When your child comes to you with the words: ‘I want to be a vegetarian’ it can bring both fear and apprehension. Lindsay James, a mother of two vegetarian children, explains why there’s no need for concern.
Unless parents are vegetarian themselves, a child’s decision to go veggie often causes panic. As a vegetarian raising two vegetarian children myself I can’t tell you the amount of times I’ve been met with a look of sheer horror on explaining that my kids don’t eat meat. But there really is no need to worry. In fact, being a good vegetarian can be much healthier than being a meat eater – fewer strokes, less heart disease, less high blood pressure, less bowel cancer and less obesity.
That’s not to say that a parent of a vegetarian child can just let them eat whatever they want. As with any child’s diet, good nutrition is paramount, but it’s even more so for vegetarians. If your child gives up eating meat and fish and replaces it with little else other than bread, cheese and junk food then you’ve got a recipe for disaster!
The key is to include plenty of fruit and vegetables, as well as protein from varied sources such as pulses and tofu, and good carbohydrates from rice and pasta. In fact, with a store cupboard packed with all of these ingredients, you’ll be able to whiz up a mountain of meals in minutes!
Need some inspiration? Here’s a selection of great veggie meals that the whole family will enjoy: