If your child has had no conditions of food allergy that may restrict consumption of particular foods, then the decision to become vegetarian is a personal dietary decision. A lot of healthy and normal individuals have chosen to eliminate meat from their diet for three main reasons: health, ethics, and spirituality. This does not make them in any way odd or change what kind of person they are; it is merely a personal preference.

Removal of meat products from the diet is a large setback to protein intake, but it can be substituted with foods like nuts, tofu, soy milk, cereals, milk, cheese yogurt, and eggs. Ethical reasons might include distraught feelings about inhumane practices of animal slaughtering or use of animals to provide meat for consumption purposes. If it is about spirituality, then it may be because some people believe that killing another life for the benefit of another is by no means acceptable, or perhaps, some other reason that conflicts with their beliefs.

The decision to practice vegetarianism may vary with the degree of discipline. Lacto-vegetarians do not eat all kinds of meat and their diet consists only of vegetables, fruits, and dairy products. Lacto-ovo vegetarians eat the same, but can also include eggs in their diet. Fruitarians eat only nuts, fruits, and seeds. They do not eat root crop type of plants such as potatoes and carrots. The pure vegans, who are the strictest among all, eat only vegetables.

This is actually the trickiest form of a vegetarian, since they are stricter on the preparation of their food. When there is a possibility of eating out at restaurants, try finding some places that offer a good variety of vegan dishes. You will not have that much of a difficulty nowadays because a lot of establishments have become more sensitive to the needs of vegetarians, and will be most happy to make your meal an enjoyable one. Try to show support for your loved one if he decides to become vegetarian. It is good that your child has come upon a decision of self-discipline, and that is a good enough reason to respect them.