If you are considering making the switch to a vegetarian diet, you probably will want to pass your new found nutritional knowledge onto your family. In fact, as a parent you probably want to ensure that your family is receiving the best nutrition possible. It also helps them to learn about why it is important to eat healthy. Making the change with a family can be difficult because children are even more tempted from the various fast food restaurants and commercials for snacks on television.


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It is very hard to make veggies look good over chicken nuggets and a free toy! You have to slowly switch you and your family's diet. Everything starts at the grocery store. Instead of cookies, buy apples, bananas, carrots and other tasty snacks. Exchange white rice for healthy, brown rice. You also want to avoid processed side dishes. Slowly make your meat portions smaller and increase more veggies and grains. If you have small children, it is much easier to make this switch.

You can teach them from an early age that olives are good snacks and that peaches are good desserts. They will learn to love these foods and they won't even know about all the other junk food out there. The real challenge will come when your children are in school and they have to learn to make healthy choices. The idea is to gradually change so that it is easier on you and your family. Many children will change simply because you tell them that they are saving the lives animals.

Children are very sympathetic and it is not unusual for children to become vegetarians on their own accord simply because they don't want to eat animals. Childhood obesity is at epidemic levels in the US and you will be setting your children up for a healthy lifestyle by teaching them how to eat healthy now. Your children may not realize it now, but you are doing them a huge favor that will last them their entire lives.