What if I miss eating meat?

Discover healthy, delicious ways to overcome missing meat with plant-based alternatives and maintain a balanced diet as a teenager turning vegetarian or vegan.

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  • Suitable for members aged 12-17
  • 4 minute read
  • 778 words (1.9 sides of A4)
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Deciding to cut down on or completely stop eating meat can be a big lifestyle change, especially if you're used to having it regularly in your meals. Many teenagers today are choosing to become vegetarians or vegans for various reasons, including ethical concerns about animal welfare, environmental issues, and health benefits. Whatever your reason, it's natural to sometimes miss meat if it's been a staple in your diet previously.

The Challenge of Missing Meat

When you stop eating meat, you might miss it not just for its taste but also for the textures and flavours it adds to meals. Meat is also a significant source of protein and certain vitamins, so it's important to find suitable alternatives to maintain a balanced diet.

Some young people might feel social pressure or find it challenging when dining out or eating at friends' houses. Psychologically, food is often tied to memories and emotions, making the craving for meat about more than just taste.

Understanding the Reasons Behind Missing Meat

Your body could be signalling nutritional needs, particularly for protein, iron, zinc, or B12, which are abundant in meat. Feeling these cravings doesn't necessarily mean you need to revert to eating meat, but rather, find plant-based alternatives that fulfil these needs.

Emotionally, missing meat could also be tied to feelings of exclusion in social situations or feeling different from peers who aren't following the same diet. It's important to address these feelings and find support among like-minded peers or communities.

Practical Strategies on Missing Meat

1. Exploring Plant-Based Alternatives:

There are numerous plant-based alternatives that mimic the taste and texture of meat, such as: What if I miss eating meat?

  • Tofu and tempeh: Versatile and high in protein, these soy-based products can be seasoned and cooked in many different ways to resemble the flavours you miss.
  • Seitan: Made from wheat gluten, it has a meaty texture and is excellent in stir-fries, sandwiches, and even barbecued.
  • Legumes: Beans, lentils, and chickpeas can offer satisfying textures and are great sources of protein and fibre.
  • Commercially available meat substitutes: Products like Beyond Meat or Impossible Burger try to replicate the taste and texture of meat and can be a good occasional treat.

2. Getting Creative with Recipes:

Experimenting with international cuisines can bring exciting new flavours and help alleviate the monotony that might come from a limited diet. Dishes like Indian dal, Middle-Eastern falafel, or Asian-inspired tofu stir-fries can be delicious and fulfilling.

3. Addressing Nutritional Needs:

Ensure you're meeting your dietary needs by:

  • Increasing your intake of iron-rich plants like spinach, legumes, and quinoa.
  • Including Vitamin C-rich foods like oranges or bell peppers in your meals to enhance iron absorption.
  • Using fortified plant milks and juices to cover your B12 needs, or consider a supplement after consulting with a healthcare provider.

4. Communicating with Peers and Family:

Discuss your choices and feelings with friends and family. Sharing why you've chosen to stop eating meat might help them understand your journey and possibly provide better support through accommodating meals or even considering their own dietary choices.

5. Seeking Support:

Joining online forums, following vegetarian or vegan influencers on social media, or finding a community group can provide moral support and practical tips. Engaging with a community helps deal with feelings of isolation and provides a platform to share experiences and discover new ideas.

It's okay to miss meat sometimes, and it doesn't mean you're failing in your dietary choices. Understanding why you're missing it and finding suitable alternatives or support can help you maintain your commitment to not eating meat while still enjoying your meals and feeling fulfilled.

How are you feeling?

It is really important that when we need help, we feel able to ask for it. This could be speaking to a parent, a close friend, a teacher or someone else you trust. Sometimes it can be really hard to share our feelings with other people but if we are feeling low or don't know where to turn, sharing with others is really important. Teachers will always take you seriously and listen to your problems in confidence if you approach them for help. Likewise, parents, siblings or friends will help you if you reach out to them.

If you feel like you can't speak to anyone you know, there are people and organisations that can help support you:

  • Childline - Call them on 0800 1111 any time of the day or night, every day of the week
  • NSPCC - Call them on 0808 800 5000 between 10am and 4pm Monday to Friday or email them on help@NSPCC.org.uk
  • The Samaritans – Call them on 116 123 any time of the day or night, every day of the week
  • SANE – Call 0300 304 7000 for support (4:30pm - 10:30pm every day)
  • Mind – Call 0300 123 3393 (9:00am - 6:00pm Monday to Friday)

*Sometimes we will use real life examples in our articles to aid understanding. When we do, names and ages will be changed.