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Teenager who is basically eating a vegetarian diet ?
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amother
OP


 

Post Wed, Jan 20 2021, 4:59 pm
And also not such a healthy eater. More of a picky eater.
Before I go to a nutritionist as I have some other issues I am dealing with, can someone advise me good resources , tips for how to make sure she gets what she needs nutritionally. From your experience or any websites or printouts. So that she could also have an idea what she should be eating/choosing without it totally being on me. Really want her to get more nutrients and protein.
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Rappel




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Jan 20 2021, 5:01 pm
I don't know where you live, but whole techina is a wonder-food: it's got protein, it's got iron, it's got a lot of good vitamins. We use it instead of a creamy salad dressing, or in place of peanut butter. It's a great way to sneak in nutrition.
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Reality




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Jan 20 2021, 5:02 pm
Food is a really touchy subject with teenagers. If your child is willing to go to a "nutritionist" that would be step one. This way you can avoid any possible friction and or control issues between you and your teen.

Please make sure you go to a Registered Dietician and not someone who just calls themselves a "nutritionist".
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Eemaof3




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Jan 20 2021, 5:10 pm
Enlist teen in choosing dishes and making them. Mine has been vegetarian for years and is basically in charge of her own food. There are great healthy, tasty recipes out there
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naomi2




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Jan 20 2021, 5:40 pm
Ask her what food she wants you to have m hand. Try to buy new vegetarian options in the house like nut butters, hummus, canned beans, grains, vegetable or legume soups and fresh fruits an vegetables and eggs. Then leave her alone. Toddlers are way picky er and noone worries
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amother
Honeydew


 

Post Wed, Jan 20 2021, 5:41 pm
Vegetarian just means no meat or poultry. Literally my life until I got married LOL
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Teomima




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Jan 20 2021, 5:44 pm
I've been a vegetarian since I was a teen, my sister was since she was 9.

You really don't need to worry so much about protein. The typical meat eater actually consumes way more protein than you need so people get super fixated on trying to feed vegetarians protein-rich meat alternatives and it's so unnecessary. Especially if you're trying to eat healthy, fake meats have so many other ingredients in them.

The best thing to do is eat a nice variety of vegetables, grains (ideally whole grains, and grain alternatives such as quinoa and buckwheat/kasha), legumes, seeds, nuts, eggs, and dairy. There's so much variety available.

If she's a picky eater, start with what you know she'll eat, and work from there. Figure out a way to make it in a healthier way. For example, I have one child who would gladly live off pizza alone. So I make a bunch of crusts from scratch and keep them in the freezer and when she's hungry, she takes one, adds sauce and grated cheese (real cheese, not processed cheese food), and bakes it. As far as I'm concerned, there's nothing at all wrong with that. She's not a huge fan of veggies but she'll eat roasted cauliflower so I make that every week, happy to oblige. I have another child who's not a big fan of fruit but if I make a smoothie out of it (just blended whole fruit, no sweeteners or additives or anything), she'll drink it to the last drop.

My dh and kids aren't vegetarians but since I am, and I hardly ever cook meat for them, my whole family lives a mostly vegetarian lifestyle by default. B"h everyone is healthy and thriving.
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amother
Mustard


 

Post Wed, Jan 20 2021, 5:47 pm
Any idea why she restricts herself to vegetarian foods? I know someone who did this as a teenager, also a very picky eater with not such healthy tastes, and it turned out to be a form of ocd.
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amother
Saddlebrown


 

Post Wed, Jan 20 2021, 6:54 pm
DD deciding she won’t eat chicken or meat either.
She decided to be this extreme after she watched a video showing how animals are shechted.
She’s a very picky eater to begin with. She is also lactose intolerant however I’ve been giving her yogurt and things with cheese and she just has to deal with the consequences.
Once a week I cook a pot of chicken soup with lots of bones. She won’t eat the chicken or vegetable from the soup but she has the broth with some noodles. That’s the extent of her becoming fleishig.
She is low in iron and other vitamins. She is swallowing about 10 pills a day to replace the missing vitamins. She complains about taking all her vitamins but I told her she has no choice if she doesn’t eat well.
Tonight I had chicken and potatoes for supper. I knew some of my kids wouldn’t eat it so I made them pancakes. When dd saw the pancakes she complained that it’s a breakfast food and she wants supper. I offered her the chicken. She chose pancakes. Her loss. I hope one day she matures and will agree to eat all different types of food.
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amother
Honeydew


 

Post Wed, Jan 20 2021, 6:56 pm
amother [ Mustard ] wrote:
Any idea why she restricts herself to vegetarian foods? I know someone who did this as a teenager, also a very picky eater with not such healthy tastes, and it turned out to be a form of ocd.


