The Veggie “Problem”

As a red meat loving, bacon craving, veggies make a nice colorful splash on the side of my dish type of guy I’m kind of stuck.

You need to know that I do all the cooking in my house. I plan the menu, do the grocery shopping and then do all the cooking. Over the years, I’ve learned what the family does and doesn’t like and can keep the variety going pretty well.

Then two weeks ago, my daughter Emily announced that she wanted to try being vegetarian. I thought this was great for her to try and was very nice these past two weeks not cooking some of her favorite dishes (such as salmon and steak) that might tempt her. I wanted to make it as easy as possible for her to try it during her two weeks.

But, then yesterday she told me that she is going to keep on doing it. I asked her why and she said. “because I kind of like it.”

Now, I FULLY support the idea of being a vegetarian. For me, it is just not something I could do as I enjoy all food and wouldn’t want to limit myself. We’ve always joked about how Emily could be a vegetarian because she has always loved her vegetables, but she also loved fish and meat as well. I suggested to her that she could definitely dial down the meat and fish in her diet without giving it up completely.

But, I’m stuck now because I don’t know what to do and I’ve got some worries including:

  • I want to make sure she gets enough protein and iron in her diet.
  • The idea of cooking almost two separate meals every day is not something I’m looking forward to.
  • I don’t want to fall into the “well we can just make pasta again” trap because that is far from healthy.

I know there are plenty of books, articles and blog posts about this out there, but I also wanted to throw it out to you guys and gals.

While on the good side it’ll force us all to eat more veggies, on the other side this feels like a big old headache coming my way. I want to support my kids in all the decisions they make in life, but I also have to look at how this decision effects me as well.

Advice?

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C.C. Chapman is the Founder of Digital Dads and the Author of Content Rules. He is a family first entrepreneur with two great kids (a boy and a girl) who loves the outdoors, cooking, photography and playing with technology. He consults with companies around the globe to help them embrace the new world of marketing and business. C.C. is a sought after speaker, photographer and content creator who looks forward to each day as a new adventure.

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  • http://www.skypulsemedia.com/ Howie at Sky Pulse Media

    CC I have a bro-in-law who is primarily vegetarian (minus some fish). My sister was but now she eats meat. They have turned me on to a lot of yummy veggie dishes. They aren't stuff that makes the normal carnivores drool but not bad. I do know beans (legumes) and Pasta (often you can find protein enriched) can be a major source of protein. I will find her recipe site on 43things and send you the link. One thing you can do is think about having whatever you make for her as a side dish for you and the rest of the family. Cheers and good luck! Howie

  • http://flickr.com/tracylee Tracy Lee

    Make sure she gets enough vitamin B12!

    http://www.vegetarian-nutrition.info/positions/…

  • John Clore

    Hey C.C., my wife and I have been vegetarians for over two years. We're also raising our little 14-month old to be the same (unless he simply doesn't want to as he gets older). Also, I'm very active in terms of working out, playing basketball, etc. I really don't feel like I miss a thing – maybe a hot dog at the baseball game, but nachos will do just fine. :)

    We use all kinds of soy-based “imitation” products. Fake hot dogs, fake chicken nuggets, fake ground beef, fake burgers, fake turkey, etc. The flavors are honestly nearly as good in most cases, if not better sometimes.

    We always have plenty of protein bars around – that's often the central part of my breakfast after I've worked out.

    Tofu is your friend.

    Certainly nuts of all kinds. Peanut butter, etc.

    I was personally motivated to start this lifestyle because of animal rights, but it has also been a wonderful health decision. I really don't see myself ever going back to meat.

  • http://kherbert.wordpress.com/ Kimberly

    I had a student who made the same choice. Her parents required her to …
    1) Speak to her doctor and a dietician about possible impacts on her health and how to eat a healthy vegetarian diet.

    2. She had to help plan all meals ahead of time (in part to show she was following the dieticians advice). The family was still eating meat, but they tried to plan meals where her veg option used some of the same ingrediants as their meal.

    3. She had to help make a certain number of meals. I know she made her own breakfast, and packed her own lunch. I think she made a full veg meal for the family once a week and had to help 2 or 3 times a week.

    My student was in 5th grade and her Sister was in JH.

  • http://www.pjmullen.com/ PJ Mullen

    After I was diagnosed with diabetes I had to strip a lot of the carbs I had been eating out of my diet. Being part Italian it was tough to go without pasta, but I looked to other grains to fill the void. One in particular, Quinoa, is tasty and actually a great source of protein. If you're interested I've got a great Quinoa salad recipe that I did on my blog over a year ago. My wife requests that I make it for every cookout we have. It is filled with fresh ingredients and holds well for a few days. Let me know if you want the link.

