Do you remember “The Simpsons” episode when Lisa — the politically active 8 year old — became a vegetarian? It was the same day her mother served lamb chops for dinner after the girl had bonded with a lamb at the petting zoo.
What if your own child suddenly announces, “I’m a vegetarian now”?
“A parent should have a conversation with their child about what their reasons are to be sure that their child is interested in vegetarianism for a legitimate reason,” says Rachel Meltzer Warren, author of “The Smart Girl’s Guide to Going Vegetarian.” “You don’t have to agree with the reason, but it’s important that your child has a responsible rationale for their choice.”
The majority of reasons are understandable. Kids are concerned about the environment, they think it’s a more ethical way to eat, or they simply do not like the taste or texture of meat.
Yet, some young people mistake vegetarianism as an easy way to lose weight or to achieve perfection. These are red flags for disordered eating, which is best to address as soon as possible.
People often shy away from the term “vegetarian” if they’re not 100 percent meat-free all of the time. Warren says it’s extremely common for a teen to be “veg curious.” They experiment with different parts of the vegetarian spectrum without officially choosing one defined label.
For example, there are red meat abstainers, pescetarians who eat no meat but do eat fish, and lacto-ovo vegetarians who eat dairy and eggs, but no meat.
Peaceful coexistence
There’s no argument about the health benefits of shifting to a more plant-based diet, regardless of where on the vegetarian spectrum your child is.
How to survive this change at the kitchen table without the muss and fuss of preparing two separate meals?
• The vegetarian can offer to make the family’s dinner every so often.
• Take one recipe. Set some of it aside to be infused with plant-based protein, and then toss some meat, poultry or seafood into the remaining portions.
• If a recipe calls for ground beef, try French green or brown lentils. These protein-packed legumes are terrific for mimicking the texture of ground meat in stews, chilies and casseroles.
• Tempeh is a good stand-in for cubed meat in stir-fry and curries, or it can be crumbled and used in place of ground meat in casseroles.
Christine Palumbo is a Naperville-registered dietitian nutritionist who is a new Fellow of the American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Follow her on Twitter @PalumboRD, Facebook at Christine Palumbo Nutrition, or [email protected].
Fignana smoothie
This sweet smoothie is a good source of iron and calcium, two nutrients that almost every teenage girl, veg or not, could use more of.
INGREDIENTS:
1 medium banana, frozen
3 large dried figs, stems removed and soaked in water for at least 30 minutes
1 cup plain lowfat yogurt
½ cup lowfat (1 percent) milk
2 tsp. blackstrap molasses
DIRECTIONS: Place all ingredients in blender and blend on high until smooth.
Veganize it: Replace vanilla yogurt and milk with nondairy substitutes such as soy, coconut, or almond yogurt and milks.
NUTRITION FACTS: 390 calories, 6 grams fiber, 18 grams protein, 3.2 mg iron, 0.8 mg zinc, 371 mg calcium, 0.57 mcg vitamin b12, 59 IU vitamin D, 37 mg choline.
Used with permission from The Smart Girl’s Guide to Going Vegetarian by Rachel Meltzer Warren. Sourcebooks Fire, 2014.