I did it because of my Fleishephobia. Who knows if cheesecake or ice cream might happen, and it’s only been 2 hours?! 😨
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amother
Bisque


 

Post Wed, Jan 20 2021, 7:23 pm
amother [ Saddlebrown ] wrote:
DD deciding she won’t eat chicken or meat either.
She decided to be this extreme after she watched a video showing how animals are shechted.
She’s a very picky eater to begin with. She is also lactose intolerant however I’ve been giving her yogurt and things with cheese and she just has to deal with the consequences.
Once a week I cook a pot of chicken soup with lots of bones. She won’t eat the chicken or vegetable from the soup but she has the broth with some noodles. That’s the extent of her becoming fleishig.
She is low in iron and other vitamins. She is swallowing about 10 pills a day to replace the missing vitamins. She complains about taking all her vitamins but I told her she has no choice if she doesn’t eat well.
Tonight I had chicken and potatoes for supper. I knew some of my kids wouldn’t eat it so I made them pancakes. When dd saw the pancakes she complained that it’s a breakfast food and she wants supper. I offered her the chicken. She chose pancakes. Her loss. I hope one day she matures and will agree to eat all different types of food.


You force your lactose intolerant child to eat dairy and too bad about the side effects?

Have you spoken with her doctor about giving her all those vitamins? I'm having a feeling you haven't.
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amother
Azure


 

Post Wed, Jan 20 2021, 7:32 pm
My very picky five year old - suddenly after succos - stopped eating poultry and meat. I think it started as fleishophobia but even once we reassured him (we only have him wait 3 hours) he still refuses to become fleishig.
Won’t tell us why. Hasn’t changed his mind in 3 months.
He is very lacking nutritionally - because of his picky ness.
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number




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Jan 20 2021, 7:39 pm
Apparently the main issue with a plant based diet is lack of collagen. So ideally find a way to supplement. If you find a nutritionist that works with teenagers that would be your best bet.
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Teomima




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Jan 21 2021, 1:22 am
amother [ Saddlebrown ] wrote:
DD deciding she won’t eat chicken or meat either.
She decided to be this extreme after she watched a video showing how animals are shechted.
She’s a very picky eater to begin with. She is also lactose intolerant however I’ve been giving her yogurt and things with cheese and she just has to deal with the consequences.
Once a week I cook a pot of chicken soup with lots of bones. She won’t eat the chicken or vegetable from the soup but she has the broth with some noodles. That’s the extent of her becoming fleishig.
She is low in iron and other vitamins. She is swallowing about 10 pills a day to replace the missing vitamins. She complains about taking all her vitamins but I told her she has no choice if she doesn’t eat well.
Tonight I had chicken and potatoes for supper. I knew some of my kids wouldn’t eat it so I made them pancakes. When dd saw the pancakes she complained that it’s a breakfast food and she wants supper. I offered her the chicken. She chose pancakes. Her loss. I hope one day she matures and will agree to eat all different types of food.

As a mature adult who chooses not to eat chicken, meat, fish, or anything cooked with any of the above, I find your comments offensive at best, ignorant at worst.

It's one thing dealing with a picky teen. That's normal. Even a meat eating teen can be a picky eater. There's ways to work around it, to get them more interested in a wider variety of foods, or just let it be and know it'll pass eventually.

But there is nothing wrong with someone deciding not to eat meat. People live perfectly healthy lives as vegetarians. And don't get me started on forcing someone lactose intolerant to eat dairy. It can be physically painful and terrifyingly embarrassing (I find my own lactose intolerance tends to slow down at some times, and flare at others. It's gotten so bad I've had accidents, even as an adult. And you're risking putting your daughter through that?).

Finally, there is no reason she should need to be swallowing ten pills a day. Granted my own iron levels tend to be low, so I try to eat plenty of leafy green vegetables which help a lot. Sometimes I do take supplements (I hate pills but found a decent chewable iron supplement) but that's it. Have you consulted with a doctor about all these pills you're forcing your daughter to take?
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amother
Pumpkin


 

Post Thu, Jan 21 2021, 5:39 am
amother [ Saddlebrown ] wrote:
DD deciding she won’t eat chicken or meat either.
She decided to be this extreme after she watched a video showing how animals are shechted.
She’s a very picky eater to begin with. She is also lactose intolerant however I’ve been giving her yogurt and things with cheese and she just has to deal with the consequences.
Once a week I cook a pot of chicken soup with lots of bones. She won’t eat the chicken or vegetable from the soup but she has the broth with some noodles. That’s the extent of her becoming fleishig.
She is low in iron and other vitamins. She is swallowing about 10 pills a day to replace the missing vitamins. She complains about taking all her vitamins but I told her she has no choice if she doesn’t eat well.
Tonight I had chicken and potatoes for supper. I knew some of my kids wouldn’t eat it so I made them pancakes. When dd saw the pancakes she complained that it’s a breakfast food and she wants supper. I offered her the chicken. She chose pancakes. Her loss. I hope one day she matures and will agree to eat all different types of food.


It sounds like you're in a power struggle with your teen. That's never healthy for your relationship.

If she's already a teen then what she eats is her business not yours. If you only want to make chicken, then only make chicken, but allow her to prepare something else for herself. That teaches her to take responsibility for her choices, and may teach her cooking too! With no power struggle.
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Achava




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Jan 21 2021, 8:15 am
You dont need to eat meat for protein. My parents raised me vegetarian because it’s easier to keep kosher. I was vegan at 12. I don’t have any problems with it. I am also picky. I’m sure they’ll be find as long as they are eating in general. Don’t shame what they like to eat. As long as it’s real food.
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imasinger




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Jan 21 2021, 8:23 am
You asked for tachlis, OP. Here's some.

https://www.unlockfood.ca/en/A......aspx

https://www.eatright.org/food/.....teens

https://vegetarian.lovetoknow......agers
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elisheva25




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Jan 21 2021, 8:44 am
amother [ Saddlebrown ] wrote:
DD deciding she won’t eat chicken or meat either.
She decided to be this extreme after she watched a video showing how animals are shechted.
She’s a very picky eater to begin with. She is also lactose intolerant however I’ve been giving her yogurt and things with cheese and she just has to deal with the consequences.
Once a week I cook a pot of chicken soup with lots of bones. She won’t eat the chicken or vegetable from the soup but she has the broth with some noodles. That’s the extent of her becoming fleishig.
She is low in iron and other vitamins. She is swallowing about 10 pills a day to replace the missing vitamins. She complains about taking all her vitamins but I told her she has no choice if she doesn’t eat well.
Tonight I had chicken and potatoes for supper. I knew some of my kids wouldn’t eat it so I made them pancakes. When dd saw the pancakes she complained that it’s a breakfast food and she wants supper. I offered her the chicken. She chose pancakes. Her loss. I hope one day she matures and will agree to eat all different types of food.


Op I agree with your approach . I would do the same .
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Achava




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Jan 21 2021, 9:02 am
elisheva25 wrote:
Op I agree with your approach . I would do the same .


I don’t agree with this. It can cause more disordered and unhealthful eating. Some, People don’t want to cook a million meals for different members, no. But between the option of vegetarian pancakes and chicken. The unhealthful and personal option would be chosen. Best to make more variety of vegetables that everyone can enjoy. If she continues not to opt for your choice what happens when she opts for nothing at all? I don’t think this is what you want. I am speaking from experience, and maybe try cooking together or making new meals.
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nylon




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Jan 21 2021, 9:09 am
A vegetarian diet is perfectly healthy. Vegan requires a bit more planning (still healthy, just more work since you can't simply whip up an omelette).

I will say that restrictive diets can sometimes be a way of camouflaging orthorexia or other eating disorders in teenage girls so that is worth keeping an eye on.
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