Veg*n Breaking the news...

I used to love meat too! But have now been a succesful vegetarian for almost 5 months. I told my mum in the supermarket when she was buying the meat for sunday lunch, I asked her if I could have something else for dinner as I had decided I didn't want to eat meat anymore. She laughed at first and said "yea right" but then when she realised I was serious we chose some veggie meals together. So I guess what I am trying to say is, once they see you are serious about becoming a vegetarian hopfully they will support you. I really used to like eating meat though, my family eats meat pretty much every night but that doesn't mean that I have to, I generally eat the same meals but I have a veggie substitute such as veggie sausages. Good luck with telling your parents and becoming veggie, please post back here and let us know how you got on!

I am gonna give it a weeks trial! If I am feeling great by the end of the week and I know I can do it then I will carry on if I don't I will still eat meat but not as much as I used to. I'm sure I'll like it though!

It might be tough to do, but just taking a deep breath and getting it over with usually helps in the long run. Then your stomach doesn't twist for so long with anxiety! Best of luck!

I bacame a vegatarian at the age of 13. I think everyone thought it was a faze because I was so young. That was ten years ago. lol THink about why you are doing it so that you can strongly support yourself when asked. Hold your head up high and be prepared for some people to not get it. I have never put anyone down for eating meat and I expect the same consideration because I do not. I'm not sure of your age, but if you still live at home, remind them that you can eat plenty of side dishes-it isn't as though they to took a seperate meal for you. Ask for things in the grocery store that you can cook or ask to make a all vegatarian meal for dinner or lunch. There are great cook books out on the market. Your family may be surpised how good some of the recipie's are. Most importantly, make sure you consult your doctor aand or visit a nutrionalist (sp?) A person cannot live on bread alone!

oops..sorry have to "cook"

My parents were very understanding about it. I still got a few taunts and waving meat under my face from my brother, but well he's my brother LOL. Bob was part of the reason why i've now been a vegitarian for 3 months. He told me I couldnt last three weeks, which made me determeined to show him I could. Hehe I did it too.

Don't wait too long because you'll just feel so ill and nervous that you'll end up giving up on the idea. Just do it and get it over with, you may be surprised how it turns out.

Emma

HowietheGreat said:

I bacame a vegatarian at the age of 13. I think everyone thought it was a faze because I was so young. That was ten years ago.

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My old orchestra teacher said the same thing to me. Well three years later I'm still a vegetarian.

My parents supported my decision and you can still eat healthy and be a vegetarian. If you get a brand called Morning Star in your food stores they have so many cool and yummy things. I LOVE their veggie chicken nuggets!

Just for future reference people will think they're smart if they ask "What do you eat salad all the time?" I get asked that all the time, either as a joke or they're serious which is REALLY scary.

Good luck and just trust that your parents will support you.

Oh and be prepared to get "Well for every cow you don't eat, I'll eat two."

OO I've heard that too!
or "How do you not eat meat? I love meat" it's like good for you but I don't really care how much you love it.

Good for you bcm! Maybe you could offer to cook a veggie meal once a week, as an ice-breaker?
I know when I was twelve, and wanted to become veggie, my parents were unsupportive - though my mum told me I'd have to cook all my own meals if I wanted to eat differently to them. I lasted a wee while - but I think that was too much to ask of a twelve year old.
Good luck!!

Hehe I was 12 or 13 when I went meatless, and was living with my mom and bro at the time. My brother sure made fun of me, and my mom was initially totally against it, thinking I'd be "deficient in protein" and stuff. I ended up reading tons of stuff from the library about human nutrition, animal rights, vegetarianism, etc and quoting facts at her when she started up, but she also though I'd hardly last a week. I lasted way longer, as I went vegan at 18 and am turning 21 in July. At first it was difficult, and I kept having to remind myself that the yummy-looking stuff on that plate was some tortured animal's corpse and not food, but after a while the idea was as repulsive as killing a baby to eat her or chomping on my brother's arm.

Depending on the parents' usual recipes and budget, they can easily accomodate you. Offering to cook new veggie dishes from time to time is great, but it doesn't take much effort to leave the ground beef out of their spaghetti sauce or add TVP instead. Variety in your diet is good, of course, but don't feel like you have to rush into eating sprouts and tofu and tempeh and all that stuff right away if you're not used to it. (I actually just about never eat sprouts, don't cook, only eat tofu if it's pre-flavored or cooked by someone who can cook tofu well, and haven't really had tempeh much at all.)

Good luck to you Becky cavy mad. As long as you make the effort to stay healthy and to help plan your meals, I doubt your parents will care.

I became vegetarian at the age of 10. My mom also thought I was going through a phase and would grow out of it (she still thinks that even though I'm nearly 28.) She told me that our house was not a restaurant, so while I was free to eat or not eat what I wanted, she wouldn't cook anything special for me.

Someone else posted that you can fill up on side dishes. I would caution you about doing that, and encourage you to get your parents' participation in your diet so that you don't have to rely on side dishes alone. Filling up on side dishes is what I did for many years, and as a result, I never really got full from my meals. I ate a lot of junk food, and develped a weight problem that has plagued me my entire adult life. Changing bad eating habits is very difficult; you should start out doing things right.

Also, someone mentioned that you might want to see a doctor to help plan your diet. I would say that a doctor probably won't be able to help you very much, as they don't get much (any) training in nutrition. If you want a professional's opinion, you ought to consult a dietician. Some insurance companies will actually cover the services of a registered dietician, so you can locate one through your insurance company or through the American Dietetics Association.

Just say you're becoming a vegetarian and that's that.
They don't have to eat your food, what should they care?
There's no health concerns or anything; it's a perfectly reasonable diet choice!