Any Vegetarian/ Vegan Teens out there? Need some advice.

I've just become vegetarian recently [[2 days ago]] but it hasn't been easy. I mean, I'm not eating meat or anything but we have enough candy hidden around that I keep going to that to quickly satisfy my hunger. Since becoming veggie I've probably only had one real vegetarian meal. all american boca patty on a whole wheat bun [some ketchup] with a side of corn. Any suggestions out there to help me please!?!

Hey i've been a vegetarian for 6 and a half years. I'm 17 now. So i've been experimenting with veg food for a long time.  My favorites for when i'm busy are any of Amy's Frozen meals, the Indian Matar Paneer is especially good, and also Smart Ones veg choices.  Those are good for when you have like two seconds to get some food after school before running to practice.  On most days, i have oatmeal with fruit for breakfast, an egg white sandwhich for lunch, and a protein shake for dinner with a salad. some staples that i always buy are:

Whole Wheat Sara Lee Bread

Whole Wheat English Muffins

Spinach

Italian Dressing

Egg Whites

Boca Burgers

Frozen Veg Meals

Fat Free Cottage Cheese

Fat Free Yogurt

LOok for foods with a lot of protein (over 10 grams) to fill you up. Cottage cheese is amazing on crackers and apples and really takes away snacking urges.  baby carrots in Hummus are also awesome. Congrats on going veg and good luck!

thank you SOOOO much for the feedback. it's been hard googling and even looking at other boards for info. thank again so much. now i can make a list like my mom said to and we can go shopping @ safeway. she said there's a larger variety of foods there. now to learn what materials i need to make my own earrings......

it may seem hard at first, but really being vegetarian is so simple. if it's a matter of convenience, just think of how many meat-free snacks there are! apples, grapes, baby carrots, pretzels, chips, whatever. as far as meals go, i hate spending more than like ten minutes preparing anything. here are some ideas i use for lunch and dinner:

- tomato/tofutti cream cheese/lettuce sandwich on whole wheat bread (i use tofutti cuz i'm vegan but since you're vegetarian it doesn't really matter)

- black beans and mexican rice in a whole wheat tortilla

- baked potato with shredded rice cheese and chives

- vegan burger with melted soy cheese on toast

- vegetable hummus with tomatoes and lettuce in a pita

- and of course.. pb&j (:

seriously, there are SO many delicious options, and most don't even require meat substitutes (which can unfortunately be expensive). just be creative (: and when worst comes to worst and my family is eating beef roast for dinner i fill my plate up with all the veggie sides and have (soy) ice cream afterwards to make up for the lack of calories.

haha you sound like me when i first went veg!

i eat a ton of fruits and veggies

Beans of all shapes and sizes

I used to eat a ton of hummus but it made me pack on the pounds

I'm an enormous fan of the MorningStar Spinach and Artichoke Veggie Bites

Olives [weird i know] Sliced mushrooms and cheese

Rice, couscous [which is FANTASTIC]

Smart Chili [i think that's what it's called] it comes in a baggie and it's microwaveable and amazing

Hey, I sort of have the same problem.  I've been vegan for a while now but I still have no clue for what to eat especially because I do need to lose a couple of pounds... or 20.  So if anyone had anything to help out with there?  Thanks!

A few other things to consider for eating: Soy cheese (found usually in the fresh vegetable section, lentils, black beans, lima beans (fresh limas are more nutritious than canned), Meatless chili, whole wheat pasta with lightly sauteed vegetables like peppers and onions and a light marinara sauce, and eggplant. Mostly, search for foods that say whole grain to give you some extra protein, fiber, and long-lasting energy. Fruits of all kinds are also great. Complex carbs like beans, hearty breads, and high fiber foods like berries will fill you longer than strictly fruits and vegetables. Also, try soy milk. It's a matter of taste for chocolate or vanilla. Good luck!

Yikes!  I did not know that Hummus could pack on the pounds.  I just started a liver cleansing program.  No milk-no red meat-no dairy-no sugar-no alcohol.  I am juicing every morning.  Red cabbage/carrots/broccoli/apple/red pepper and drink with flax seed.  Yummy :(

It's hard to maintain because it is time consuming and expensive.  But...the last time I went on it I lost 17 pounds in one month-my cholesterol went from 298 to 198 in a month and my liver enzymes dropped dramatically. 

