Eating habits/food choices are changing - help

Parent Cafe
1

<p>D came home from school and announced that she was not going to eat anymore beef, chicken or pork. My friends, who have Ds in the same class reported the same thing. They watched a video about the meat and poultry industries and they were appalled by the conditions…etc. While I think this video had major shock value and the girls may want to start being more mindful of their food choices, I wonder for how long? I’d like to use this as a chance to inform myself and D about healthier choices and on eating well especially since she’s a junior getting ready for college. We already don’t eat much beef (DH doesn’t eat it at all) but need to be more creative with veggies and fruit. Also, which non meat foods provide ogood protein? </p>

<p>Any ideas how we can do this? Cookbooks? Websites?</p>

2

<p>I picked this up at Whole Foods</p>

<p>[Nutritarian</a> Handbook | Eat Right](<a href=“http://www.eatrightamerica.com/store/books/NutriHandbook]Nutritarian”>http://www.eatrightamerica.com/store/books/NutriHandbook)</p>

<p>It was the inspiration I needed to transform the way I eat. I am pushing 50, over my ideal weight and just feeling sluggish. While my eating habits were not terrible, I ate meat twice a day almost every day and too much processed food. At my last physical my lipids were not ideal and my physician gave me 3 months to get them in line. In that time I have reduced my cholesterol 60 points,and my LDL 45 points, both now at ideal levels.
To do this I have slashed my meat consumption to 4 or 5 meals a week, and this is mostly wild caught fish. I have multiplied my vegetable consumption by maybe 10X. Since I have concerns with soy because of my thyroid disease I am getting my protein from beans and nuts and eggs. I have never felt deprived, and am enjoying more energy and mental clarity.</p>

3

<p>I’ve been vegan for over 2 ½ years and my oldest D has also been vegan now for 2 years and younger D a vegetarian for over 2 years. There are tons of great food options but I agree it can be very hard to know where to start and I know when I started off my meals didn’t have much variety but now there are tons of great options in my repertoire. I don’t eat a ton of meat substitutes but some of my favorites are the Match brand of Italian sausage and Boca chick’n patties (we have used these and pan fried them plain or then dipped in buffalo sauce and my S even loves those). I also have some great casserole recipes that use chickpeas which is a high protein low fat recipe. We’ve made tacos with taco seasoning on black beans or you can use some of the veggie crumbles for that as well as sloppy joes. There are many great veggie chili recipes too. Bean & cheese quesadillas, enchillades, etc. Hummus is also a fun protein source. I’ve also done peanut sauces for noodles and make a terrific mac n cheez (vegan) that uses a base of cashews for the sauce. I throw walnuts and almonds into salads, etc. I know it can be hard to adjust to new food habits but I think it’s great that you are making an effort!</p>

4

<p>Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual, by Michael Pollan is a simple (short) and somewhat light-hearted book that your library would have (and it’s only $6.40 from Amazon).</p>

5

<p>I’m a vegan, and have been for about a year, and before that I was vegetarian since age 11. I’ve gone through periods of healthier and not-so-healthy diets in that time (Annie’s mac’n’cheese with fake chicken mixed in, anyone?). I have some suggestions:</p>

<p>I honestly believe that the healthiest diet someone can eat is vegan plus fish, so maybe try to work that in more? (I’m saying this as someone who has never really been a fish eater, but I try very hard to eat things like flax and chia and walnuts to get omega-3’s into my diet, and if you have no issues with fish, and like them, that can be a much easier option).</p>

<p>Eggs are also good for you and you can make things like quiches and frittatas as dinners.</p>

<p>Tofu is very good if you know how to cook it properly. I often just sautee it with soy sauce until it firms up, but this is the best way I have ever eaten it:
<a href=“http://chowvegan.com/2010/08/23/mojo-baked-tofu-from-viva-vegan/[/url]”>http://chowvegan.com/2010/08/23/mojo-baked-tofu-from-viva-vegan/&lt;/a&gt;
(Love this cookbook!)</p>

<p>Right now, I get most of my protein from lentils, beans, tofu, and nut butters. If I’m having toast for breakfast, I’ll add apple slices with peanut butter to add some protein and make it more filling. I usually do some kind of latin american variant on the beans – I’ve gotten a lot of ideas from the Viva Vegan cookbook mentioned above and serve with some kind of vegetable (recently often kale or swiss chard) and grain (short-grain brown rice, quinoa, kashi 7-grain pilaf…). With chickpeas or lentils, I’ll go more in the direction of curry flavors. </p>

<p>This website is from the author of some of my favorite cookbooks. If you like it, you might want to take a look at some of her cookbooks. I don’t have her newest one, Appetite for Reduction, but I’ve heard that it’s not a very typical low-fat cookbook, and very focused on whole foods and veggies. You can view some recipes with Amazon book previews.</p>

<p>[Entrees</a> | Post Punk Kitchen | Vegan Baking & Vegan Cooking](<a href=“http://www.theppk.com/category/recipe/entrees]Entrees”>Entrees – Post Punk Kitchen – Isa Chandra Moskowitz)</p>

<p>It’s great that your daughter is thinking more about her food! Just another thought on something to discuss on the food-mindfulness angle is locality. You can go to farmers markets and pick out unusual vegetables together to try! (Maybe not right now, unless you live in CA, but…)</p>

6

<p>Lots of kids go through a temporary vegetarian stage. My S announced he was going vegetarian when he was a junior in high school. It took about two weeks of eating his vegetarian meals at the same table where we ate our normal diet for him to abandon the idea. So while all of us can benefit from cutting down on meat in our diets, I wouldn’t consider completely upending the household habits until you see whether this sticks. Meanwhile, you can purchase free-range chicken and, if I’m not mistaken, meat from humanely raised animals (for a price), if that’s your daughter’s main concern.</p>

7

<p>I don’t know how old your daughter is, but I did the same thing when I was in 8th grade after a school trip to Purdue chicken processing plant. Ugh! I couldn’t face eating chicken for about a year. I’ve since gotten over it.</p>

8

<p>My D has been a vegetarian (actually pescatarian, as she eats fish) since she was 12. Recently she determined she is gluten-intollerant like her mother. Before the gluten issues, she ate lots of pasta, including raviolli. Some of her current standards include egg salad, tuna salad, corn tacos with refried beans and greek salads (lots of feta cheese). She eats much healthier than her 13yo brother that limits himself to mac & cheese, chicken tenders, pizza and bagels.</p>

9

<p>

</p>

<p>Beans, lentils, and tofu are the usual legumes with high protein content.
Amaranth and quinoa are higher protein than oats or wheat, which are higher protein than corn or rice.
Green leafy vegetables have a high percentage of calories from protein, but have very low calorie density.</p>

<p>Non-vegan vegetarians can also consume eggs and/or dairy products.</p>

<p>Since you do not mention a restriction against fish, that also can be a high protein food.</p>

10

<p>Thank you for all of your suggestions. I had no idea that I’d get so much info! DH and I have talked about learning more about healthy eating now with D on board, it might be easier.</p>

11

<p>My D arrived at that point around age 11, I believe after a farm visit with her Girl Scout troop. Only problem is, it takes quite a bit more effort to be a health “vegetarian”, as opposed to one who only eats pizza.</p>