Anyone have one member of your family become vegetarian?

[jlt19]

DD (10) as decided to become a vegetarian. She told me she feels bad for the animals so I support her. I told her she'd have to do some research as to some other proteins she can substitute and she's done a good job. But I don't know what to do about dinners. If only one person in your house is a vegetarian, how do you plan for meals?

I'm going to try to come up with more non-meats for all of us, but we also like meat. And I hate meal planning as it is.

I usually do a pasta once a week or so, so that's easy if it has meat, but what about things when chicken is the main entree or tacos? Just extra sides?

[ssmjlm]

At 10, she could probably help cook.

Is she interested in meat substitutes? It could be easy to keep some frozen stuff on hand and then just cook it when you're cooking your other proteins. Things like Boca Burgers or Beyond Meat.

[lightbulbsun]

I was the one who was vegetarian, haha. Are you willing to cook more meat-less dishes overall, or just want to give her an alternative to whatever meat you're having?

For tacos, maybe look into getting impossible meat, or TVP to replace the beef. If you don't want to replace for everyone, you can make an extra side of beans with taco seasoning so she can use that (if you buy refried beans make sure they're vegetarian). There are also options for chicken substitutes, and if you're just looking to replace meat for her it would probably be the easiest. Morningstar Farms and Quorn have a lot of options. If you're near a Wegmans, they actually have some good store brand stuff.

Other vegetarian protein-rich foods are dairy, eggs, beans, lentils, tofu, tempeh, seitan, edamame, and quinoa. However, protein really shouldn't be a problem as long as she has a well-rounded diet. I would put her on a supplement with B12 and vitamin D, since those can be hard to get for vegetarians.

Also, make sure she knows that things that contain gelatin are not vegetarian. This includes random things like some yogurt, gummy candy, skittles, marshmallows (the company Dandies has some great vegan marshmallows!), Sunny D, etc. I didn't know this when I first became a vegetarian, and I felt really guilty after learning about it.

[isabel]

Tacos? Sub in black beans for the filling for her.

If you’re having a standard chicken/veg/starch meal, she can load up on the sides and heat up a vegetarian substitute for the protein.

Mostly though, I’d start planning meals that don’t rely on a meat protein as central to the meal. That way she can still eat the meal mostly as intended and everyone else can have some meat on the side if they want to.

[nsl]

DS 1 has flirted with becoming a vegetarian over the years for the same reason, but since he dislikes most of the alternative proteins it's never stuck for long. We do require him to make dinner once a week (his choice of main dish), and he's always allowed to make an alternative healthy meal if he objects to what the family is having. We also plan at least two vegetarian meals every week.

[Deleted]

I would strongly encourage her to follow either an Ovo-Lacto-Vegetarian or Pescatarian Diet. While possible, it is very difficult to get all of the needed amino acids and essential proteins through a Vegetarian Diet, and for a child that age who still has so much growth ahead of them, both physical as well as the brain, it is essential that they get the appropriate amount of nutrients. You also need to ensure that she is still getting a good amount of fat in her diet as it is essential to the absorption of vitamins A, D, E, and K. I was a Vegetarian for several years for ethical reasons and even for me as a full grown adult, it was difficult. I found that some days I wasn't getting nearly enough calories, so that was a struggle. In my practice, I worked with a Vegan who had gotten to the point that her hair was falling out because she was malnourished. It turned out that she had virtually no fat in her diet. We were able to add some back in without her having to abandon her Vegan lifestyle and with some careful meal planning were able to get her "healthy" again.

For actual meals, I'd focus on the veggies that she like. If it's taco night, saute her up some peppers and onions and whatever other veggies she likes, cook in a good fat like evoo, and top with sour cream to ensure she's getting some fats and proteins. For spaghetti night, you can do shrimp primavera if she'll eat fish, or, and it sounds weird, but I love a soft boiled or lightly fried egg on top of my pasta when you crack the yolk and then mix it in, it's super yum. Pizza is great you can really load on the toppings. For breakfast, if she likes oatmeal, cook it in heavy cream to get in some fats and calories at the beginning of the day. My daughter isn't a vegetarian, but lives on salads, so I always make sure to add some healthy fats. Beans are a great source of protein, so if she'll eat them, I'd add to whatever you can. I'd definitely avoid any Soy substitutes at this age being that she is pre-puberty as Soy can be treated as a faux-estrogen and can have a negative impact on development. 

