First of all there are vegetarian and semi-vegetarian diets. A true vegetarian eats no meat at all, including chicken and fish. A lacto-ovo vegetarian eats dairy products and eggs, but excludes meat, fish, and poultry. It follows, then, that a lacto vegetarian eats dairy products but not eggs, whereas an ovo vegetarian eats eggs but not dairy products. A stricter form of vegetarianism is veganism. Not only are eggs and dairy products excluded from a vegan diet, so are animal products like honey and gelatin. Some people consider themselves semi-vegetarians and eat fish and maybe a small amount of poultry as part of a diet that’s primarily made up of vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes, seeds, and nuts. A pesci-vegetarian eats fish, but not poultry.
Are these diets ok for children? Following a macrobiotic or vegan diet could lead to nutritional deficiencies in some people. Kids need to be sure their diets include enough nutrients to fuel growth, particularly protein and calcium. I recommend that you talk to a registered dietician.
Experiment with a vegan diet by trying a semi-vegetarian diet first.
- Try one vegetarian recipe a week, in our meal plan we offer several vegetarian recipes per week.
- Eliminate red meat from your diet for one month. Substitute poultry, fish, and beans.
- Great vegetarian dishes can be found all over the world, from Italian pasta dishes, Indian, Thai, Chinese, Ethiopian, Moroccan, Mexican, South American and more.
- Search for vegetarian restaurants in your area. In theDallas/Fort Wortharea we have several vegetarian restaurants, despite being told we are a big beef people here inDallas! If you are in DFW try Bliss Raw Café and Elixir Bar 6005 Berkshire Lane, Dallas 214-368-8585.
- Visit your local Farmers Market and buy organic fresh vegetables.