Identify
three or four vegetarian recipes your family already enjoys. Examples include bean burritos, pasta with marinara sauce, vegetable
stir-fries, and vegetable soup. Next, think of three or four
more frequently eaten meals that can be easily adapted to be
vegetarian. For example, chili can be made with beans, and other
favorites, such as sloppy joes and tacos, can be made with texturized
vegetable protein.
Experiment
and broaden food options. Try new foods, recipes, and places
to eat to keep it interesting and enjoyable. Sometimes, when
people change their food intake because of concerns about health,
body size, or personal beliefs, they focus too narrowly on just
a small number of foods. Exploring the broad range of healthful
foods now available makes a menu change fun, nutritious, and
sustainable.
Choose
low-fat, healthful options whenever possible. Choosing lower-fat
recipes and foods and eating a variety of colors are good ways
to ensure that your child’s diet is a healthy one. For example,
oven-roasted potatoes should be chosen over french fries, pasta
with marinara sauce is a better option than spaghetti with meatballs,
and fruit sorbet is just as refreshing but much more healthful
than ice cream. The net effect is usually a reduction that isn’t
easily detected in the number of calories and fat consumed in
any given portion of food. Plus, the introduction of new foods
adjusts the taste buds and develops an appreciation for good,
wholesome food.
It’s
best to avoid foods and beverages that have lots of calories
but few or no nutrients, such as candy, soda, punch, cookies,
and fried snack foods. Fatty condiments like creamy salad dressings,
mayonnaise, butter, and margarine are best left off the plate.
Instead of centering meals around fatty meats and cheese, meals
should be built from the New Four Food Groups: healthy grains,
legumes, fruit, and vegetables.
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Experiment
and broaden food options. Try new foods, recipes, and places
to eat to keep it interesting and enjoyable. Sometimes, when
people change their food intake because of concerns about health,
body size, or personal beliefs, they focus too narrowly on just
a small number of foods. Exploring the broad range of healthful
foods now available makes a menu change fun, nutritious, and
sustainable.