What are some tips for a vegetarian beginner?

Question

Im 15 and I recently watched a show that showed what all is in meat products and how they treat the animals that they raise to kill. After that I decided that I wanted to become a vegetarian.... and so far i havent had meat for 7 days. But i know that there has to be more to being a vegetarian than just not eating meat. I was wondering what tips ppl would have for me. I want to do this the right way and the safe way. Thank you to whoever can help!

Answer 1

Consider what you will replace meat with. Rice and beans makes a good protein. Don't over do it with Soy products, but that is also a source of protein.

Answer 2

Hey.

Here are some tips to being a vegetarian =]

Watch out for nasties

Theres loads of hidden nasties in foods these days like cheese, chocolate, jelly etc. They put animal ingredients into food you wouldnt suspect to have, some cheese may have animal rennet, so always check the label. Sweets may have geletine or cochneil in so check the label, and always be on the look out for hidden nasties, and remeber that checking the label is a good idea. More about this here - http://www.vegsoc.org/info/stumbling.htm...

Cook

If your any good at cooking, cooking vegetarian food for you and your family can be quite nice, cook for your freinds and family, and always experiment heres a good recipe site - http://www.vegsoc.org/cordonvert/recipes...

Be creative

Dont stick to the same old "chips and gravy" every night, theres loads of good meals and vegetarian brands out there like quorn, which have loads of recipes, on their site, and its quite a nice substitute you can use in meals - http://www.quorn.com/

Look for the vegetarian societys logo

Its on alot of foods these days, check the label to see if you can find it, if a food product has the label it means its 100% vegetarian.

Go to your local health store

Buy some new ingredients from your local health store, you'll be suprised what veegatrian and vegan food you can buy. There is also loads of great vegetarian food in supermarkets at the 'free from' section, in the freezer, everywhere really.

Eat lots of fruit and vegetables

Get your five a day, make smoothies, cook with veg, get a recipe book and get cooking!

Get the right nutrients

Many people worry that when they stop eating meat and fish, they might be in danger of some nutritional deficiency. This is not the case as all the nutrients you need can easily be obtained from a vegetarian diet. In fact research shows that in many ways a vegetarian diet is healthier than that of a typical meat-eater. Look here to know where for getting the right nutrients - http://www.vegsoc.org/info/basic-nutriti...

Eat happy. Be happy. Live happy.

Tell people about your decsion and that your happy to be a vegetarian, eat all the right foods, and live a good healthy lifestyle.

Much more on information about being a vegetarian here - http://www.vegsoc.org/

Website for vegetarian resturants - http://www.happycow.net/

Hope this helps and good luck.

Answer 3

Here are some web sites with some great vegan/vegetarian food.

http://silksoymilk.com -chocolate and chai flavors are good

http://amys.com

http://organicfoodbar.com

http://gardenburger.com

http://yvesveggie.com

http://sunshineburger.com

http://rightfoods.com

http://veganstore.com -they have chocolate!

http://nakedjuice.com

http://www.cedarsfoods.com/

http://bolthouse.com

http://naturespath.com

http://turtlemountain.com

http://fruitabu.com

http://clifbar.com

Here are some good recipes:

Stir fry- You need cut up tofu, soy sauce, olive oil, steamed veggies, and cooked rice

Get a frying pan and coat it with olive oil. The put the tofu in the pan and brown each side of it. Next, add the veggies. Add a little soy sauce and put in the rice. Mix everything up and then let it sit on the stove, occasionally stirring it to make sure it doesn't burn. After about a minute and a half of that put it in a bowl and enjoy!

Hummus- chick peas, lemon juice, paprika, cumin, black pepper, and any other spices/seasonings you like

Puree the chick peas. Then add a little lemon juice, paprika, pepper, and other spices. Then stir. Serve with a pita, with cucumbers, or on a veggie wrap.

Here are some snack and dinner suggestions:

Snacks:

Celery with peanut butter

Apples with peanut butter

Pita with hummus

Raisins

Amy's Apple Toaster Pops

All natural popsicles

Natural Valley bars

Clif Bar

Fruit Leather

Silk Chocolate Soy Milk

Naked Juice

Apple chips

Dinners:

Tofu Stir Fry

Amy's Pizzas

Amy's entrees

Sandwiches made with Yves meatless deli slices

Tofu Scramble

Gardenburgers

Natural Oven's bagels

Dr. McDougall's Soups and Noodle Soups

Soy Cheese Quesedillas

Veggie Wraps

Whole foods is a great store for vegetarians/vegans, so I recommend grocery shopping there. You also can get a lot of the things I listed above there.

Answer 4

hello =D

i am 14 and have been a vegetarian for nearly two years. =).

here are some sites you could use for help :

http://www.vegsource.com/lyman/beginner....

http://www.fabresearch.org/view_item.asp...

http://www.chooseveggie.com/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kathy-fres...

http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=11967....

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?... (another question from this site lol =D)

also.. erm.. i shop at sainsburys but i think that most food stores provide really good vegetarian substitutes, eg.. quorn.

=D

good luck on being a vegetarian.

hope this helps. xx

Answer 5

Try  eating some fresh fruits, and different types of salads.

Answer 6

don't eat meat and you're well on your way