Surviving the Split-Vegetarian Family

Are you a member of the "sandwich generation?" Are you also the "primary care-giver" for your family?" As primary caregivers, we frequently feel overwhelmed by the constant needs and demands of our children, spouses, and elderly parents. Coordinating and preparing daily meals for your family can be frustrating, even exhausting.

"Preparing healthy meals each day that will appeal to your kids is a challenging task," said Lisa Margolin, holistic nutritionist and co-author of ViVa's Healthy Dining Guide. It is even harder when you have family members with different dietary needs or preferences. "It would be wonderful if everyone enjoyed eating the same foods all of the time. The reality is that even in families where everyone follows either a vegetarian or non-vegetarian diet, family members have a wide range of tastes," said Margolin. Over time, all of our tastes and diet preferences change.

Follow these tips to simplify meal preparation for the non-vegetarians and vegetarians in your family:

1. Two meals in one. Make a large pot of homemade tomato sauce; after it cooks for about ½ hour, separate it into 2 pots, for those who eat meat, brown some ground beef and add to one pot; or add some bite-size pieces of chicken, and boil the sauce until the chicken is fully cooked; keep the other pot as marinara sauce (add mushrooms, peppers, onions for additional flavor) *Note: when cooking with meat, chicken, or fish, use naturally raised, antibiotic free meat, free range chicken, and farm raised or organically raised fish. For the pasta: experiment with different pasta products, such as quinoa or spelt pasta for the higher protein content.
   
   
2. Easy stir-fry dishes. Stir-fry dishes are easy, quick, and versatile; first, stir-fry fresh vegetables including garlic, onions, broccoli, mushrooms, bok choy, etc. with olive oil and teriyaki sauce, tamari, or other marinade; when finished, put them aside to keep warm; next, stir-fry either shrimp or chicken with olive oil and a similar marinade (put that aside and keep warm); finally, stir-fry cut-up pieces of firm tofu with a similar marinade; serve all separately so your family can combine them according to their preferences; great, quick and easy meal for a dinner party.
   
   
3. Meat substitutes. Chili dishes can be prepared meat free; use a package mix where you just add the beans, tomatoes, onions, and peppers; or use TVP (texturized vegetable protein), or soy-based "ground meat" to make chili from scratch with your favorite chili recipe. Tacos can also be prepared using TVP, or a vegetarian taco mix; your family may not even realize they aren't eating meat, especially once they add the toppings of lettuce, tomatoes, onions, cheese, and sauce; or make 2 pans of taco filling, one meat-free, and the other with meat.
   
   
4. Hearty soups. Prepare a variety of hearty soups for a healthy one-pot meal. Make vegetable soup using onions, garlic, potatoes, celery, carrots, corn, and any type of bean for extra protein, e.g. adzuki, lentils, black beans, garbanzos; use canned tomatoes for a flavorful base; add lots of spices such as basil, parsley, thyme, and oregano. Split the soup into 2 pots, if necessary, and add meat to one, and tofu cubes or TVP to the other. A spoonful of miso adds richness to the flavor; use sea vegetables e.g. dulse, hijiki, for their minerals and more flavor. Soup makes a great warming and comforting meal in winter; perfect for families on the go with busy schedules.
   
   
5. Easy grilling. Grilling can accommodate a variety of tastes; make some kabobs with fresh vegetables, and others with fish or chicken and vegetables; tempeh and tofu can be marinated and grilled, along with vegetables like red peppers, Vidalia onions, eggplant, and zucchini; veggie burgers taste great after being grilled; Portobello mushrooms are a delicious alternative to hamburgers.
   
   
6. Fresh salads. Salads are a wonderful way to add an assortment of delicious vegetables to your meal; make a basic salad with any type of lettuce (spinach, romaine, arugula-dark leafy greens offer higher nutrient content); add cucumbers, carrots, tomatoes, and other fresh vegetables; offer toppings for the salad of tuna, feta cheese, sliced hard-boiled eggs, marinated tofu chunks, red kidney beans, chickpeas, or sliced, grilled Portobello mushrooms, the possibilities are endless; in the summer, salads make a great light dinner with garlic pita bread toasts. In winter, a colorful salad served with a hearty, homemade soup makes a wonderful, comforting dinner.
   
   
7. Healthy snacks. Leave bowls of roasted sunflower seeds, pistachio nuts, almonds, trail mix, dried apricots, bananas, or pumpkin seeds on the table for your family to graze on; have washed apples, grapes, cherries, peaches, and other fruit in front on the shelves of your refrigerator so the kids can grab a healthy snack without too much effort; have a variety of energy bars on hand for a quick energy boost; bake healthy whole grain muffins on the weekend for an easy weekday snack.
   
   
8. Plan ahead. Plan meals prior to going food shopping; prepare a shopping list to take with you; keep a supply on hand of the basics like olive oil, vinegar, spices, garlic, marinades, miso, brown rice, dried sea vegetables, dried or canned legumes, and canned tomatoes to be used in preparing meals. Experiment with new recipes from cookbooks, magazines, and friends. When making soup, chili, or tomato sauce, make enough to freeze an extra container for a quick meal another day.

There are many different ways to accommodate split-vegetarian families. It's a lot of work to prepare alternative meal selections for family members, but with planning and a little imagination, you can do wonders to make appealing meals for your family.

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