Feel free to PM me if you have any other questions.

[MDmomof2]

My DD (now 12) became a vegetarian 3 years ago at age 9. For the most part, she's a pasta and pizza vegetarian, she does not enjoy most meat substitutes. She does like tofu taco so we have that once a week. Pasta - plain for her and maybe with a protein for us. If we are eating chicken, baked potatoes, and a veg she will eat the sides then make scrambled eggs for a protein. Often she has leftovers or a peanut butter sandwich. She likes vegetables but not fruit so her diet is a struggle. Fast food places are tough - often she will eat fries and a side salad. Any restaurant where she can order breakfast is a win because she likes eggs. She's tried a lot of meat substitutes and hasn't like any of them but will try whatever I pick up at Trader Joe's - she just usually ends up not liking it!

ETA: DD also likes nuts so she will eat that for a snack and then I feel better about whatever carbs she ate for lunch!

[imojoebunny]

Will she eat cheese, eggs, and drink milk? My son only has at most one chicken finger per week (maybe 2oz of chicken), and sometimes not even that. He is 11, and just doesn't like meat and never has. He takes a multi-vitamin with iron, and eats a lot of dairy and 4 or 5 eggs a week, with eggy pancakes being his favorite (2 eggs, and 1/3 cup bisquick mixed in a blender, and cooked like an omelet. I am not a big fan of the super processed stuff like fake meat. He does eat Edamame pasta, which has protein and fiber. When we eat something he doesn't, he will have a cheese quesadilla or edamame pasta or a peanut butter sandwich with lots of peanut butter, which he makes himself. He won't eat beans, but peas and beans are a good choice, if your daughter will. Vegan would be much harder, but with eggs, milk, and cheese, it isn't bad. He eats a lot of the same things over and over again, which would bore me to tears, but he doesn't care, and his doctor is not worried.

[scout8]

I eat meat on a rare occasion, but I don't ever cook it at home. We don't have kids so it is just the two of us. I have found so many recipes where we don't miss the meat at all. I would ask your daughter to help you find meat free recipes for the family to eat. I've also found that I like a lot of the meat substitutes. You could try out some of those and see what the family thinks.

[NewGirlNic]

I'm no help on the everyday substitutions... but I just made a crispy tofu dish and both my meat-loving H and picky DS loved it. So, it might be a good dish to throw in the rotation. If you google recipes, there are a bunch, but I loosely followed this one: spicysouthernkitchen.com/asian-garlic-tofu/
I have this bookmarked, it's with noodles instead of rice. And the blog is a vegan blog, so you might find some other ideas- simple-veganista.com/vegetable-lo-mein/

Will she eat eggs or is she doing no animal products? Egg sandwiches or omelets are regular rotations in our meals when we need something quick.

[lemoncupcake]

I stopped eating meat about a mo th ago, and since I’m the primary shopper/meal planner/meal cooker in the family I’m not purchasing or cooking meat any longer.

Even just a month in, it is so much easier than I thought it would be and the hand wringing of “omg what will we eat” is really unnecessary (although I know it can be hard to change your mindset of what a meal looks like).

She’s old enough to get involved in planning and cooking, and there are hundreds of thousands of vegetarian and vegan recipes you can try. It requires a little bit of thought from a nutritional standpoint but I don’t think that you should push her to eat meat if she doesn’t want to.

I would have several dinners each week vegetarian for the whole family, and like a previous comment said the other nights have meat as the “side” rather than “main” if you feel like you still need to have it.

[msmerymac]

I was a vegetarian for 12 years.

She'll get enough protein. Essentially no one in the US (or the developed world) has a protein deficiency. There's protein in most things, even broccoli, just as less concentrated levels than in meat. As long as you don't feed her pasta or rice 100% of the time she'll be good.

For taco night, make it a buffet/family style meal and make refried or black beans, or if she's interested, get Beyond Meat crumbles as an alternative for her. It would also be cool if, even with a meat option, you or someone else in the family also chose to ate her "special" food, assuming there's enough, every so often. Just to show that yes, meat eaters can also eat vegetarian occasionally, and her food isn't "weird."

