Vegetarian recipes and complete meals can be much healthier and often cost less than those that include meats. Various studies including the China Study, the German Cancer Study, and the Adventist Health Study show a strong correlation between a healthy vegetarian lifestyle and better health, reduced disease, and longevity.
vegetarian buffet
While these studies and others show that eating vegetarian foods for all meals is the ideal, benefits can be had by eating vegetarian meals most of the time, as well. A good way to start is to find recipes that your family enjoys, then build your vegetarian recipes as you progress.
If your family is a confirmed “meat and potatoes” sort, there are two approaches you might try. The first involves slowly incorporating vegetarian recipes and complete meals into your family’s dinners and lunches. You might have a vegetarian meal once or twice a week at first, then gradually increase the number of days each week you choose to cook vegetarian fare.
An alternative approach is often called “cold turkey.” With this, you would use all the meat and fish you have available, then serve only vegetarian meals from that point on. Of course, you might want to modify either of these. Some families choose to keep a vegetarian home, but occasionally will have meat or fish when eating out. Others might choose to eat only vegetarian until the evening meal. Still others might choose to eat vegetarian during the week and then eat some non vegetarian meals on the weekends. In reality, you will need to choose what path is best for your family.
Whichever avenue you choose, your family’s health will be improved, at least somewhat, by choosing healthier, vegetarian meals. A word of caution: vegetarian does not always mean healthy. Donuts can be vegetarian, but are rarely considered a health food unless they are specially prepared. 
Here are 27 Vegetarian recipes and meal ideas to get your family started!
- Vegan Mexican Chocolate pudding dessert
- Balsamic Pita Sandwich
- Chocolate Swirl Pumpkin Pie
- Sloppy Joes with Lentils
- Oven Roasted Parmesan Green Beans
- Broccoli Pasta
- Creamy Mushroom Spaghetti Squash
- Lentil Quinoa bowls
- Cranberry Orange Bread
- Creamy Pumpkin Fettucine
- vegetarian tamale pie
- Black Bean Burgers
- Cranberry Pecan Orange Orzo Pasta Salad
- Stuffed Eggplant Parm Skillet
- Hearty Veg Chili
- Daniel Fast Vegetable Soup
- Gluten Free Blondies
- Cherry Overnight Oatmeal
- broccoli alfredo stuffed shells
- Parmesan Cauliflower Bites
- Asian Garlic Tofu with rice
- Buffalo Quinoa Bites
- Sweet Potato Corn Cakes with Garlic Dipping Sauce
- Crispy Orange Cauliflower
- Cucumber Avocado Rolls
- Fresh Mango Coconut Chia Seed Parfait
- Cauliflower Crust Calzone
Thanks for including my mango chia seed parfait!
You are very welcome! It is a wonderful recipe–so flavorful!
Thank you so much for including the Roasted Vegetable Soup from my site! I’m flattered!
There’s a third option as well: gradually reduce the amount of meat you use in each meal, while increasing the proportion of fruits, nuts and vegetables. Start by adding veggie-based meat extenders (you won’t notice them if you use them in meat loaf, burgers, soups or casseroles at first). Once your palate adapts to the flavors of the veggies and the absence of meat, omit the meat altogether. Our meat loaves in this all-carnivore, all the time household, consist of two pounds veggies to one pound meat. No, it isn’t vegetarian, but it does get veggies into roommates who otherwise scorn them.
Do they like it? Put it this way: we don’t have birthday cakes. We have meat loaf “frosted” with mashed potatoes and decorated with veggies in artistic patterns. 😉
Interesting, Diane. I am a vegetarian, both by default and by choice and think it is the only way. 🙂 I love the list of 27 veg dishes!
I think I will try reducing the amount of meat we eat each week, you’ve given some great tips and a lot of the recipes sound lovely x
Not to mention that vegetarian food is also easier on the digestion as you grow older:)
Very good point! It is actually easier on all ages–our long digestive tract is indicative of a vegetarian; meat is meant to be digested quickly, but in our longer tracts, it sits too long. We also don’t have enough of the right acids to properly break down meats, especially in larger quantities.