By Kathleen Lisson

You've read the books; you've talked to vegetarian friends. You have realized that you just can't eat meat again. Congratulations, you're a vegetarian! Just one problem, how do you break it to mom and dad?

First, you have to realize that there are several reasons your mom might fight against your wishes. She might think it's just a phase you are going through, she might be worried that you won't get enough to eat, or not enough nutrients. She loves you and wants you to grow up to be healthy. So give her a break and ease her mind about her precious princess wasting away on brown rice.

The fist thing you need to do is get the facts. Read up on vegetarianism. I would suggest getting John Robbins' Diet for a New America, also go to your public library and look in the vegetarian section. Find out what foods you should be eating, and where your nutrients will be coming from. Show these books to mom; prove to her that you'll thrive on a vegetarian diet. Then find a vegetarian cookbook, or look on the Internet for some good vegetarian recipes.

How will you bring up the topic? Try when your mom is making the shopping list, or at some time where you'll have about a half-hour to answer her questions. Tell her that you have been reading books about health, nutrition and animal rights and have decided to try being a vegetarian for a while. Then go over the list and ask to buy some vegetarian food. Offer to cook a vegetarian meal for the family once a week, and clean the dishes afterwards. If she is still unconvinced, consider calling your pediatrician. He or she will probably say it can't hurt, and will know more about the fat and cholesterol in meat products. Don't tell mom that you can't believe she's making you eat nasty rotten disease infested dead animals, even though that may be how you really feel. After all, the objective is not to berate your family; it's to make YOU healthier.

What should you buy? For breakfast, choose cereals, and rice milk, if you'd like to try it, it should be in the nutrition section of the supermarket. There are good vegetarian remakes of bacon and sausage patties in the frozen food section, try them with your pancakes. Try fruits and vegetables for snacks; apples, bananas, spinach and clover or broccoli sprouts for salads. For lunch try garden burgers or chick patties, they're in the frozen food section, tofu hot dogs in the produce section, and vegetables like peppers, onions and tomatoes for sandwiches on whole wheat / grain bread. Choose soups that have no beef or chicken stock. For dinner, try tacos or burritos with vegetarian refried beans and protein crumbles, they look like ground beef and are in bags in the frozen food section. Try protein crumbles in hamburger helper for a quick vegetarian family meal even dad won't refuse! Look for tofu recipes, tofu is in the produce section. You can cube it and skillet fry it with vegetables and soy sauce. Another family meal might be pasta, with fresh tomatoes, peppers, and onions added to the sauce. Recipe books will introduce you to a wide variety of vegetarian dishes, add their ingredients to your shopping list too.