I'd look towards dishes that aren't the standard American style dinner of meat + vegetable and/or carb. Lots of Asian or Latin inspired dishes can be made vegetarian without missing something. Enchiladas, for example (I like spinach, mushroom, and jack cheese enchiladas with green sauce, but you can also do smoky black beans and cheddar). Thai peanut noodles, with chicken or shrimp for you and just veggies and sauce for her. Buying a package of veggie burgers or hot dogs when you grill is really easy too. Pizza is easy. Dinner for breakfast (eggs, potatoes, pancakes).

Think about what she likes and maybe you can work together to come up with alternatives. I also think it's perfectly fine to task her with heating up her own "protein" for certain meals, but again, I'd caution against othering her - definitely show you support her. Good luck!

ETA: I also really like Mark Bittman's book, "How to Cook Everything Vegetarian." It's simple and doesn't rely on exotic ingredients or meat substitutes. 

[carmenere]

I stopped eating meat, H did not. He cooks dinner every night and refuses to meal plan. I don't eat a lot, so I'll usually eat just sides or a meatless portion of whatever he's having (like stir fry or pot roast veggies). Or H will make a meal that (I think) would be just fine meatless and add a chicken breast or other meat to his. For tacos, he makes mine with frozen meatless crumbles, only takes a minute to heat up.

[VillainV]

I’ve been vegetarian a few points throughout my life. I agree that she can and should be responsible for planning and preparing some family meals, or at least preparing her own food from time to time.

Good veggie meals that don’t feel vegetarian:

- Tacos/burritos/enchiladas with beans or veggie filling instead of meat. Easy to include this as an option if you’re serving buffet style

- Lasagna — meat-free (just cheese), with meat substitute, or with veggies. They make “protein plus” noodles if you want to add more protein, but it’s probably not necessary

- Frittatas and omelettes....easy to load up with whatever veggies and cheese you have in the fridge that need to get used up

- Chilli or soup - so easy to make vegetarian. You can do sandwiches on the side if you want, or grilled cheese/ham and cheese/tomato and cheese

- Stuffed peppers. Tons of good meat-free fillings, or you can use a meat substitute

- Black Bean burgers or falafel burgers. So good you forget there’s no meat. You can also use the patties in wraps or pitas.

There are tons of awesome meals that aren’t meat and two veg. And if you want to serve those a few nights a week, she can fix herself an omelet or eat leftover frittata or eat a black bean patty instead of the meat.

[gerberdaisy]

DD (5) has been a vegetarian for the last 9 months or so. She decided herself and has been very diligent about sticking to it. On the other hand, DS (3) loves meat and so does H. If I'm making something I'll keep part of it vegetarian, like lasagna. Also, I try to just always have some substitute options for DD if there isn't enough for her. She loves lentils, black beans, veggie burgers, bean burritos, broccoli and ranch, so she'll just either load up on veggies or substitute something else as a main for her.


Requires a bit of planning/just having things on hand, but luckily DD is really good about trying things.

[mswax]

Both DH and I are vegetarians, and so by extension, the kids are too. We do eat eggs, dairy, and fish, but the kids are very limited in the fish they will eat. There are "vegetarian" kid-friendly foods they love; Quorn "chicken" nuggets, veggie burgers and dogs, meatless meatballs, ground "beef", and even "pepperoni" and "turkey" slices. They eat a lot of peanut butter, yogurt, and cheese. Our weekly dinners (main dish) look something like:
Nuggets or shrimp poppers
Burgers & dogs
Pasta with meatballs
Pepperoni pizza
Egg sandwiches (w/ veggie bacon)
Tacos
Grilled Salmon

[jlt19]

Thank you all for the ideas and advice. I'm definitely supportive of her. She's super picky so it's going to be a challenge (not a fan of beans or most veggies in general) so guessing I should also look into supplements or a multi-vitamin of sorts. I've asked about seafood, but she said no, although she knows vegan won't work for her.

[VillainV]

Jul 29, 2020 9:17:48 GMT -5 jlt19 said:

Thank you all for the ideas and advice. I'm definitely supportive of her. She's super picky so it's going to be a challenge (not a fan of beans or most veggies in general) so guessing I should also look into supplements or a multi-vitamin of sorts. I've asked about seafood, but she said no, although she knows vegan won't work for her.

