Guest guest Posted January 22, 2009 Report Share Posted January 22, 2009 Welcome! This group has been very helpful to all members. I am not too informed in regards to protein shakes. But, hopefully I will be able to help with another question I am really impressed with all the animal-consuming parents with veg kids. How open minded and respectful you are of your children. It inspires me in the midst of a Terrible Two tantrum. Cassie " life's a garden, dig it! " Sent from my iPhone On Jan 21, 2009, at 8:19 PM, " MECHELLE " <myshadyboyz wrote: Hi! I am Michelle, I am married with 2 boys ages 7 and 12. I live in Ohio. My youngest son decided to become a vegetarian almost a week ago. He really has never eaten meat. It was always the thing left on his plate. I joined your group to find out more about what he should eat, what vitamines to take, recipies, and to see if there are other things I need to know. My first question, what are your opinions on protien shakes? I had a friend thats a vegetarian tell me they were good for him, but I would like a few more opinions after reading the container. Thanks, and I am happy to be a member! Michelle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 22, 2009 Report Share Posted January 22, 2009 Hi Michelle and welcome! What a wonderful, supportive mom you are! Your sons are very lucky to have you. I seem to send the same post to all new members with your questions, so I will apologize to those who have read this several times. Most Americans eat too much protein. The key to a healthy diet, for vegetarians and non-vegetarians, is to eat lots of whole grains and a rainbow of fruits and veggies every day. You will find that vegetarian meals are not any more challenging than those with meat, though your life will be simpler if you avoid getting in the habit of cooking two meals three times a day. I do what I can to simplify my life: I cook brown rice in my rice cooker on the weekends and freeze dinner-size portions; these can be thawed in the microwave and served with a stirfry (frozen veggies, tofu, sauce) or chili. I cook chili and soup in the crockpot and freeze portions. Freeze dried refried beans, jarred pasta sauce, a variety of whole wheat pastas, whole wheat tortillas and frozen veggies are major staples at our house. If you search the message archives for: " help planning meals " you will see a recent thread on this topic. The China Study is a great book on nutrition, and I recommend that anyone considering becoming vegetarian or looking for ways to be healthier read this book. http://www.amazon.com/China-Study-Comprehensive-Nutrition-Implications/dp/193210\ 0660 You should be able to get this from your local library. If you let us know what types of meals your family likes and what fits with your lifestyle (at my house, dinner must take 20 minutes or less), we will be happy to send you our family favorites. Vegetarian Times Magazine has an amazing recipe archive: http://www.vegetariantimes.com/ Robin --- On Wed, 1/21/09, MECHELLE <myshadyboyz wrote: MECHELLE <myshadyboyz Intro! Wednesday, January 21, 2009, 7:19 PM Hi! I am Michelle, I am married with 2 boys ages 7 and 12. I live in Ohio. My youngest son decided to become a vegetarian almost a week ago. He really has never eaten meat. It was always the thing left on his plate. I joined your group to find out more about what he should eat, what vitamines to take, recipies, and to see if there are other things I need to know. My first question, what are your opinions on protien shakes? I had a friend thats a vegetarian tell me they were good for him, but I would like a few more opinions after reading the container. Thanks, and I am happy to be a member! Michelle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 22, 2009 Report Share Posted January 22, 2009 Welcome. I agree, it's nice to see parents who are respectful and thoughtful enough of their children when they decide to go vegetarian. I know I was met with a lot of resistance when I tried to do it in High School, so I was not when I was at home, but everywhere else... Anyway - since your son is still growing, I would try to steer him more towards more nourishing foods rather than the protein shakes, though he may want/need them at another time, but like someone else mentioned, Americans usually eat too much protein, so he's probably ok (especially if you give him whole grains and foods). At 12, he can also start helping you to cook, if he's not already been helping, so he can learn what to eat together with you. If you are looking for a good book, there is " Becoming Vegetarian " which has a lot of information and updated charts/info on nutritional needs at different stages of life. There's also a few cookbooks for vegetarian kids, geared for about the age of your son (look on amazon for vegetarian kids cookbooks, you'll have a bunch come up). I think it's great that you, and a few others here are supporting your children in this way! Missie On Thu, Jan 22, 2009 at 5:39 AM, robin koloms <rkoloms wrote: > Hi Michelle and welcome! > > What a wonderful, supportive mom you are! Your sons are very lucky to have > you. > > I seem to send the same post to all new members with your questions, so I > will apologize to those who have read this several times. > > Most Americans eat too much protein. The key to a healthy diet, for > vegetarians and non-vegetarians, is to eat lots of whole grains and a > rainbow of fruits and veggies every day. You will find that vegetarian meals > are not any more challenging than those with meat, though your life will be > simpler if you avoid getting in the habit of cooking two meals three times a > day. I do what I can to simplify my life: I cook brown rice in my rice > cooker on the weekends and freeze dinner-size portions; these can be thawed > in the microwave and served with a stirfry (frozen veggies, tofu, sauce) or > chili. I cook chili and soup in the crockpot and freeze portions. Freeze > dried refried beans, jarred pasta sauce, a variety of whole wheat pastas, > whole wheat tortillas and frozen veggies are major staples at our house. If > you search the message archives for: " help planning meals " you will see a > recent thread on this topic. > > The China Study is a great book on nutrition, and I recommend that anyone > considering becoming vegetarian or looking for ways to be healthier read > this book. > http://www.amazon.com/China-Study-Comprehensive-Nutrition-Implications/dp/193210\ 0660 > You should be able to get this from your local library. > > If you let us know what types of meals your family likes and what fits with > your lifestyle (at my house, dinner must take 20 minutes or less), we will > be happy to send you our family favorites. > > Vegetarian Times Magazine has an amazing recipe archive: > http://www.vegetariantimes.com/ > > Robin > > --- On Wed, 1/21/09, MECHELLE <myshadyboyz wrote: > > MECHELLE <myshadyboyz > Intro! > > Wednesday, January 21, 2009, 7:19 PM > > Hi! > I am Michelle, I am married with 2 boys ages 7 and 12. I live in > Ohio. > My youngest son decided to become a vegetarian almost a week ago. He > really has never eaten meat. It was always the thing left on his > plate. I joined your group to find out more about what he should eat, > what vitamines to take, recipies, and to see if there are other things > I need to know. > My first question, what are your opinions on protien shakes? I had a > friend thats a vegetarian tell me they were good for him, but I would > like a few more opinions after reading the container. > Thanks, and I am happy to be a member! > Michelle > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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