Interested in becoming vegetarian...?

Question

I know this gets asked a lot, but I am 15 and interested with the vegetarian lifestyle. I have thought about this on and off for the past 3 or 4 years, and have finally started to look into it. I have a lot of unanswered questions though:
1. What can I eat? I know that I cannot eat meat, but in terms of easy acces things like fast food, chips etc.
2. How can I deal with cravings?
3. What steps can I take towards my new lifestyle? (ex.-transition foods)
4. How can I tell my family? We eat meat on a regular basis and it is an important staple in family gatherings.
5. What are good substitutes for meat in terms of health and similarity in taste?
Of course I have many other questions, so anyone open to sharing their stories of how and why they became a vegetarian would be very helpful. I have done some research and decided that, for now at least, I would like to become a lacto-ovo vegetarian. I am doing this for moral reasons.
E-mail: [e-mail]

I would also like to know about social situations. I do not want to upset my family by not eating meat, even if I feel it is cruel and inhumane. We are very close and I know that it would upset them very much, even though it is such a foolish thing to get into a fight over. Any other advice, tips, and stories are welcome.

Update: I have recently told my friends about what I am pretty positive on doing after hearing your responses, and they were not very supportive. Don't leave comments like "Get new friends" or "Are they really your friends" because they are, and the only reason they said that was because they know that I am anemic and are worried about my iron intake. I told them there were alternatives, but they still don't want me to make a lifestyle change. I am worried to tell my parents though because of the reaction my friends had. I don't know what to say to them and are afraid they will not even make an attempt to support my decision. Also, I was wondering if there were any "code words" for meat that I should look for on labels. Thank you!

Answer 1

we have a lot in common except I am much older then you..I became a vegetarian at 15 as well ..I have 4 sisters and I was at that time the only one who made this decision..My mother(I was 16 when I told her)... told me daily how I would die..and my sisters felt I just wanted attention and were annoyed at the time but thought it was a fad......It took me almost a year to tell them ..I kept feeding the meat to the dogs under the table and found creative ways to hide it.....but then I told them that I had thought it through and it was my life......I am extermely healthy and look much younger then my age ...I am by far the healthiest of my sisters..I do belive this has to do with being a vegetarian......vegetarians on average live healthier and 8 years longer then meat eaters ...today it is easy to be one and there are many more then years ago ..as time went on two of my four sisters became vegetarians and my two sons are vegan since birth, my 2 year old grandon is and my daughter in law...as well as the girls my sons have dated that decided to go that way ..in addition to some friends...so to try to answer your questions..first eat balanced ..1)there are vegetarian meats sold at all supermarkets, whole foods, health food stores.. ..morning star farms and boca, they have veggie burgers, veggie dogs, veggie chicken , veggie bacon etc etc..every traditional meat comes vegetarian including bologno, ham ,pepperoni ..then eat all veggies , salads , fruits... 2)what cravings do you think you will have , I never had any, I guess I kept thinking of the animals 3) read everything you can on it ..there are tons of books in the library but go to farm sanctuary .com on line they will have a lot of info as well 4) your family will get used to it , mine not only did but they learned to make dishes that were delicious and everyone enjoys..one sister makes quiches , my mom makes a veggie meatloaf that is great ..5)as above ... It will not happen overnight but they will get used to it and all will be ok...I am glad I did and have never looked back..I also did it for moral reasons ...good luck and you can write me ..I can help you with more foods..

Answer 2

Good for you for going Veg!
I had wanted to become a vegetarian for almost 20 years before I finally made the plunge, because of family pressure. Everyone told me the usual stuff about how I'd become anemic, etc.
I did so 2 months ago, after 20 years of eating organically and I feel even better w/out meat in my diet.
OK, as to your questions:
1) fast food isn't good for anyone, veg or not. You can pick up some really great premade salads in most grocery stores.
There are also yogurts, cheese and cracker packets in the deli, and some delis make veggie sandwiches. Most chips and crackers are OK, unless you are vegan or using no dairy, so READ LABELS. I got very ill from eating a black bean veggie burger that was made with milk. I should have read the label, because milk is intolerable for me.
2. The only meat cravings I have had are psychological. If I thought of what sort of practices got that meat to the table, the craving dissappeared immediately. Now I don't crave meat at all.
3. Boca Burger makes an excellent ground beef sub--it's in the frozen section and you can use it for chili, spaghetti, velveeta chili dip, etc. Veggie burgers were a staple at my house for a while until I decided to find some delicious recipes and try cooking well and vegetarian for my family.
It also helped a lot to have premade salad fixings in my fridge for when the hungries hit. I like fruit so much more now, too. I eat sliced apples w/ peanut butter, mangos, oranges, grapes, etc. Whatever you like, try to keep on hand.
4. For family gatherings, I'd make sure that I had a rice stirfry or some other really great dish in addition to the dishes that will be served, and I wouldn't discuss it at the meal unless pressed to do so, especially the cruelty issues. People can be very judgemental despite what they don't know.
5. You probably won't miss meat as much as you think, but this may only be true if you are eating plenty of beans, peas, whole grains and pasta. Really read up on how to keep healthy while eating vegetarian!
Good luck.