I was also really picky the first time I tried being vegetarian. It actually got me to try a lot of veggies I thought I didn’t like before, and I’ve come to really enjoy now, like mushrooms, asparagus, squash, avocado...things that are now basically staples for me even though I eat some meat now. When it comes to veggies, preparation method is EVERYTHING. I personally prefer fresh/in season veggies roasted with olive oil and salt. Frozen is okay for some things (broccoli, corn, green beans), and I almost never eat canned except for corn or beans (not a veggie, I know). My husband always thought he hated green beans because before we met he had only ever been served canned green beans at home. As soon as he tasted roasted green beans he realized he really did like them.

[steamboat185]

I’m vegetarian the rest of the family isn’t.

Tacos are easy there are so many options to make them veggie- we do plain black bean, bean and sweet potato, roasted chick pea, and fake meat tacos often. You can easily have your daughter drain a can of chickpeas and have her coat them in taco seasoning. Then just chuck them in the oven for 20 minutes until crispy.

Pasta If you want meat in the sauce just pull some sauce out before adding the meat.

There are a lot of fake meat options- chicken nuggets, sausages, bacon, even corn dogs We try to have a few in the freezer for nights when we just want something easy.

I also will make up a protein like tofu or tempeh with bbq, hot sauce, or some sort of Asian inspired seasoning and eat that with whatever sides are being served for a few days.

Instead of rice look at grains like quinoa and farro (my favorite) they have lots of protein taste good and can be dressed up lots of different ways. (Burrito bowl, roasted veggies with vegetarian sausage, as part of a salad etc)

I became vegetarian at 13 and had to help make my food. I’d definitely get your daughter involved. Maybe get a few vegetarian cookbooks from the library and see what peaks her interest?

[edwardo123]

My 11 year old and I eat meat 4-5 a month. I think she will eventually become a vegetarian. My husband grew up in a meat and potato house, so it’s taken awhile to transition him to meat free meals several days a week. Our typical meals are easy to adapt. I usually cook meat free meals and my husband grills himself meat on the weekends to add to the meals. He is now only eating meat 3-4 times a week.
Buddha Bowls, Thai peanut noodles, pastas, pizza/calzones, tacos, enchiladas, tostados, curry, salads, sandwiches, soups, pho, etc.

[lemoncupcake]

Jul 29, 2020 9:25:36 GMT -5 VillainV said:

Jul 29, 2020 9:17:48 GMT -5 jlt19 said:

Thank you all for the ideas and advice. I'm definitely supportive of her. She's super picky so it's going to be a challenge (not a fan of beans or most veggies in general) so guessing I should also look into supplements or a multi-vitamin of sorts. I've asked about seafood, but she said no, although she knows vegan won't work for her.

I was also really picky the first time I tried being vegetarian. It actually got me to try a lot of veggies I thought I didn’t like before, and I’ve come to really enjoy now, like mushrooms, asparagus, squash, avocado...things that are now basically staples for me even though I eat some meat now. When it comes to veggies, preparation method is EVERYTHING. I personally prefer fresh/in season veggies roasted with olive oil and salt. Frozen is okay for some things (broccoli, corn, green beans), and I almost never eat canned except for corn or beans (not a veggie, I know). My husband always thought he hated green beans because before we met he had only ever been served canned green beans at home. As soon as he tasted roasted green beans he realized he really did like them.

I agree that it may take some experimentation for her to find new things that she likes, and that’s ok.

There are so many meat-replacement products out there, which is good, but I’d try to encourage her to not rely on those 100% of the time just for the sake of not eating so much processed food.

I’ll go find some of the more kid-friendly recipes we like

[wanderingback]

I became a vegetarian when I was around 13.
To be honest my parents didn’t go out of there way to find me options and I didn’t really expect them too. I typically ate sides. I did eat seafood that we’d have usually once or twice a week. If it was something like stir fry being made my mom would just separate my portion out before adding chicken.
Unless she’s literally eating just bread every day she’ll likely get all the nutrients she needs by eating other food groups and not eating meat.

I eat vegetarian and pescatarian at home a lot. Things like rice bowls with veggies, stir fries with veggies, stews and soups with veggies are my go to. I don’t mind eating the same things over and over so if you do want to go out of your way to cook something for her maybe once a week make a batch of something that she can eat throughout the week.

[lemoncupcake]

Lentil bolognese - thealmondeater.com/lentil-bolognese-recipe-vegan-gluten-free/

These falafel are a pain to make, but reheat from frozen beautifully, so double the recipe if she likes them - www.loveandlemons.com/falafel/

Has she had Indian food? This is a pretty easy intro to it - www.budgetbytes.com/curried-chickpeas-spinach/

Tostadas - www.isabeleats.com/mexican-street-corn-tostadas/

[Queen Dick, Hibernating Bear]

Side note: why do the recipes of today come with essays? I don't give a shit about your philosophy, just give me the ingredients please.

