Family wants to go vegetarian - HELP!

[golfgal]

Well, becoming vegetarian is often very different from being a picky eater. In such cases, facilitating that choice is not the same as "caving into" picky eating habits.

I disagree-If I make something for dinner, that is what is for dinner. If you don't like what I make you are free to make something else (and clean up after yourself). Same if you want to go vegetarian--you are welcome to cook for yourself and clean up after yourself. I am not a short order cook.

 

[minkydog]

I wish i had the guts to cut out meat, but I love red meats. Although it's expensive and I usually only get it a few times a month.

THere's no guts to it. You just make other choices. DH & I are not vegetarian but we eat vegetarian quite often. I probably make meat twice a week. The rest of the week it's beans & rice, eggs & spinach w/cheese, various soups with whole grain bread, quiche, and multiple vegetables. Its really not that hard!

I will never be completely vegetarian because I just LOVE a good steak. But I know better than to eat red meat all the time. I fix seafood at least once a week, and some chicken occassionly. But really, I make some kind of dry beans once or twice a week and we eat them with everything. I'm not a big one for being deprived, so if I want meat I eat meat. But now that I"ve been cooking veggies without meat for so long I don't even miss it.

 

[battricia]

Mock Tuna Salad

1 cup garbanzo beans (canned or pre-cooked)
1 stalk celery, chopped
1/2 small onion, finely minced
vegan mayonaise (e.g. Vegenaise or Nayonaise) or regular mayo (if not vegan)
salt and pepper to taste
bread

this is also my recipe for fake tuna salad, and it is so good! only I add sweet relish to it. I used to love tuna fish and tuna melts on english muffins when i was a kid, my parents always put relish in it, which is why I put the relish in mine.

 

[bicker]

It amazes me how many positive posts there are about their children going vegietarian. And then you get a few in here with negative attitudes.

The OP agreed to do it with her child, so be it. She only asking for help on how to do it correctly. They are no way imposing on your life style.

This is critical. A child made a request; a parent made a decision.

Would you be really this opposed if said child wanted to go on an excersize program??

We vegetarians are on of those put-upon minority groups, indeed.

 

[bicker]

I disagree-If I make something for dinner, that is what is for dinner. If you don't like what I make you are free to make something else (and clean up after yourself). Same if you want to go vegetarian--you are welcome to cook for yourself and clean up after yourself. I am not a short order cook.

It isn't a matter of being a short-order cook; it is a matter of respecting considered intentions of children. If we treat our children as slaves until the day that they leave home, then they will never learn respect for themselves. That doesn't mean you have to turn over your life, and your suggestion that the child do the extra work is fair, but what isn't fair is your earlier categorical disparagement of the decision to eat vegetarian as being a "picky eater". That was uncalled-for.

 

[damren]

"Vegetarian" shouldn't mean eating french fries for every meal .

Thank goodness my husband does not read this board! He would totally take that sentance out of context and say I want to be a vegetarian!

 

[disneymom2one]

We've been vegetarians nine months now. We haven't missed meat at all, and I've seen my cholesterol drop from 273 to 230 without medication.

We Americans do eat a lot of saturated fat, and saturated fat is found mostly (but not exclusively) in animal products: beef, pork, poultry (especially the skin), dairy products, etc.

And many folks feel that eating animals, itself, is something that we should avoid, if practicable.

Lunch today was low-fat ricotta tortellini. Last Friday, I had a Tex-Mex pinto bean soup. I think last Thursday's lunch was a curried egg salad sandwich. (Seasonings, like curry, help some of us get over the change in taste from lots of full-fat to just a little bit of low-fat mayonnaise, for example.) I believe it was last Wednesday that I last had nut butter and jam. (My preferred nut butter is almond, but I'm a guy, and we guys, older guys especially, need our almonds.) Tomorrow is probably going to be a ratatouille with some feta cheese in it. (The biggest challenge is avoiding going overboard with cheese.)

