1. food and drink
2. vegetarian

CHIPS AND CANDY ≠ MEAT
TEEN
+ POTATO CHIPS
VEGETARIAN?
Living as a vegetarian can be beneficial or
harmful depending on what we eat. Meat
and dairy products contain many nutrients
that our body needs to grow and stay
healthy. These cannot be replaced by
chips, but they can be replaced through
knowing what to eat.
Calcium
Milk is our best source of calcium, but
if you are a vegan you can eat leafy
greens, broccoli, tofu, beans and
fortified soy milk.
How to be a Healthy Teen Vegetarian
Iron
Red meat is packed with iron. To help
replace the iron, we should eat dried
beans, spinach, beet greens, prunes, and
iron-fortified cereals and bread (eat your
Wheaties™!).
Protein
When people think protein, they think
“meat.” But not a vegetarian, we think
“beans, nuts, nut butters, lentils, tofu
and other soy products.”
Vitamin B12
Most vegetarians do not have a problem
with this vitamin because we eat eggs
and milk products. Sorry vegans.
You’ll have to take a vitamin to get this
one.
Vitamin D
Got milk? More specifically, vitamin D
milk? If not, take a vitamin and go out
in the sun. (Don’t forget you SPF 45!)
The sun actually helps our bodies
produce this vitamin naturally!
Bean Pod Productions
Angela Dennett
LI819XO
Emporia State University
ADD IT UP!
What does the Vegetarian Food Pyramid
look like?
LOVE > MEAT
How to help you friends and family
accept who you are.
Tip 1: Help with making or planning
dinner. This will assure that you have good
healthy food to eat at the dinner table.
Tip 2: When going to eat at a friend’s
house, let the cook know that you are a
vegetarian ahead of time. Once again, you’ll
have something good to eat and avoid an
awkward situation.
Tip 3: When going out to eat, avoid fast
food restaurants and pick an establishment
with a wide variety of vegetarian and meat
dishes. Side salads get boring after a while.
Tip 4: Don’t criticize people who eat meat,
and don’t push others to be vegetarians.
Understanding goes both ways, and you
wouldn’t want them to force you to eat
meat.
Not much different than the “normal”
food pyramid. Or is it?
Tip 5: Show your friends and family that a
vegetarian lifestyle can be a healthy way to
live. Through healthy living, you can be an
example to others who may be interested in
being a vegetarian.
This is what it all adds up to:
KNOWLEDGE = HEALTH
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6 to 11 servings of breads, cereals, rice,
and pasta
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2 to 4 servings of fruit
Tips to being a Healthy Vegetarian
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3 to 5 servings of vegetables
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2 to 3 servings of milk, yogurt, cheese,
or other calcium-rich foods
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2 to 3 servings of beans, nuts, seeds,
eggs, tofu, or peanut butter
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Use fats and sweets sparingly
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Eat frequent, small meals.
Don’t forget breakfast.
Skip McDonald’s.
Drink eight glasses of water a day.
Change what you eat everyday to get
complete nutrition.
Most important, don’t forget calcium.
You are growing, and you need it.
WHAT YOU CAN EAT AT
SCHOOL FOR LUNCH
Oftentimes schools offer a salad bar or
vegetables with the main entrée. If you don’t see
anything suitable, don’t be afraid to pack a sack
lunch.
Here are a couple of ideas of things you can
bring to school:
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bean burrito
falafel
vegetarian chili
baked beans
peanut butter & jam on a bagel
egg salad sandwich
hummus on a pita
egg or tofu fried rice
vegetarian pizza
vegetarian sandwich
tofu / soy burger or hot dog
veggies with bean dip
cheese and crackers
trail mix
WHERE TO GO FOR MORE
INFORMATION
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www.pamf.org/teen/health/nutriti
on/veggieteens.html
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www.vrg.org
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www.kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitn
ess/nutrition/vegetarian.html
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www.newveg.av.org/
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www.vegetariantimes.com/
•
www.vegsoc.org/youth/Parentteen
ager.pdf