I'm a 12/13-year old girl and my parents won't let me be a vegetarian?!?

Question

Most of the time, when I eat meat, I feel disgusting...like I can imagine the animal's pain and it makes me feel gross and nauseous...Please help! My parents think I won't get enough iron and other nutrients if I'm a vegetarian. My older sister tried out being a vegetarian when she was 15 (she's 16 now), but she couldn't continue because she wasn't getting enough nutrients. My parents think I'm going to be like her, and not get enough nutrients, so how can I convince them? They think not enough nutrients equals a stunt in my growth. By the way, my family doesn't have much meat as it is (just two times a week, or three at the most), but I really would like to make it NO meat at all. I've already promised them that I would eat plenty of beans, yogurt, eggs, peanut butter, etc. to get enough protein. What are your opinions? Please help! Thanks ;]

Answer 1

ive never really eaten meat my whole life. you just need to take vitamins to make sure you get what you are missing from not eating it.

Answer 2

Do you think that on the occasions that your family does have meat as a meal, if you agreed to eat beans or tofu or some other "protein" substitute, that they would agree? You say you are willing to eat whatever it takes to avoid meat, and that is KEY to being able to handle it all and still get the proper nutrients. Try heading to the library and checking out some books on vegetarianism so you can read them yourself and then offer points to your family to reassure them you will get the needed nutrients. I did it at 16 and my family ate meat EVERY night, so it wasn't easy and they were not happy with me, but we all made it through the transition :) Good luck! (btw, have to add that I am not a vegetarian now, just refrain from eating *most* meats)

Answer 3

Either you have to take matters into your own hands and go to the store to buy your food and then cook it when you get home, or you can ask your parents to help you be a vegetarian. I would think the second option is better.

I don't know many parents who would intentionally torture their kids with something they don't want and don't need - in this case, meat. Chances are they simply don't know what healthy foods are available to vegetarians since they never tried it or have seen someone try it successfully.

Your sister obviously wasn’t much help since she didn’t have the information she needed to be a healthy vegetarian. It takes lot more effort than eating cheese pizza and french fries for every meal or ordering a normal dinner, minus the meat. You would have to eat foods IN PLACE of the meat, that would also provide the same nutrition meat would. Nuts, beans, tofu, lentils, etc.

You also have to modify your diet for the things you eat with the replacement for meat as well. A peanut butter sandwich can’t simply replace a ham sandwich, for instance. The only way to get similar protein levels is to have the peanut butter sandwich on whole grain, whole wheat bread.

These are the types of things you have to research and you should ask your parents to help you with it!

You can read through this and take some advice to your parents:
http://www.vegsource.com/

You may want to look at this page too and show them some of the statistics:
http://www.vegsource.com/how_to_win.htm

There are magazines you can subscribe to, cookbooks you can buy and Web sites you can go to that have recipes and health advice for vegetarians.

If you still need some backup, remind them that millions of people have lived for thousands of years on vegetarian diets (including kids!) and are still among some of the healthiest, longest lived people in the world. These are, of course, the Hindus and Buddhists of Southeastern Asia & India. Being a vegetarian in these cultures is a standard way of life, not an exception like it is in the rest of the world.

Answer 4

I went vegetarian when I was 13. I don't worry about eating all the nutrients I need, because animal products like dairy contain almost all the same protiens and nutrients as meat. I had a blood test at the doctors six months afterwards, and they said I was even healthier than I was before! try to take an iron supplement, though. but make sure it has no omega-3 fatty acids because most of them come from fish.

Answer 5

Sorry sweetheart, but when your parents are paying for you to eat, you really don't have a choice.

Not to mention, you're only 13. My parents wouldn't let me do ANYTHING at 13, and I haven't followed through with a single thing that I wanted at that age, except my career. I always said I wanted to be a chef, and I'm in culinary school. I made the decision to come to this school at 21, and they still didn't believe me.

Try researching it, print it out, and talk to your parents about it. If you show them how willing you are to go the extra mile to get all the nutrients you need, you may be able to sway them.

If not... well... you're only living in the house for 5 more years. Buy some pepto and look forward to when you are buying your own groceries.

Answer 6

Research vegetarianism and present them with your findings. Prove to them that vegetarianism is a healthy way to eat and even offer to cook a few meals. I proved to my parents that I knew enough and then they were okay with it.
All nutrients are available to vegetarians as well as meat-eaters just in different sources and amounts. Good luck. I'm on my second year of being a vegetarian and I am very healthy,fit and feel good.

Start by checking out books from the library and getting info. Also show them a few meals you can prepare and eat. It will work!

Answer 7

When I was a meat-eating child, I was always told to eat my greens for iron... but anyways, research the web, get a doc, nutritionist or school nurse on your side to talk to your parents. Most health proffesionals nowadays agree that meat is worse for you than the cholesterol-free plant based proteins you could eat instead. Tofu and soy products often have loads more protein per serving than meat too and nuts, seeds and dark greens will provide all your calcium, plus tofu and soy milk/yoghurt usually have loads of calcium and vitamins added. If you were eating dairy yoghurt and eggs, you won't even need to worry about B12 :-)

Answer 8

Well, I have to agree with your parents. There are certain amino acids and nutrients that are ONLY found in in lean meat and such. I honestly cannot tell you how to convince your parents, but, if you can't convince your parents, hopefully I can help put your mind slightly at ease.

The thing with me, you'd think I'd be vegan the way I go on about animal rights, but, I eat more meat than anything else. The way I see it, the animal is already dead. By not eating it, you are just letting it go to waste and die in vain. The slaughterhouses have quotas they have to meet, and if one person doesn't eat meat, well the animal died anyways, and just doesn't get eaten. Human are omnivores, we're born to eat meat. However, what you can do is buy meats from places that are humane. But, if they make you eat meat, just remember that its already dead. No amount of staring at it will make it not dead. The least you can do is make sure its life is not in vain, and get life from it.

Answer 9

I have been a vegetarian for 15 years (since I was 16) and both of my children have been vegetarian since birth and we are all are perfectly healthy. Consult a pediatric dietican to ensure that you are meeting your protein and iron needs. If your parents allowed your sister to become a vegetarian it may be possible with the correct information to negotiate at least a trial of non-meat eating.

Answer 10

Same thing happened to me. Just wait to turn 18 and go all out if you want however you can go around this by making sure you only have meat for dinner (one meal a day is better then all) or you can make it every other day by having pasta with greens for some dinners and have no meat for that day. Just be creative and think of other meals you can have without meat and just cut back as much as you can.

Answer 11

Tell your parents that you can take vitamins and supplements. I know plenty of vegetarians (including myself) who are healthy and get protein from nuts, eggs, and beans like you mentioned. My mom doesn't really care that I'm a vegetarian because my dad's a vegetarian, so she can't tell me that I have to eat meat. Maybe you should try to convince your mom to become a vegetarian.