We make our own hummus. I was blown away how incredibly easy it is, and how much better it is, when you have totally control over what goes in it. Hummus and carrots, or hummus and snap peas, are a favorite snack food. In a pinch, I can make a lunch out of it.

For dinner ideas, see our Meal Plan Swap thread:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2190346

ETA ... I think disboards are just acting up for me today on Mozilla.

Thanks.

 

[chicagodisneyfan]

am i the only one that thinks a 9 year old making this decision and then having the rest of the family follow her lead is insane?

I think thoughts like yours are a little nuts!

If a nine year old wanted to start an exercise program for the family to do together, would you think she is insane?

If a nine year old wanted to help around the house and plan meals, would you think that is insane?

I thnk it is great for a child to take an interest in what goes in their body.

 

[MelanieC]

I think thoughts like yours are a little nuts!

If a nine year old wanted to start an exercise program for the family to do together, would you think she is insane?

If a nine year old wanted to help around the house and plan meals, would you think that is insane?

I thnk it is great for a child to take an interest in what goes in their body.

I agree 100%
Our family is open to everyone's beliefs. I'm a vegetarian, but each and every one of my family members eat what they believe in. PERIOD! It's very easy to cook for both Vegetarian and non vegetarian alike.

 

[bettymae1121]

To be fair, many (most?) products that once had such hidden animal products unnecessarily included in them no longer do so.

So they're not only vegetarian, now, but actually vegan. You are correct, though, that that wasn't always the case... there are many (old) threads on vegetarian forums discussing how to make one's own, vegetarian Oreo's, presumably a hot topic while Oreo's themselves were not vegetarian.

Specifically, the gelatin. (Gelatin is itself, wholly and completely, an animal product, made from the collagen from the bones of animals.)

I'm so glad to hear that many foods have removed animal products in them, so that vegitarians/vegans can now enjoy them. Still, it will mean some label reading.

 

[bicker]

Absolutely, and recognizing what is indeed an animal product. That one we mentioned -- gelatin -- I bet a relatively small percentage of meat-eaters think of it as an animal product.

 

[Laura]

I'm so glad to hear that many foods have removed animal products in them, so that vegitarians/vegans can now enjoy them. Still, it will mean some label reading.

I always read labels, no matter what. Food products change. Next week, Oreos might have beef fat in them and no longer be vegan. Or the cheese I normally buy might switch from microbial rennet to animal rennet.


OP, it's great that you're respecting your daughter's choice and trying to assist her. Vegetarianism is an ethical choice I make several times every day, and NO, it isn't like being a picky eater. I wonder if some Christians on the DIS would object if their 9-year-olds chose to be baptized at this age (or younger)? Maybe in a few years she'll decide to eat meat again, and that's her prerogative.

I would say that the least of your issues is protein. It is everywhere. You want to be sure that your kid's getting enough IRON. Vegetarians have to eat more iron than meat-eaters because the iron in non-meat sources is not as easily absorbed. Beans and lentils are great sources of protein, and a lot of people take to them better than tofu. The "fake meat" like Morningstar Farms brand stuff is good for an occasional meal on the fly, but it really isn't particularly good for you. I personally only eat it once in a great while.

So, all in all, it wouldn't hurt to discuss all this with a dietician. They can be very helpful.

 

[WDWBarb]

Absolutely, and recognizing what is indeed an animal product. That one we mentioned -- gelatin -- I bet a relatively small percentage of meat-eaters think of it as an animal product.

I hear this one rather often - "I get that you don't eat meat, but not eating gelatin - isn't that taking it a bit too far??"

Um... nope?

 

[bicker]

Yeah... there are a few animal products I have problems with more than just plain steak, and gelatin is one of them.

 

[rkrose1]

There are some good high protein pastas available now. I can't remember if it's Dreamfields or Barilla Plus, but one of them is made with higher protein chickpea flour.