My question is does anyone know if I can juice my veggies and keep them in the refrigerator?  To drag out that machine everyday is a pain. 

Debbie

Original Post by thisissunshine:

Hey, I sort of have the same problem.  I've been vegan for a while now but I still have no clue for what to eat especially because I do need to lose a couple of pounds... or 20.  So if anyone had anything to help out with there?  Thanks!

 I'm guessing that your eating too much junk food because eating healthy vegan will make you loose weight for sure.  Those vegans or vegans too be interested in weight lose should definately check out the book "skinny bitch".  It will help you will in the gaps and achieve your goal.  

Maybe make the process from meat to no meat slower....

like still eat meat but cut down more and more each month.

See how it goes.

If you can't not eat meat, well then eat it!

Meats delicious. 

This veggie chili isn't exactly healthy, but it is fast, and it tastes like it should have a bajillion calories in it even though it has under 100 per serving. You could try keeping some in small tupperwares in the freezer, and microwaving it for a few minutes whenever you're hungry for a snack. It's good over a baked potato or some rice with a side of veggies if you wanna make it a full meal.

I'd love to vegetarian.  I was for about 2 weeks before we went to China last year, and then it just kind of died... :( And every time I've attempted it since, something traumatic has happened, which reverts me back to old comfort foods.

 

And, dang-it, I love Chick-Fil-A... if anyone knows they're nugget seasoning recipe, I'm sure it would make killer tofu nuggets...

 

Monica 

Hey! I'm not a vegetarian, but I was looking through anyway, and I can help you with earrings!

The first thing you will need are NEEDLE NOSE PLIERS. They are the best things in the world for making earrings. Most pairs also have a built in "wire cutter" at the base. You can get them from any craft store (Michaels, A.C. Moore, whatever).

Next you will need the actual hooks, which are also available at craft stores. Then you need the wire to put beads on, just look for earring wire at your store.

Then get beads that you like! It's not too hard once you have all the supplies. If you need more help getting started, look online. Here is a really easy project: Bead Drop Earrings

Hey,

Somewhat like you I've only recently converted to being a veg. head. I started about a month, month and a half ago. I'm also completely anal about what I eat so, here are some tips:

No-fat cottage cheese and Melba Toast (100 calories and 1 gm. fat per 10 crackers!)

Look for meatless ground beef and corn-flour tortillas if you like tacos, they're super healthy and taste great with taco mix.

Try making a soup filled with veggies (I use beef stock, mini potatoes, carrots, green beans and mushrooms) - it will fill you right up.

If you're currently trying to lose weight there are great options like Weight Watchers whole wheat bread, 100 cals and 1 gm fat per two slices. Combine that with veggie (not tofu!!) turkey slices and no-fat mayo, delicious!

You can also make veggie, extremely low fat pizza. If you're curious, I'll send you the recipe (uses flatbread, pizza sauce, fat-free kraft single slices, mushrooms, spinach and voila!)

The thing I'm addicted to right now since I have a massive sweet tooth is smoothies. Use skim milk and frozen fruit, and add honey - it's so good.

Another thing you can try if you've got a serious sweet tooth is dried cranberries/cherries. They're not cheap but they're extremely sweet and delicious.

Good luck!

- A

Of course the EASIEST thing to do when you're hungry is to go ahead and snack on candies and chocolates, for  they're not 'meat'.

But try something healthier like fruit for snacks. Grapes work perfectly for me, I could snack on them forever. 

I was a vegetarian for a couple of years when I was in middle and high school and then a vegan for a few months in college.  It's important to make sure you're getting enough nutrient filled foods.  Chips and candy seem like a good idea for a snack, but they are just extra calories that won't do any good for your body.  It's okay to let yourself have them sometimes, but try not to make them an all the time snack.

