Vegetarian Menu Planning
Vegetarian Menu Planning A vegetarian diet does not include any meat, poultry, or seafood. It is a meal plan made up of foods that come mostly from plants. These include:
Vegetables
Fruits
Whole grains
Legumes
Seeds
Nuts
May include eggs and/or milk if ovo-lacto vegetarian A vegetarian diet contains no animal proteins. A semi-vegetarian diet is a meal plan that contains little animal protein, but mostly plant-based foods. Vegetarians DO NOT eat:
Fowl
Seafood
Beef
Pork
Lamb
Other animal meats, such as bison, or exotic meats like ostrich or alligator Vegetarians also do not eat products containing gelatin or rennin (an enzyme found in calf’s stomachs that is used to produce many cheeses).
Here are the different types of vegetarian diets:
Vegan: Includes only plant-based foods. No animal proteins or animal by-products such as eggs, milk, or honey.
Lacto-vegetarian: Includes plant foods plus some or all dairy products.
Lacto-ovo vegetarian: Includes plant foods, dairy products, and eggs.
Semi- or partial vegetarian: Includes plant foods and may include chicken or fish, dairy products, and eggs. It does not include red meat.
Pescatarian: Includes plant foods and seafood. Vegetarian diets that include some dairy products and eggs have all the nutrition needed. But the more restrictive the diet, the harder it can be to get certain nutrients. When a vegetarian’s diet avoids most or all animal foods, close attention is required to make sure there is adequate intake of all of the following nutrients.
