Anonymous wrote:The best way to be a vegetarian and eat well is to not try to replace meat per se. Meat replacements are usually pretty gross and you'll eat better if you just work with the other proteins out there.

That being said, you're in a tough spot because I assume you don't want to cook entirely separate meals for you son. So here's one tip I've noticed about meat replacements:

Almost universally, veggie proteins that specifically claim to be a meat replacement (e.g. "meatless hamburger, vegan chicken nugget") are gross. On the other hand, veggie proteins that don't purport to be meat (e.g. "black bean burger") are comparatively palatable.

I would definitely experiment with TVP (textured vegetable protein) which I think is the base for a lot of fake meat crumbles. It can be added to pretty much any dish as long as the dish is cooked with simmering liquid of some sort. So, for example, a rice pilaf that you're serving as a side dish for the rest of the family could quickly become a main for your son.

Also, Trader Joes has a decent veggie chorizo, though I suspect it is unhealthy. It has to be cut out of the casing, and then easily crumbles.