Want to go veggie

Sorry if this has already been posted, but I'm 16 and want to be a vegetarian but i'm having some problems.

1. I love the taste of meat... like bacon, steak, burgers, chicken, and pork chops, barbecue. but i hate the way animals are treated because it's sick and disgusting
2. My whole family eats meat. even my aunts, uncles, and grandparents. and i'm pretty much bound to the diet because i don't buy the groceries.
3. The school doesn't really have vegetarian alternatives. I know because my friend is muslim and the only meat she can eat is fish. but every day she buys the lunch and just eats the french fries and stuff.
4. I heard that tofu tastes gross
5. Where do you get protein from. I heard it was beans, but i don't really like beans.

I'd appreciate some help with this, because i really would like to be a vegetarian.

 

You'll get over it.. you might miss/crave it for a while, but if your convictions are strong that will become a non-issue soon. There are lots of goooood imitation "meats" out there that are pretty satisfying and are especially helpful during the transition.

Sorry, can't help you there if your family's not on board and you depend on them to eat. Best thing you can do is educate yourself on all the aspects of a veggie lifestyle, especially nutrition. Have your facts ready to go so at least you can back up your arguments if they are resistant.

Non-suppportive family aside, is it at all possible to pack your own lunch? Although I'm not in school anymore, if I know I'm going to be somewhere that won't have any "acceptable" food options for me (i.e. - nothing but iceberg lettuce lol), I bring my own.

You heard wrong. Yeah, if you start scooping it raw out of the package, that might be pretty gross, but with Tofu there is nothing you can't do

Beans, legumes, tempeh, tofu, seitan, nuts, nut butters, avocado, the list goes on. You don't have to eat plain beans out of a can.. there are a million kinds of beans, I'm sure you'll find something you like.

There is soooo much info out there for new veggies these days. Google is your friend You'll probably be able to find a ton of stuff at the library, too. Most important thing is to do your research and educate yourself, especially paying attention to nutrition. Keep yourself open to trying new foods, that's important for staying on the wagon. It will be tough at times, I'm not gonna lie, especially when none of your friends or family support or understand you. But this is YOUR lifestyle choice, so don't let ignorance get you down. Good luck!

 

There are alternatives of course for protein, tofu actually doesn't taste bad at all if seasoned properly! You'd probably love it with some garlic powder (nummy!!)
Umm, Also there are veggie dogs, and veggie burgers. Which are tofu alternatives that taste just like meat pretty much, especially if you add keg spice.
Your parents may be difficult with this, I'd suggest getting a part time job and buying these alternatives yourself if you are determined to be a vegetarian or explain to your parents your reasoning.
You can also suggest to your school that there are several vegetarians and introducing vegetarian/vegan options would be ideal but there are lots of things you can eat i'm sure. For example vegetarians eat animal bi products so cheese pizza etc is okay. When your parents serve dinner i'm sure there are side dishes, eat those instead of the meat. Introduce vitamin supplements into your diet.

I've been a vegetarian for 3 years now, and I have to say it's one of the best choices i've made.

 

If you want something enough, you'll always find a way. Tofu isn't the only thing out there for vegetarians, I have hardly ever eaten it. Like someone said, either take a packed lunch, but I am sure there will be vegetables at school - healthy eating and all.

 

im trying but had a little bit of meat last night by mistake.. im cutting down 1st not just stopping because it is easyer to slowly cut down then stop straight away.

does anyone else find this ?

 

Well, what helped my transition the most was learning how to cook rice, beans, and vegetables such as broccoli, green beans, peas, carrots, and other such vegetables that are easy to handle. They're good for you too.. Although I prefer fresh veggies as opposed to canned veggies, stocking up on canned veggies for the first two weeks made my life easier. I prepared rice and beans in advance so that I could easily microwave them later and just throw some veggies in a pot for 15 minutes. Stir-fry and steaming vegetables are also fairly easy cooking techniques that require a minimum amount of time.

I'm a broke college student. I don't have the time nor the money to prepare lengthy, but wholesome meals. So I try to keep things as simple as possible, easy on the wallet, but still yummy.

Also, explaining to my family that becoming a vegetarian is something that I want to do for health/environmental/animal welfare reasons and hope that they support my decision. It's easier once the family stops trying to shove meat down your throat at every meal.

Hope I was able to help!

 

Well here we are, a couple years later. I decided awhile ago what I would do, but hadn't followed up in the thread (sorry).
Here's what happened: I couldn't fight the temptation of that sweet, delicious animal flesh. I tried, but what are you gonna do, you know? Not to mention, I like to go fishing and hunting (I don't like to eat fish, but my family does. I usually do catch and release anyway), and it seemed pretty hypocritical. And it's not like I'm making those animals suffer- it's all quite a humane process.
So I try to buy local/organic, and I actively try to make a difference in the world of animal rights. I do what I can, while maintaining a pretty healthy diet. So I'm not a vegitarian, and I don't think I ever will be, but I'm happy with the way things turned out. And This is great advice anyway, especially for quick fix meals!
Thanks everyone

 

I guess it just wasn't for me. And I must say, upon rereading my update, I dig the phrase "sweet, delicious animal flesh". I just crack myself up!! XD

 

I'm on day 3.... kinda experimenting with it, seeing how it works out.