My friend wants to be a vegetarian but....?

Question

her mom will not let her because she thinks she isnt going to get enought iron and she is going tto have to buy her all kinds of crasy expensiv efood. any advise?

Answer 1

yeah. i was a vegetarian for two years. and there are a lot of ways to get iron and protein. peanut butter has some protein and a lot nuts do too. umm you can also get iron in beans, raisins, hot cereal, or if she doesnt like any of those food she can take iron supplements.

hope this helps

Answer 2

Tell your friend to borrow library books about vegetarianism, and learn how to combine starches to get complete proteins, iron, zinc, and calcium in her diet.  THEN approach her mom again, armed w/ knowledge and a sample meal plan that shows her mom  what kind of changes would be made, and that no crazy food is required.

For example... she could write a brekfast menu that her family would normall eat: oatmeal, sausage, scrambled eggs, toast .... then modify it and show her mom she'd still eat the oatmeal, eggs, and toast, thereby getting protein and iron.

For supper... write a menu that your mom usually cooks, such as Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, Garlic Bread, and Fruit... and show her how you'd still eat the potatoes, green beans, bread,and fruit, but add some  yogurt to get your protein and calcium.

If her mom knows she's being responsible about it, and not just stopping eating meat, Mom is more likely to go along with it.

Answer 3

iron? protein is what you should worry about but neither are hard to get. and the food is  WAY less expensive than a steak, or any other meat for that matter. my friend had this same problem, can't parents be so insensitive?

Answer 4

Your friend should do some research first (to find out how she will get all the nutrients she will need) Most parents are appreciative of the effort and can see that this isn't a one week thing that will cause them to buy tons of food no one will ever eat.  Your friend should also take the time to explain why she wants to make this change.

I think she should also start small. Substitute certain meats from her diet with other non-meat foods over a period of time.  Maybe decide to give up hamburgers for salads one week, and turkey sandwiches for peanut butter the next. (That will be easier for her and her family than a sudden no-meat crusade)

Answer 5

The simple fact is that if you are still under the care of your parents and are a minor, you have very little real say in your diet. So tell your friend to accept the meat in her diet for now. She can eat a bit less, but can't simply avoid it, she needs the nutrients. When she's older and has her own place or at least is making some money and can contribute to groceries, then she can become a vegetarian is she wants.

Answer 6

A simple clue...well, let we ask the st*pid animals from WHERE they are getting their IRON!

Answer 7

i am a vegitarian. you get plenty of iron and protien and calcium (seeing that i am perfectly healthy). all stores have veggie soy meat, and if your friends doesnt like that, beans, nuts, anything like that is always  good.

Answer 8

There are plenty of good vegetarian sources of iron. They include black beans, bran flakes, cashews, Cream of Wheat, garbanzo beans (chickpeas), GrapeNuts, kidney beans, lentils, navy beans, oatmeal, pumpkin seeds, raisins, soybeans, soymilk, spinach, sunflower seeds, tofu, and tomato juice.

Although the specialty vegetarian products are more expensive, these are not necessary for good health. Your friend can be very healthy by eating fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, and grains. Just use the fake meats to splurge once in awhile. I hope this helps!

Answer 9

With the price of red meat these days, I think its best for everyone to find an alternate source of iron. Also, I'm sure her mother knows that it isn't healthy to rely on ONE type of food (meat) to get iron, protein, etc. (Example: Some vegetarianss rely on soy products to get iron, and some omnivores rely on meat.)

There really is no crazy food, but I believe her mom should buy beans/lentils, nuts, fruit, veggies, & whole grains like rice, quinoa, and whole grain breads. BUT all of this should be part of her mother's diet as well! I also  do believe that if your friend wants to have veggie burgers/dogs, and other fake meats and such, she should buy them herself. I'm 13, and while I dont eat them very often, thats what I do.

Good sources of iron are:

tofu, legumes (such as lentils, lima beans, chick peas, split peas, and red beans), dark leafy green vegetables (such as asparagus, spinach, chard, and beet greens), whole grains (such as bran, oats, whole wheat, and bulgur), mock meats, and dried fruits (including prunes). Vitamin C helps the body absorb iron better so consuming iron-rich foods along with foods high in vitamin C such as citrus fruits, berries, red bell peppers, tomatoes, and broccoli can help you get enough iron. In contrast, tea inhibits the absorption of iron.

Answer 10

her mom is right.

she should keep eating meat

Answer 11

tell her to take an iron supplement, such as centrum.

Answer 12

I consider myself vegitarian even though i live in a meat eater house.My parents don't let me skip the meat portion but they allow me to eat just a small portion of my meat/fish portion. There are other non expensive ways to get iron, just look on nutrition facts. you only have to get 2g of iron a day. just use this advice and get her to talk to her mom about this. Good luck to your friend!

PS. negotiation is key with parents.

Answer 13

uhm.

well,

i think if she eats meat now,

she should keep eating

maybe not as much