Vegetarian Living For Families

Feeding your family is a daily task that can be one of the most rewarding parts of your day, but it can also be one of the most stressful. Trying to remember what groceries you have at home, spending time preparing and cleaning up, and dealing with picky eaters certainly makes feeding a family a little daunting. If you've been dreaming about taking the vegetarian journey with your family, PlantX wants you to know that it's not as hard as it might seem! A vegetarian lifestyle can provide a delicious and healthy diet for the whole family.  

Focus on Nutrition

Regardless of whether or not meat is center stage in your family's diet, your priority should be ensuring that everyone is getting the necessary nutrition. Meal-planning can be made easier by keeping eggs and dairy in your vegetarian diet, which are convenient sources of protein and calcium. If your children are particularly picky about vegetables, then you may have a difficult time finding sneaky ways to include veggies into their diet. It's essential to keep things fun for kids, even during mealtime! Whether it's veggie muffins or watermelon pizza, make lunchtime something your children want to be a part of, whether it's helping prepare the food, or just eating it. If you have older children or teens, you may want to keep an eye out for whether or not their vegetarian choices are healthy. Your teenager might see french fries and fruit soda and think that because it's vegetarian, it evens out, but nutrients are more important than whether or not there is meat in the meal. Keep healthy snack alternatives in the house for munchy teens to grab whenever they're craving. Another way to help your family live well while eating plant-based is to emphasize the vegetarian foods they liked before cutting out meat. If your family loved pasta night, then what's stopping you from serving spaghetti with red sauce? Pasta is simple to make and an easy dinner solution that doesn't take much time to prepare. Plus, it's just as simple to add frozen vegetables, sliced mushrooms, spinach, and so on! Even favorites foods for picky eaters, like chicken nuggets, can be replicated with frozen vegetarian versions from your grocery store freezer aisle. You might not realize how many of your standby meals can be easily made vegetarian with just one substitution. Check out some great meal ideas for plant-based eating in our recipe section, like our tasty grilled Carrot Dogs.

Keeping Snacks on Hand

Getting your family involved in coming up with vegetarian options is a sure way to help them be enthusiastic about it. Ask your family what their favorite fruits are, or ask if there are any they're interested in trying! Always having fruit on hand that kids can eat on their own like bananas, apples, and oranges make it easy for them to reach in the fridge for a healthy snack. Search online with your family for recipes that showcase their favorite vegetables, and then have them help you cook. Having multiple recipes for your family's favorite vegetables can help you save money on groceries, too. Family meal planning when you're living a vegetarian lifestyle doesn't have to be complicated. For your busiest moments, you might want to consider getting a meal delivery service! If you live in the greater Vancouver area, PlantX delivers delicious plant-based meals straight to your door.