  • http://www.jeffreysass.com sass

    Cool! Congrats to Emily and to you for supporting her. :-) I have been a vegetarian for almost 19 years and I haven't looked back. At various times my kids have and haven't played along. You have some good suggestions in the comments already about Quinoa and other grains, and the myriad of soy based products, many of which impersonate their meat counterparts. Tofu can be prepared countless ways, and comes in many different textures. Tempeh is another great “meat substitute” that is also very flexible. The good news is that even regular supermarkets now have a decent selection of organic and vegetarian choices. When we were cooking for the family and not everyone was on the veggie bandwagon we'd try to prepare “generic” side dishes – salads, veggies, rice, potatoes, etc. that had no non-veggie ingrediants and then make two versions of the main dish – burgers and veggie burgers, chicken and veggie chicken, or tofu or tempeh, etc. All in all, it's not too hard and if Emily eats a varied diet and doesn't get in a rut with the same thing all the time, she should be fine. Plus, it is cool and she will feel good about making her own choice and making it happen. Needless to say, I think it is a great choice! Go Emily!

  • joe

    C.C. How old is she? I think I may be the lone voce of dissension amongst the comments below. But it seems like this decision effects your whole family, and needs to be made with everyone in mind. Having to plan and prep 2 separate meals a day isn't practical, from a financial or a time standpoint. I too shop and make all the food in the house so I know where you are coming from on this point.

    Family meal time shouldn't be about the time everyone gets to spend waiting for you to bring food to the table, it should be about the family being together at the table. How much extra time will this put you behind the stove, vs. behind your plate?

    I believe after reading a bunch of nutritional information in preparation for our new baby that children should eat a balanced diet. If she is making this decision for a social or moral reason it should be discussed with a counselor and a dietician. If she just “likes it” it should be a family discussion about how her choice will effect everyone. How she may need to compromise and eat certain proteins such as fish or chicken so that daddy can enjoy mealtime and not feel like her own personal chef.

  • http://www.thewahdadchronicles.com/ the wahdad

    If you are eating meat and fish 7 days a week you are already rich enough to buy all the off-the-shelf solutions that are available that most of the major chains sell. You just need to dedicate a shelf in your freezer to them. (Costco does a great black bean burger currently by the way).
    We are not a vegetarian family but find ourselves eating non-meat or fish dinners at least every second day because of cost. Lentil pancakes, vegetable pot pie, baked potatoes with cheese and beans, a variety of soups and salads, besides all the Italian-based options, are some off the top of my head.
    There is a big vegetarian market out there that is well catered for now. This is not a problem.

  • Jim DeLo

    CC – my wife has significantly curtailed our family's meat intake because of her own concerns about where most meat comes from, as well as the cost, and I have to say it's been fine. She makes protein-rich food that tastes great and fills me up to the point that I don't find myself missing meat that often. And when we go out to eat I appreciate a burger or steak that much more. When you do want meat at home, there are many veggie-based meals that can be accented with meat, although that requires preparing your daughter's dish separately, so I love Kimberly's idea about getting your daughter involved in the process. Good luck!

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  • http://twitter.com/planetwifey Planet Wifey

    What a great topic and I am sorry to arrive to the conversation late. Advice?

    1. Make sure Emily is taking a good multivitamin.
    2. If you have Emily speak to a doctor or dietician about her choice, make sure that person is also a vegetarian. Doctors and dieticians are just as steeped in the American culture and its emphasis on protein as the rest of us. We don't actually need that much protein in our diets and there are plenty of great plant based sources.
    3. Don't overdo it on the meat substitutes. These are usually high in sodium. Besides, the point is to change your eating habits rather than just eat the same thing.
    4. Whey powder is a great source of protein. A spoonful in a smoothie is an easy protein boost and a fun meal.
    5. Pasta isn't all bad. The whole wheat kind is tasty and good for you.
    6. You can try the stereotypical vegetarian foods (tofu, portobello mushrooms, eggplant, etc…). These things are meant to be “meaty” in flavor although without the meat. I don't like these myself, but Emily might.
    7. Get creative with your favorite meat-based recipes! My latest discovery is actually a recipe for chicken enchiladas. Instead of chicken I use whatever extra vegetables are at the bottom of our refrigerator (great for an end of the week meal that uses the last of the vegetables). The veggie enchiladas turn out fabulous and you could always make some chicken ones for the non-herbivores in your household.

    I've been a vegetarian since 2003, and in that time I have run thousands of miles, grew a baby, and now I'm feeding a baby. I have managed all of these without easy protein substitutes (I don't like eggs or tofu). I am sure Emily will do great. Tell her to call or email if she wants to talk more about her choices. And yay for a smaller carbon footprint!

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  • http://www.cc-chapman.com/ C.C. Chapman

    Thank you to everyone for the suggestions, support and pointers.

    After a couple of weeks we are still figuring it out, but Emily seems to be doing good which is what is most important to me.

    All of your support was GREATLY appreciated.

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