Answer 3

What can you eat? It depends upon if you are vegetarian or vegan. If you are vegan, then you can't eat meat, dairy, or eggs. If you are a vegetarian, not a vegan, then which type of vegetarian are you? You mentioned that you want to be a lacto-ovo vegetarian, for now. That means you can eat dairy and eggs, but no meat. Lacto-vegetarians eat dairy, but no eggs. Ovo-vegetarians eat eggs, but no dairy. If you're a lacto-ovo vegetarian, then you can eat almost anything without meat.
If you're dealing with cravings, then make sure you're getting enough of the nutrients that are plentiful in meat-i.e. vitamin B12, iron, and protein.
Some good transition foods are meat substitutes, such as faux-logngia (fake bolongnia) or tofurkey (tofu turkey).
Family acceptance is a major issue for a teen who wants to go veg. When I announced to my mom that I wasn't going to be eating much of her food anymore, she went nuts! It's not always easy. It's probably a good idea to sit down with them and discuss why you want to go veg and the steps you will take to ensure that you stay healthy. You might want to consult a nutritionist or a dietician.
Good luck!

Answer 4

1.Obviously not meat, gelatin is boiled tissue, and is in a lot of things, rennet is an enzyme from calves stomachs, used in making some cheeses. If it says enzymes on the ingredients list of cheese, its probably rennet. Since you'd like to become lacto-ovo, you should look out for vitamin D3 in milk. It comes from fish, or more commonly, pigs' skin or brains. Carmine, cochineal, lac, and shellac are all from the crushed bodies of female cochineal insects. Its used to get a reddish, magenta-purple color. The 7-layer from taco bell is vegetarian, and so are burger king French fries. McDonald's French fries have meat flavoring in them, but their fruit'nyogurt parfait is vegetarian. This is just a small list, if you Google it you'll find a lot more.
2.Just think of the animals, and remember that you don't crave the meat, you just crave the savoriness of the meat. Why do we cover meat in sauces, or cheese, vegetables, etc.? Because meat doesn't taste good on it's own. Even if you have a plain hamburger patty, without any toppings, it only tastes good because it was cooked in it's own grease (or vegetable oil). A dry hamburger doesn't taste good.
3.I did it overnight. (Sorry to give short answers , but I have to go now).
4.Find something you like and learn to substitute it in different dishes. I like Boca burgers, and they can go in anything. If you just crumble them they can substitute almost any meat that's ground, and besides putting them in between buns you can make a sauce for Salisbury steak, etc.
5.Read number 4.

Answer 5

I thought about this too, but I decided to start i am no longer eating red meat...just chicken and turkey, so i have turkey burgers and stuff instead of beef burgers. i am doing this for a few reasons:
1. I think it is worse to kill a cow or a pig or lamb, instead of a chicken or a turkey because they are basically outnumbering humans anyway...
and 2. I think its healthier to give up red meat.

If this is your first step, it would be a good start because you wouldn't have to deal with cravings as often and it may satisfy your family.

Good Luck!

Answer 6

Go to your local bookstore or library and check out all of the books they have on vegetarianism. I did a lot of research when I first went veggie and that helped me make sure I did it in a healthy way. One of my favorite books is Becoming Vegetarian by Vesanto Melina and Brenda Davis. Good luck!

Answer 7

I've read that this is a good book to check out:
A Teen's Guide to Going Vegetarian by Judy Krizmanic

Answer 8

Remember that you were born as a vegetarian. You remained so until your mom gave you the first sip of chicken soup.

It is all in your mind. If you need to change and have the will power it is done. Learn to refuse politely.

Answer 9

pinto beans are very good and you soak them overnight and when you have had them a few days and have left overs You cut up an onion and sage and flour and roll them in a small ball and fry them in virgin oil and they taste like fish,{Of course you use a hand mixer}

Answer 10

cutting down on meat is good for ur health, but eating no meat at all is bad, cause it has proteins which r necessary for ur health.