Help! My child wants to become a vegetarian

More often than not, parents face the struggle of trying to get their kids to eat vegetables. But what happens when your child decides they want to ditch the meat instead and become a vegetarian?

Suzanne Matthews’ 10-year-old daughter, Mia, came home from school one day and proudly announced that she wanted to become a vegetarian. Mia had decided that eating animals was cruel and she no longer wanted meat in her diet. Suzanne didn’t know what to do and turned to the experts for help.

Dietician Zelda Ackerman says children can follow a vegetarian diet and be healthy, especially if they include dairy products and eggs. In fact, studies have shown that the growth of vegetarian children is similar to those who eat omnivorous diets. “It does take a bit more planning to make sure they do receive all the nutrients but there should be no reason for concern,” she says.