Help me support my DD’s effort to not eat meat
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Anonymous
| My 12 yo DD two weeks ago stopped eating meat, for animal welfare reasons. She is a big eater and a food lover, so I know this is really hard for her. I am so proud of her and would like to support her as much as I can. Unfortunately we still cook with meat at least once a week and even though I try to plan an appealing vegetarian/pescatarian option for her, it is often haphazard and poorly cooked. I guess because I work full-time I haven’t been able to dedicate enough attention to rethinking our grocery shopping and meal plan. Anyway, to others who have been through this, what should I be doing to support her? Any specific tips for making the shift, any books we can buy, any reward system that might help? Thanks! |
Anonymous
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Can she search pinterest for recipes that she thinks she would like to eat and help provide input on the shopping list/menu planning for the week?
The only way my (all carnivore) family gets decent balanced meals is if I plan it all out on the weekend and then just stick to the plan. Otherwise, I run late and there isn't anything defrosted or prepped and it's pizza delivery or frozen fish sticks and tater tots - and nobody prefers those options. |
Anonymous
| Have her make her own meals or cook for everyone a few nights a week. |
Anonymous
| I would say if you are doing planned veg meals most of the time and are just cooking meat once a week then its ok for DD to eat something really basic that night. Like avocado toast with an egg on, or salmon under the broiler, or black bean nachos or quesadillas, maybe an omelette with veggies in. |
Anonymous
| I decided to become a vegetarian when I was 10 op and as one of 5 kids-I was very much on my own (both parents worked.) First of all-its great you suport her. My parents did not. I’d say easiest is to double up a few meals already being cooked and save for leftovers or reconfigured into fillings for quesadillas or burritos. Trader Joes has some easy frozen veggie meals - and I lived on canned soup for a bit as I navigated my new life. (My family’s meals were cery meat centric.) She can also learn a few easy recipes on her own. Stuffed baked potatoes, chili, pastas of course. Do not worry about protein as long as she’s not vegan as she’ll be getting plenty (and you mentioned pescatarian so I’d say she’s more than covered!!) |
Anonymous
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If she'll eat fish, incorporate more of that.
Beans are your friend too. |
Anonymous
| time for her to start cooking. Win-win. |
Anonymous
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Yes, definitely get her involved. Beans, tofu, seitan, tempeh are all good, easy things that you can substitute for meat. For example, when we have tacos, I make a pot of beef and a pot of beans. If the rest of the family is having grilled chicken, she can have a slab of BBQ tempeh.
And keep an eye on her … lots of teenagers use this as a mask for an eating disorder. It doesn't HAVE to be that way, but it can be. |
Anonymous
This. I had a college roommate who didn't eat any meat. Instead she just ate junk food all of the time. Cereal, candy, chips and other salty snacks, etc. |
Anonymous
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She's 12. She's old enough to start cooking for herself. I was cooking dinner for the family by the time I was 12 because I loved cooking. And I learned a lot about cooking healthy meals that have stuck with me to this day.
The real danger for her, especially if she's already a big eater, is sliding into the too familiar territory of carbs, carbs, carbs all the time. Pizza, pasta, fries. Just because she cuts meat out doesn't mean it'll make her healthier. How about getting several vegetarian cookbooks and plopping them in front of her and telling her to get inspired. |
Anonymous
| Fish is meat, maybe explain what vegetarian means to her while you support her? Surely you don't want her to end up that one pp who posted that she has been a vegetarian for 30 years and it works great, and she has no protein issues because her vegetarian diet includes fish? You don't want people to call your DD stupid like we did here to that pp, do you? |
Anonymous
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What I did when my DD decided to be vegetarian was to sit her down and go through SEVERAL websites with "vegetarian meals for kids" and we made a list on EACH of our phones of meals she liked that had protein.
Then I can pull from those. |
Anonymous
Don't want to be a dick here but a fish is also an animal. |
Anonymous
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Agree with a PP - the biggest danger for vegetarians, especially kids, is relying on carbs and junk food to make up for the satiety of meat.
Have her or help her research recipes after you have her do some reading about how to make sure she’s getting enough nutrition (and the rights macros) as she changes her diet. It’ll be easier since she’s apparently a pescatarian rather than a vegetarian. But that warrants some research into fish and seafood mercury levels and sustainability. It’s great she’s taking responsibility for the morality of her diet; make sure she understands that encompasses more than just not eating cows and chickens. |
Anonymous
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The best way to support her is to teach her how to cook for herself.
If you require different meals due to preference and not health requirements (allergies, diabetes, Chrones, etc) the. You n3ed to learn to cook them yourself, especially if you are around middle school or older. You also need to teach her proper nutrition, and remind her that there are nutrients her body needs, especially during puberty, that she won't get from a vegetarian diet if she does not do it correctly (like eating only celery, carrots, chips and mac n cheese type vegetarian). You do not allow her to flirt with veganism. For a girl that age, it is a stepping stone to malnourishment and eating disorders. She can make that choice at 18 when she goes to college and is past puberty. |