 One of my favorite things to eat when I was vegan was rice with cinnamon, allspice, and strawberries.  It made a great breakfast.  There are a lot of veggies that are good to snack on.  It might help to have some cut up ahead of time so that when you're in a rush all you have to do is grab them.  There are a lot of really healthy Indian foods that don't have any meat.  Also, if you like anything spicy, here is a good Korean recipe that even my meat-loving husband loves: http://www.desertmodernism.com/blog/2006/04/k orean_braised_tofu.php  ;

Alright well... just because you're suddenly a vegetarian doesn't mean you have to follow some kind of weird eating rules.
No meat, sure.
But any meal without meat is a vegetarian meal :)
Theres lots of good veggie meals you can have.

My favourite at the moment is pasta with sauteed onion, garlic, raw tomato and then crumbled feta on top.
It's just so yummy.
Just because you're a vegetarian doesn't mean you have to eat soya products every night or that you have to eat weird food.
Sorry if i seem offensive, i'm really not i just find it amusing that people seem to think vegetarian meals have to be strange and abnormal.

Think salads or cooked vegetables or beans (wash the sauce off baked beans and you have quick, cheap, pre-cooked beans!).
Salad sandwhiches too!

Hey Mellissa! I'm becming a vege too! (slowly :P)

Just wanted to say thanks to everyone in this thread, its helpful to me too :)

Original Post by restless_girl:
Sorry if i seem offensive, i'm really not i just find it amusing that people seem to think vegetarian meals have to be strange and abnormal.

Think salads or cooked vegetables or beans (wash the sauce off baked beans and you have quick, cheap, pre-cooked beans!).
Salad sandwhiches too!

 I'm not sure if you were thinking of the things I suggested (Indian foods and Korean braised tofu) as strange and abnormal.  I just wanted to suggest that there are a lot of different kinds of foods out there.  Just because you don't eat certain things doesn't make them weird.  There are a lot of cultures that cook with tofu because it is a healthy protein, not because they are vegetarian.  If you cook tofu as a food with its own properties instead of trying to make it into imitation meat, it tastes much better.  I'm not fan of tofu-dogs or tofurkey or the other products that they have, but I have had a lot of dishes with tofu that I really do enjoy.

 The pasta dish that you suggested would have very little protein in it.  As a vegetarian, you do have to look out for protein.  Sometimes trying a new dish (for example, something from a different culture, or something with tofu) just might give you a delicious and healthy meal.  Maybe you should try it sometime.

 Also, there are many kinds of pre-cooked beans that come in a can.  If you don't want the sugary sauce that is on baked beans, you can just buy a different kind of bean.  Of course, it might mean trying something new. 

no wonder you're hungry- the sugar in candy bars breaks down quickly leaving you feeling hungry faster.  Try eating whole grains, fruits and veggies as snacks.  The carbs in whole grains take longer to break down and you won't want to snack as often.  It's not hard to eat veggie- I've been one for four years now- just eat whatever you normally did and substitute some other source of protein instead of meat.  (Like beans, soy-based foods, yogurt, tofu, and everything else people have already suggested).

I love all kinds of Morningstar Farms foods... they're just so tasty.  And Boca burgers.

congrats on being vegetarian! 

I've been vegetarian for over 4 years. I was vegan for over 3 years and recently went back to being lacto-vegetarian. If you can cook, even basically, it is very easy. Veggie burgers, meatless meatballs, veggie crumbles in pasta sauce to make meatless meat sauce, vegetarian frozen chicken nuggets--these can be healthy and tasty meals. Tempeh and seitan take some cooking skills but they are delicious. If you can learn to like tofu, try stir fries. There are many veggie recipe sites you can find on a search engine. Veggie foods, like semi-prepared frozen burgers and nuggets may seem expensive but consider the cost of meat and the cost of junk foods, then cut the junk foods and being veg/vegan is not expensive at all. Yogurt if you do dairy can be a great food, but remember that the bodies ismore phlegmy when one consumes dairy so cutting back on it can have its benefits. Beans (kidney, chick pea, black, pinto, even refried) are good protein sources and are good with rice. Anything without meat is in, so it's easier than you might thing. Check out the natural foods section of your grocery store and see what's around. You'll find a lot of healthy veggie foods that take very little effort.