“You’re a What?” When Your Teen Goes Vegetarian
by Leigh Ann Otte
Teenagers announce a lot of stuff.
“I’m going out.”
“I want a car.”
“I hate you.”
But one of the most dreaded phrases of all has to be … “I’m a vegetarian now.” *Gasp.* It’s not a big deal if your family is already vegetarian or maybe even if you tend not to eat a lot of meat. But when you’re used to structuring meals around a pot roast, the idea of figuring out meatless suppers can be daunting. Where do you get the protein? This is a growing kid; is giving up meat even healthy?
Our featured article this week is here to help you out. In “Healthy Vegetarian Diet for Teenagers,” get a quick rundown on the nutrients you need to be thinking about, plus some recipe sources to get you started. Even if you don’t have a teenage vegetarian, you might enjoy it. Most of us could use a fruit-and-vegetable boost. Have you heard of the Meatless Monday movement? You go vegetarian for one day. Couldn’t hurt … unless, of course, that day gets filled with donuts.
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Leigh Ann Otte is the managing editor of MyFamilyDoctorMag.com and a freelance health writer. This information is not meant to be individual advice. Please consult your doctor for that. See our disclaimer here.
Tags: teenage nutrition, vegetarian
May 17th, 2011 at 11:30 am
Hi Leigh Ann, I’m on the side of letting teenagers experiment with diets, but with clear communication and understanding of their expected outcomes. Discussions of proteins, supplements, vitamins, etc. Parents also need to be aware these diets don’t lead to bigger issues such as balemia. Also, thanks for introducing me to Meatless Monday – very interesting site. I had no idea of its popularity.
May 18th, 2011 at 5:45 pm
Thanks, Matt. Good point about keeping watch on their eating habits in general, to make sure they aren’t going extreme with a diet.
Leigh Ann Otte
Managing Editor
MyFamilyDoctorMag.com