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Pay attention to food preparation

A common trap that new vegetarians and even vegans fall into is overindulging on french fries, onion rings, fried rice, heavy pasta dishes and processed veggie burgers. Sure, some of these options are vegetable-based, but that doesn’t mean they’re healthy. Kids are often drawn to these foods, but if they eat them too often, they’ll consume many more calories and fat grams than their bodies need while not getting enough nutrients.

To keep your family on a healthy track, keep a close eye on oils, fats, batters and breadings, both when cooking at home and shopping for prepared and frozen foods. Opt for steamed or baked vegetables whenever possible, although grilling or light frying can be OK too. Also get your kids involved in food preparation so they can learn about the nutritional values of various foods and understand why fresh onions on a salad are very different from beer-battered onion rings.