Tips for healthy vegetarian
- A variety of vegetarian products look (and may taste) like their non-vegetarian counterparts,
but are usually lower in saturated fat and contain no cholesterol.
- For breakfast, try soy-based sausage patties or links.
- Rather than hamburgers, try veggie burgers. A variety of kinds are available, made
with soy beans, vegetables, and/or rice.
- Add vegetarian meat substitutes to soups and stews to boost protein without adding
saturated fat or cholesterol. These include tempeh (cultured soybeans with a chewy
texture), tofu, or wheat gluten (seitan).
- For barbecues, try veggie or garden burgers, soy hot dogs, marinated tofu or tempeh,
and veggie kabobs.
- Make bean burgers, lentil burgers, or pita halves with falafel (spicy ground chick
pea patties).
- Some restaurants offer soy options (texturized vegetable protein) as a substitute
for meat, and soy cheese as a substitute for regular cheese.
- Most restaurants can accommodate vegetarian modifications to menu items by substituting
meatless sauces, omitting meat from stir-fries, and adding vegetables or pasta in
place of meat. These substitutions are more likely to be available at restaurants
that make food to order.
- Many Asian and Indian restaurants offer a varied selection of vegetarian dishes.
Source: USDA, MyPyramid.gov
- Build meals around protein sources that are naturally low in fat, such as beans,
lentils, and rice. Don’t overload meals with high-fat cheeses to replace the meat.
- Calcium-fortified soy-based beverages can provide calcium in amounts similar to milk.
They are usually low in fat and do not contain cholesterol.
- Many foods that typically contain meat or poultry can be made vegetarian. This can
increase vegetable intake and cut saturated fat and cholesterol intake. Consider:
- pasta primavera or pasta with marinara or pesto sauce
- veggie pizza
- vegetable lasagna
- tofu-vegetable stir fry
- vegetable lo mein
- vegetable kabobs
- bean burritos or tacos