Warning: My teen's new vegan phase has me scrambling for balanced meal facts

My 16-year-old recently decided to go vegan, and I want to support her choice without compromising her nutrition. I've been reading up on plant-based diets, but conflicting information about protein and iron sources is confusing. What reliable nutrition resources have other parents used to ensure their kids get all essential nutrients?

3 comments

3 Comments

paigem457h ago

During my cousin's vegan transition, her dietitian emphasized tracking vitamin B12 and omega-3s often missed in plant-based plans. She used the Cronometer app to log meals, which visualizes nutrient gaps in real-time. That hands-on tool taught her more about balanced eating than any static chart ever could.

tyler_nguyen6211h ago

Letting your teen navigate vegan nutrition independently might be more valuable than any resource you could find.

jordan_carr7610h ago

Have you checked out the USDA's plant-based nutrition guidelines? My son went vegan at 15, and we found their protein combining charts surprisingly straightforward. Now he just complains about my lentil loaf, but at least his iron levels are fine.