Tips on becoming a vegetarian?

Question

Ok, so i have wanted to become a vegetarian for a longggg time, but its hard because i actually like the taste of some meats, like some chicken, and hamburgers....buuuuuut i really believe in animal rights...that might sound bad....also i am only 16 so i still live with my parents and my family cooks meat in alot of meals so what should i do for that? And what kind of foods should i eat to stay healthy and get protein...Any kinds of tips will help!!!

Answer 1

The best source would be a nutritionist or doctor. If you are going to make the change, talk to your doctor and he or she can give you the best tips and diet since they are professionals. Make sure you consume iron from raw green vegetables and to help with iron absorption eat a lot of vitamin C--one example would be from an orange. Just eat lots of fruits and vegetables and find protein in other foods such as peanut butter. Possibly even take a vitamin to help. Good luck :)

Answer 2

Many meats do taste good. I agree.

I suggest asking your parents to buy you some of the fake meats, many of which taste quite good.

Quorn brand has some really great fake chicken and turkey items. Gardenburger, Boca, and Morningstar Farms all make a huge variety of burgers. You're bound to like at least a few of those. Morningstar Farms and Boca also make a fake ground, similar to ground hamburger, which is great for making tacos or to put in a pasta sauce.

When your family cooks meat in meals, all I can suggest is that you ask them to make a small dish of a vegetarian version for you, or to try some meatless meals now and then. As I'm sure you know, you can't ask them to alter their entire lifestyle to suit yours. If you go light on asking them to change, they are more likely to be supportive of your choice to, anyway. If you think they might be wary about your choice, direct them to ask any qualified dietician, who'll tell them that a properly done vegetarian diet is very healthy.

As for protein, the above suggestions are all excellent sources. Of course, they are also almost all rather high in sodium, and really aren't something you should be eating constantly. Dark green leafy veggies, such as spinach, are something you'll definitely want to start eating more of. Peanut butter, so long as you're not allergic or something, is a great protein food, as are really any nuts and beans.

Provided you only intend to become a vegetarian and not a vegan, milk and eggs are a good source of protein, also.

I suggest you google vegetarian recipes. Though I hate peta, you can find some great ones and a resource guide on their website. Peruse through what you find to see what you might want to try to cook yourself, or show your family.

Good luck.

Answer 3

Dont worry about sounding sad, i have thought about becoming a vegitarian for about a year now because of my brother doing it and i still havent gont through with it. As for your family just tell them guys i really want to become a vegitarian. Unless your family wont let you practice your own beliefs they will go for it, and when they cook meaty meals just have them cook something seperate for you. I know it may sound expensive and hard but i am a part of a single parent household barely making it and still find ways to feed my brother. Find good recipies to cook when your family is grilling and it is really simple. As for the protien it is rare that a vegitarian will suffer from a lack of protien, you just have to watch for a low iron level which will cause some paleness. Take some vitamins for it. If your worried about protien then eat a bunch of lentils which have the closest to complete protiens.

You can become a vegetarian, and it will be very easy, just look at the ingrediants and remember that gelitin isnt vegitarian. Remember what ingrediants are vegitarian or not. Buy either fat free refried beans or vegitarian refried beans because normal refried beans are made with lard. Jell-o is made from cow spinal cords (i think). Just watch the labels and you will be good.

Answer 4

Sadly, someone asks this everyday in this section so maybe do a search of similar questions. I don't mean to be unhelpful, but you will find great answers that have already been written many many times before.