veganism: i want to give up meat and animal products... I'm planning on just giving up meat, chicken and fish and becoming a vegetarian and then easing my way into veganism. I've tried this before and my mom gets really angry with me. How can I convince her to let me continue my eating habits because I really feel strongly about giving up animal products.|||You didn't state how old you are and I think your age is an important consideration in becoming a vegetarian against your parents wishes. If you are not yet in high school, then forget it. Just do as your parents say and make plans for being a vegetarian when you get a bit older... Why? Because your mom is preparing your meals and will be doing double duty (or more) to keep you on a healthy vegetarian diet. In the meantime study about nutrition problems you may have to overcome when you become a vegetarian. How will you get your vitamin b12? If you are in high school then begin by offering to prepare some vegetarian meals for your family. By doing so you will be demonstrating to your mom that you are responsible, and can make your own vegetarian meals. If you are in college then you can be a vegetarian without even telling your mom.|||If your mom buys and cooks your food, then you don't have too much say. If you begin to buy and prepare your own food, she can't say much at all.|||Why is she getting angry at you? For goodness sake, it's not like you're taking up illicit drugs or something. You're trying to do something good for yourself and for the planet. You need to do some research on vegan nutrition ("Becoming Vegan" by Brenda Davis and Vesanto Melina and "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Vegan Living" are both good) so that you can answer any concerns she may have about your health. Then, you need to tell her why it's important to you; don't preach or act like you're judging her for eating animals. Just explain your position and ask for her support. I really think she needs to get some perspective - kids do a lot worse things than not eating animals!!|||Why is your mom so angry? There are things both she and you can do to make things easier. 1) Get you some veggie burgers and analogues; 2) Make sure all sides are vegetarian; 3) She cooks the meat and you heat up your analogue. The family has their meat and two-veg while you have your analogue and two veg. If you're old enough to start cooking, offer to help your mom so she doesn't have to go through the trouble of making two dinners--you'll help cook the sides and cook your analogue (including tofu), while she cooks the meat. Is it nutrition? Check out www.vrg.org. Howard Lyman's "No More Bull" is a good nutritional information book, and so is John Robbins' "Diet for a New America." In short: make it as easy for her as possible to feed you and make sure she knows that you will get all your nutrients on a vegan diet.|||meat milk cheese and eggs are expensive. when you go vegan she'll save money.|||Present her with good info on Vegetarianism , research on the web. Hope this helps!|||Well, try convincing her of vegetarianism first. Be vegetarian for a few months, then ease into veganism.|||For me it was fairly easy. I had been cooking since the age of 9. By the time I became vegetarian, at 16, I could make anything I needed to eat. It took many years for my mother to finally realize what I was doing was not killing me and was actually an intelligent decision--even though she admits she'll never be able to do it herself. But the point is, because I took care of myself, all she could do was complain about it. She couldn't stop me. If you want your mom to be more informed on the health aspects, the absolute best book in my opinion is The China Study.|||Go to www.vegfamily.com, or buy her the book "Raising Vegan CHildren in a Non-Vegan World". it explains the nutritional side of veganism, and has lots of letters from vegan parents who are raising happy, healthy children. The science on health (and of course the animal ethics argument) is on your side, so you have that going for you. I don't know how old you are, but I don't know that you have to convince your mom to "let you" do anything. It's your life, and your values. But it'd be great if you could convert her, too! Don't listen to the ignorant people on here, as they are stereotypically ignorant. I've been vegan since conception and have always been extremely healthy. No one has to make two meals. If you can get your mom to come around, everyone can eat veg meals, and she can eat meat later if she wants. That's what my father always did.|||Well Mom has enough to do with providing food, taking care of the house, and listening to you complaint about "diet" stuff. Leave Mom alone and wait until you move out of the house. Be considerate of Mom and dont' create a bunch of chaos.|||What an inconsiderate child. After all your mother does and has to do and you are causing trouble about "food". Your mother knows what is good for you. Eat it and fool around with diets when you move out on your own. Why make her angry and upset when she loves you so.