Advice for teenage vegetarian?

Take a look at Mark Bittman's "How to Cook Everything Vegetarian" and the magazine "Vegetarian Times."  I started using/reading them when I had to try to get my cholesterol in line.  They let me get good meals with good variety.  I also don't feel like I'm missing anything when I make meals from them.

As far as the health aspects or anything - I got nothing for that.

My daughter went Veggie for almost 2 years.  We had to be really careful on what we left around the house because she would constantly want to eat junk food.  Things like chips were gone any time we brought them in the house.

We did struggle to keep a balanced diet for her and it was really challenging because we'd make dinner for the family and then we'd have to make something different for her every night.

Fortunately, about 6 months ago she decided she didn't want to do it anymore and came back to the dark side. 

great link above... there are a ton of helpful books and sites to find out more.

as long as they aren't too picky and are willing to try foods that most teenagers don't eat, they'll be fine. 

if you don't mind answering, what made them decide to go vegetarian?  my wife went veggie about 6  years ago and i've been toying with the idea for a while (i rarely eat meat/bird/fish).  just curious what caused the idea to change.  thanks.

I became a vegetarian when I was 14 (I'm 30 now). I wouldn't say that I was the best veggie eater as a teenager. I tended to default to pastas/breads and fruit bc those were easy foods for me to throw in a bag for school lunch (my parents rarely cooked). I was sleepy during daytime hours (especially after lunch), I think bc I had too much carbs and not enough healthy fats and iron.

I think it's great that you are taking an active interest in your teenager's veggie diet. I suggest that you focus on sources like quinoa, beans, lentils, milk, greek yogurt and dark, leafy greens (spinach, kale, chard). I wouldn't worry too much about protein (I think replacing iron and other B vitamins would be more important), but only bc I haven't heard too much about people/Americans acutally being protein deficient.