[picksthemusic]

Maybe help her find some vegetarian cookbooks and go through them together and make some new meals? DD is really getting into cooking now and loves to leaf through cookbooks and ask about recipes and how to make them. It's been really nice bonding time for us, as I like to cook too. This would also help with meal planning and ideas.

One vegetarian cookbook I like is by Damaris Phillips:

www.amazon.com/Southern-Girl-Meets-Vegetarian-Boy/dp/1419726692/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&hvadid=77859171073017&hvbmt=bb&hvdev=c&hvqmt=b&keywords=damaris+phillips+cookbook&qid=1596037525&sr=8-2&tag=mh0b-20

She gives good advice on meat substitutes and gives 'carnivore' options too. It's a good balance.

Another good resource for vegetarian options is Molly Yeh (Girl Meets Farm on Food Network and she has a delightful cookbook (it's a great read as well as wonderful recipes that include a lot of vegetarian options)

www.amazon.com/Molly-Range-Recipes-Stories-Unlikely/dp/162336695X/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&hvadid=77721840166679&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvqmt=e&keywords=molly+on+the+range+cookbook&qid=1596037869&sr=8-1&tag=mh0b-20

Hope that helps!

[lemoncupcake]

Jul 29, 2020 10:40:22 GMT -5 Queen Dick, Hibernating Bear said:

Side note: why do the recipes of today come with essays? I don't give a shit about your philosophy, just give me the ingredients please.

I know! I love the ones that have a “skip to recipe” button at the top.

[heliocentric]

If your family is willing to try new things I'd suggest looking for vegetarian recipes that sound good and then adding meat for those who want it. Trying to subtract meat from a recipe is less successful than finding a good vegetarian recipe and adding to it. That way you're not making multiple different meals. It likely requires a bit more work & planning in the beginning, but once you find so "go to" recipes it's much easier.

[rubytue]

My father loved to cook and dealt with a family mix of vegetarians, pescatarians, carnivores, and people who are anything. His trick was he would make veggie side dishes that could substitute as a main course. And usually a fish dish for holiday dinners.

My MIL is always bitching about my BIL’s family being vegetarian and how it means she has to make two separate meals, she won’t try to combine things. And then, the meat eaters aren’t allowed to eat the vegetarian meal. Very annoying bc I lean that way (total pescatarian now).

[BlondeSpiders]

I am an avowed carnivore, but I was a vegan/vegetarian chef in several Microsoft kitchens before I switched careers. I learned so much about vegetarian cooking, allergens, and substitutions.

One thing that can really help your daughter flourish is to incorporate vegetarian meals into your meal planning, like it ain't no thing. Don't focus on the perceived hassle of making her a separate meal. Meat items can be the extra part of a meal! I think normalizing other kinds of eating is good for self esteem. This also means being mindful of ingredients in your regular cooking (is your cheese made with vegetable rennet? Do you use chicken or veggie stock in recipes that require it?) and teaching her how to read labels.

This is my favorite vegetarian cookbook. It doesn't have any photos so it might not be as compelling for a younger reader, but it's super accessible and immensely helpful: Vegetarian Cooking For Everyone

Good luck! And good for you for supporting your daughter in this. Many parents don't!

[gibbinator]

I've got one kid that just doesn't care for most meats, so I cook a lot of dishes where meat can be added in after I've served him his plate (like pasta, stir frys, meat+potato type meals where he just doesn't get the meat part, etc.). I've made him things like baked bean tacos too so he's mostly eating the family meal. In some cases it adds a little more prep time, but mostly I've found it's pretty easy to just keep meat out of the dishes until the end. I'm pretty similar to him and am not a big meat eater so we have quite a few meatless meals at our house anyway since I cook what I like . If I do make something where meat is crucial to the cooking process (like a slow cooker recipe), I'll just feed him a grilled cheese sandwich for supper and call it a day.

He eats a lot of baked beans, nuts or spoonful of peanut butter on the side with his meals. I'm considering trying him on veggie burgers this summer since I found a brand I like. I'm also more likely to try to feed him protein during lunch and snack times since it's a bit simpler at those times of day I find.