Feeding A Vegetairn Child In A Family Of Meat Eaters

Cooking for a family of meat eaters and a vegetarian child was difficult in the beginning. I had to ask the pediatrician what to feed my son when he refused to eat meat, cheese and dairy products. As a mom of 4 it seemed like a silly question to ask but I was a meat eater and didn’t know any different. But with time I have been able to cook 1 meal for both types of eaters.

You don’t have to sacrifice taste or texture when creating vegetarian meal ideas. Creating a “meatless” lifestyle can be achieved with some simple substitutions.

* For Meat Texture – try the soybean based Temphe without any animal by product

* Taste – We use Tofu the most. Its easy to find and offers a great variety to your meal.

* Beans ” O.K. not only cheap but the possibilities are endless with the many variety of beans available

* Nuts – great flavor enhancer or snack idea

* Legumes – great for cheap meal ideas, better deals when in season

Keeping some of the basic ingredients well stocked in your fridge and pantry will also help create easy vegetarian meal planning. A variety of basic ingredients can include:

* vegetables and fruits – purchase whats in season to save money

* spices – this is where you can get creative

* whole grains like noodles and/or pasta

* brown rice and white rice

* cereals

* nuts and seed

* beans – beans -beans -yes lots of different kinds of beans (you will thank me for this)

These are just a few ideas. Dont be afraid to be creative when planning your meals. Experiment with different substitutions in your recipes to create new vegetarian meals. And dont worry if your vegetarian diets also excludes milk products there are many soy based products available on the market today that can replace milk, yogurt and margarine just to name a few.

Along with fresh fruits and veggies taking a trip through your local health food store will guide in the right direction in creating easy meals for vegetarians.

These are just a few of the things we have found with variation in our house. Answering the question: “What Do Vegetarians Eat?” should be simple now. They eat everything just with a bit of variation! Find great resources for cooking meals for both types of eaters, vegetarian cookbooks and much more at your local library or on the internet.