protein if they aren’t eating meat. They also believe their vegan children won’t get enough calcium if they don’t drink milk. But the truth is, you can eat a full balanced meal without meat or dairy products. You just need to be more aware of the foods you are putting in to your body to make sure you are getting all the nutrients you need. Lots of fruits and vegetables contain protein and many are a good source of calcium, especially green leafy vegetables. A vegetarian diet can be very healthy. In fact the majority of vegetarians say they chose that diet for the health benefits.
If your teen is thinking about becoming a vegetarian or vegan there are several good books to help them with their research. A Teen’s Guide to Going Vegetarian
There are also a ton of resources on the internet. The Vegetarian Resource Group has a page just for kids. And there are some great blogs out there with a new recipe posted often. I really like The Student Stomach because it’s written by a college student so she knows exactly what a vegetarian goes through in a meaty world. I also like Fat Free Vegan. Here SusanV not only offers some great vegan recipes, but she’s also concerned with a fat-free diet. Plus she has a blogroll of over 200 other vegetarian and vegan blogs.
Vegetarianism is become more popular with today’s youth so there is a chance you may encounter this request. Just stay calm and realize it’s probably a healthier diet then you think. If you and your teen do the research and stay informed they should have no problem living a vegetarian lifestyle.
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POSTED IN: Nutrition
2 opinions for Help, My Teen Wants To Be a Vegetarian
char
Jan 28, 2008 at 4:33 am
I went through my vegetarian stage too, and honestly, I could easily do it again.
Marijke
Jan 30, 2008 at 5:39 pm
Hi there from a fellow b5′er.
My middle one and my only girl will be 19 in a few weeks. She told me several months ago that she would no longer eat beef or pork. And, she’s been great about holding on to that ideal.
My sister has just become a vegan, but my daughter feels that this is too strict. She likes her yogurt, cheese, and so on.
I try to accomodate her by cooking chicken when I know she’ll be home for supper, but if we’re eating something she won’t eat, she makes her own dinner without any fuss.
I figure, it’s not for me, but good for her. She eats a wonderfully balanced diet to the point that I’m actually envious of her.
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