Rachel Ray's Veg-Head Chili recipe is very good. I adjust the ingredients to my taste (it's just the way I cook), and add unsweetened cocoa powder (really makes it rich). Love it. Get some good fats with homemade guacamole.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/veg-head-three-bean-chili-recipe/index.html

 

[npmommie]

OP here are a couple of our fav cookbooks
vegan family favorites by Erin pavlina
vegetarian family cookbook by nava atlas

the nava atlas one is especially good she has a section on kid lunches
also check out
www.veganlunchbox.blogspot.com
www.goveg.com

 

[a paper star]

If you're really interested you should get this book Being Vegetarian for Dummies. It has a lot of information.

I have been an on again off again vegetarian since I was 18. I'm the only one in my family that does that, it never bothered me that other people ate meat.

Some people have metioned MorningStar Farms fake meats personally I prefer Boca and they make Veggie Burger Patties to Fake Chicken Nuggets to Fake Sausages. If you'd like to try organic foods Amy's makes some good frozen foods that are vegetarian friendly I like the mac and cheese and pizzas.

 

[Indiana Rose Lee]

When my dds bring this up occasionally, I cook bacon for breakfast the following morning. I don't hear about it again for at least six months.

lol, good plan.

I'd tell her that she either starts eating salad, etc., or she doesn't go vegetarian. I've run into too many so called vegetarians that eat horribly. They survive on simple carbs and think they are doing great.

I don't have a problem with kids making those decisions. But feel that at this junction they really need to learn the basics. Let her help cook, and try lots of different things. At least this would be my plan. YMMV.

 

[DSNY4ever]

We are not vegetarians, but we don't eat a lot of meat. It helps us save money, it's healthier and better for the planet.

We LOVE the Moosewood cookbooks. They are absolutely fabulous vegetarian recipes. Our favorite is their "Moosewood Restaurant New Classics."

Try checking out some quinoa recipes, tofu really isn't as bad as it sounds if you have the right recipe (cake tofu is usually cheaper than the veggie crumbles), and make sure you have a well stocked spice cabinet! Have fun. Have your daughter help with finding recipes and learning about the right balance for her diet.

*I am not sure what her reasons are for going vegetarian, but you could look into local farm options/organic/free range meats. We have done this and found some great places

 

[CuteAndFluffy]

DH and I are not vegetarian, but are trying to reduce meat and processed foods in our diet.

The MorningStar Farms and Boca stuff is OK, but I'd rather make a home made meat analogue than to stuff in the freezer.

Here's a good Bean burger recipe. You can change the seasonings and presentation any way you like (take out the curry and put in cumin and chile powder for a southwestern taste, cook in smaller meatballs and serve on a tortilla?)

From The Kitchn Blog:
Beef-Free Bean Burger
Yields 4-6 patties depending on thickness.
Inspired By: Eating Well...Living Thin

1 (15oz) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed lightly (if at all)
1/2 cup pecans, diced (and checked for shells)
1/3 cup onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons green curry paste
1 bunch cilantro, chopped finely
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon ketchup (optional)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 large egg white
1/3 cup flour (whole wheat, white, chickpea, oat - anything but pastry or semolina)

Mash kidney beans in a mixing bowl. Don't obliterate them, but smoosh them a good 10-15 times with a potato masher. Add all remaining ingredients, adding flour last. Depending on how wet your curry paste, onions and garlic are, you might require a teaspoon less or more. You want your mixture to hold shape when formed (it will still be sticky) but not crumble. Chill for at least 10 minutes in the refrigerator. You can stop at this point and leave them all day if needs be, but if you're planning to eat at the same time as preparation, they can use a few minutes to chill before hitting the heat.

Form mixture into patties, we find 5 is the perfect amount, but if you like them a little thinner, 6 works as well. Heat skillet on stove with 2 cups oil (we prefer peanut or canola) on high for 5 minutes. Add patties and fry until crispy/crunchy on each side (3-5 minutes). You can use non-stick spray instead, though they won't crisp up quite the same. They will still be soft in the middle, that's ok!