Living with a Vegetarian Child

Here are some tips for living with a vegetarian child without having to cook entirely separate meals for every person in the family.

1. Meals that the Whole Family Can Enjoy

All too often, when people think about vegetarian cooking they think about tasteless “fake meat,” plain salads, and soggy vegetables. However, vegetarian cooking can be so delicious that even the most dedicated omnivores won’t notice the lack of meat.

Italian food is a great source of inspiration. Vegetable lasagna is a family favorite even in households with no vegetarians, for example. Pizza topped with sliced tomatoes, mushrooms, onion, and peppers surely won’t make anyone feel deprived. Spaghetti marinara and baked ziti are other delicious meals that will satisfy the entire household.

Indian food is also frequently made without meat, and is delicious for vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike. Chinese veggie and tofu stir fry, Mexican bean and cheese enchiladas, and old standbys like grilled cheese with tomato soup or macaroni and cheese can also make your entire family happy.

2. Meals where Meat Can Be Added Separately

Another option is to create meals where meats can be added separately, giving every member of your family the choice of whether to go vegetarian or not. It’s important to make sure that the meat isn’t the central focus of the meal, and only serves as additional flavor. Some ideas for meals that can easily be made this way include:

Tacos and Fajitas that family members can fill themselves. Let your family choose between filling their tacos and fajitas with a variety of sautéed vegetables or ground beef, steak, or chicken, as well as lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, and cheese.

Chef’s Salads can be served to each family member with a choice of toppings to add. Eggs, cucumber, tomato, nuts, onion, sunflower seeds, corn, croutons, and sliced vegetables can be joined by baked chicken strips, slices of deli ham, and crumbled bacon to meet any taste.

Chicken or Eggplant Parmesan can be prepared by cooking the chicken in a separate pan. Then simply run individual servings of meaty or meatless meals under the broiler for a few minutes to melt the cheese over top, and everyone is satisfied.

By using a little bit of creativity and planning ahead, it’s not difficult to create delicious, healthy meals for a vegetarian child while satisfying the rest of the family as well. Vegetarian cooking goes far beyond boring veggies and wilted salads, and can make delicious and exciting meals for the whole family. Don’t be afraid to experiment – you may be surprised at just how delicious vegetarian meals can be!

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