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13 year old DS has decided he wants to be a vegetarian

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  • My dad (a butcher, bless him) dealt with mine and my sister's veggie ways very well. Didn't make a fuss, just adapted meals to suit. He still tends to do the same if we visit (not for me, my veggie days are long gone, but for my sister). He tends to do a lot of things like lasagne, bolognese, shepherd's pie etc, and just replaces the mince with veggie mince. He usually does it for everyone because it's easier than making separate meals.

    For things like Sunday dinner, replace meat with veggie sausages. Red Bisto is veggie so no probs there.

    Stepping away from fake meat, it's probably a good time to incorporate more beans and pulses (not just for your son, but for all of you). Dahl is easy to make, really nutritious, and super cheap; it's really just lentils, water and spices. Homemade bean burgers are always good, and bean salads when the weather is warmer.

    And like others have said, definitely get your son involved with meal planning, shopping and cooking. It's a really good time to get him started.

    Just don't let your son do what I did when I went vegan - basically lived on roast veg, mashed potato and gravy. Then realised I could still eat chips and crisps and veered more towards those... (I was 19 and at uni though so being vegan might not have had much to do with it!).
  • JIL
    JIL Posts: 8,835 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    have a look on this site,
    https://www.vegsoc.org/

    they also give advice on different vege diets.
  • sillyvixen
    sillyvixen Posts: 3,642 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Red Bisto is veggie so no probs there.

    You live and learn - i never knew this. i have just had to google it.
    Dogs return to eat their vomit, just as fools repeat their foolishness. There is no more hope for a fool than for someone who says, "i am really clever!"
  • Get some books, or get him to get some cookery books out the library and start to read. Favourite of my for day to day cooking is Rose Elliot, though I'm not vegetarian any more. I also found the app how to cook everything by Mark Bittman helpfull. Not free for the full version, but there was a smaller version.
  • I wouldn't buy too much veggie food, I did a few months ago when DSD said she was now vegetarian, a few days later when she realised that meant no gravy she changed her mind and I still have a freezer full of Quorn!

    Sarah :)
  • My DD was 14 when she went veggie, so I bought a Linda McCartney's vegetarian cook book for her, but as we all eat veggie a couple of times a week it wasn't to hard to fit it in to general meal times, she occasionally has quorn products, but she isn't that keen on most of it, she doesn't mind some of the Linda McCartney products
    We have meals such as:
    Egg curry
    Curried potato pasties
    Macaroni cheese
    Puff pastry mushroom tart
    Mushrooms en croute
    Mushroom risotto
    Roasted veg risotto
    Cauliflower cheese
    lentil burgers
    Egg and veg fried rice stuffed into in pancakes with or without a sauce
    Fritatta
    Omelettes
    Beetroot and Feta cheese flan
    Lots of different HM soups
    Vegetable cheesy pasties
    Bubble and squeak
    Cheese and onion pie
    Stuffed courgettes
    Cheese and lentil loaf
    Quiches
    Salads
    3 bean vegetarian chilli
    Lentil bolognaise
    Vegetarian lasagne
    And lots of other recipes.
    HM pizzas using vegetarian cheese with things like peppers, mushrooms and olives on the top
    Gnocchi with different veg such as spinach or mixed veg and a tomato, mushroom, cheese or white sauce

    It is easy to make your own vegetarian mozzarella using vegetarian rennet

    One of her favourite meals is a roast dinner with no meat
    She has a sauce instead of gravy
    So roast potatoes, lots of veg, yorkshire puddings and whatever sauce she fancies, which is either mushroom, onion, parsley or cheese usually.
    Be aware that a lot of sweets are not vegetarian especially the jelly sweets and marshmallows so always read the labels.

    Walnut whips and marshmallow fluff are vegetarian so are ok

    Lots of useful information and recipes on the vegetarian society web site.
    https://www.vegsoc.org/
    Blessed are the cracked for they are the ones that let in the light
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  • I bought this book for my veggie son, he's a bit older and already has some cooking skills but it's great for basic ideas like sandwich fillings and sauces...


    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Vegetarian-Nosh-Students-Cookbook-VEGETARIAN/dp/0954317971/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1424903667&sr=8-3&keywords=student+nosh
    Over futile odds
    And laughed at by the gods
    And now the final frame
    Love is a losing game
  • I've been a veggie since I was 11, to the despair of my mother.

    The River Cottage Veg Every Day book was a fiver on Amazon recently- loads of good recipes in there.
    They are an EYESORES!!!!
  • MallyGirl
    MallyGirl Posts: 7,201 Senior Ambassador
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    I am dreading this coming up again in our house. At the moment head is ruling heart for DD (13) as she would like not to eat meat but knows she is really picky with vegetables. OH has just had a doctor's warning about weight and cholesterol so he is keen to eat less red meat at least and generally improve his diet.
    I, on the other hand, don't eat most dairy - I like butter but can only cope with skimmed milk, don't like cheese, hate eggs. I can eat a bit of yogurt but don't go for things like ice cream/custard. I have visions of having to cook 2 meals and it being me seen as awkward.
    I have just downloaded the kindle version of the above book so see if we can find some common ground. I love pretty much all veg (apart from celery/celeriac/fennel) so I hope so.
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  • MallyGirl wrote: »
    I, on the other hand, don't eat most dairy - I like butter but can only cope with skimmed milk, don't like cheese, hate eggs. I can eat a bit of yogurt but don't go for things like ice cream/custard. I have visions of having to cook 2 meals and it being me seen as awkward.

    Do you like dairy substitutes? You could just do one vegan meal for everyone and then you're all happy :)
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