Every teen has a different experience with their parents, and we talked to a number of teens who handle things in different ways. See what you think about their parents' reactions to vegetarianism, and how each teen deals with it. Just for the record, Angie and Brenda are twin sisters.

Lucy: What was your parents' reaction when you told them you were becoming a vegetarian?

Ginger: My mother doesn't mind me being a vegetarian but thinks my veganism is "fanatical." My father doesn't really say much about it, but I can tell he doesn't really like or understand it.

Angie: My parents (especially my dad) were really pissed off at me. They thought I was trying to rebel against them, that I was a picky eater and a brat. They refuse to buy any food for me, so I have to go grocery shopping by myself and buy my own food.

Joann: They thought I was crazy, and just thought it was just a phase.

Melissa: Initially they didn't seem to care; they thought it was just one of those "childhood phases." Once this "vegetarian kick" was still going on six months later they started getting really scared about my nutrition, I can't really blame them; I was 10 at the time, and they made no effort in making me any nutritional vegetarian foods. They figured I couldn't live off mac'n'cheese forever. I figured at this point I needed to do all the work myself if I wanted to be a healthy vegetarian since my parents were getting pretty opposed to the idea.

Brenda: Their reaction was negative. They assumed I was crazy and that veganism was some weird eating disorder and weren't supportive at all.

Allison: I was afraid to tell them, but they didn't care. I don't know why I was afraid...

Sam: Mainly, they were in disbelief, and I'm sure there were a few laughs. However, my parents are religious vegetarians (we're Hindu) and we have been vegetarian our whole lives, so going vegan wasn't that big a step.

If they had a negative reaction, have they come around yet?

Ginger: No negative reaction to being a vegetarian, but my mother still doesn't really like me being a vegan.

Angie: My mother is now giving me money for food, but she does it behind my father's back.

Joann: Yes, my mom doesn't care, and my dad helps me.

Melissa: That was eight years ago and they're fine with it now.

Brenda: Not really. My parents stopped grocery shopping for me. They also refuse to drive us to and from the grocery store. Plus, they also give us really little money for food.

Sam: Yes, my dad has even chosen to be vegan now.

If they have come around, what do you think made the difference for them?

Angie: I have no idea.

Joann: How every time they tell me to eat some meat I'll tell them about it and rub it in.

Melissa: Time, and by educating myself about nutrition, and they used this as an excuse to stop having to cook for me.

Sam: Definitely my cajoling. Grossing [my dad] out about milk and eggs made the difference.

Do your parents try to sabotage you (hide meat in food etc)?

Ginger: No, they are actually very supportive. My father loves meat but still grills me veggie dogs and the like. My mother buys me soy milk/cheese.

Angie: There were times when they told me that some food doesn't have eggs or milk or anything in it, but I was too smart to fall for that.

Joann: No, never.

Melissa: Yes! I was extremely ignorant about vegetarianism at the time, and my mom would give me vegetable soup, with chicken in it and convince me it wasn't chicken. They even tried to convince me to eat turkey on Thanksgiving since it's "tradition." I thought about it a lot, and almost gave in to the idea, but one day I broke down and cried and knew I couldn't ever eat another animal ever again, and "tradition" was a pretty lame excuse to kill someone.

Brenda: No, but if they do buy food for me, it has non-vegan food with it.

Allison: Nope, It was more like me trying to hide tofu in theirs. And when I went vegan it was talking my mom into using egg replacer and soy milk in things she normally makes without telling the rest of them. She is so sweet; now she does it on her own without me even needing to ask her.

Have they made an effort to learn about vegetarianism?

Ginger: Really, my mother worries so much about [me] getting a balanced diet and enough protein. She has a friend who is a nutritionist so she is always talking to her about my diet.

Angie: Not at all. They're the most Ignorant people ever!

Joann: Only my dad. He cares a lot and reads about it....he read the vegetarian article in Time magazine.

Brenda:Not really, what they know is what I tell them because I want them to know about it.

Allison: My mother has more than my father. She has read everything I have put In front of her (including books that I haven't even tackled yet). She is now a vegetarian, although a very passive one and not that strict. She won't tell anyone she doesn't eat meat unless it is totally unavoidable, and she is vegetarian to the point where she won't eat something that obviously has meat in it, but she doesn't read ingredients so things sometimes slip by. My father is really good at making excuses that he can't back up, but I still love him. (smile) And just recently I've noticed how through the seven years I have been vegetarian, he has changed. For example, he now uses soy milk on his cereal, and instead of bringing turkey sandwiches to work for lunch he takes peanut butter and jelly or hummus and veggies. He really is making an effort, and I appreciate it a lot. It's so cute when he comes home and tells me how "good he has been" and then lists off his almost vegan diet for the day. I know he is trying even though he is not willing to make a commitment, and it's a lot of progress from where we started, so I am happy.

Who knows more about veg nutrition, them or you?

Ginger: Me

Angie: I know more about nutrition in general because I read a lot about veganism, and they're just too scared to believe that what they were told all along was wrong.

Joann: Me.

Melissa: Definitely me, all I know is what I've learned myself through living, reading books, and lots of Internet sites. Vegan Outreach has a great section on nutrition on their site.

Brenda: Me, of course!

Allison: I'm sure it's me. I've looked into it a lot.

Sam: I would say "me."

Do you have any brothers or sisters who went veg before/after you? How have your parents handled them differently?

Ginger: My sisters and brother have all been casual vegetarians at some point (also at younger ages than me), so they didn't take them seriously. I have always been known as the "animal lover" in the family, and I have taken it most seriously. With my siblings it was more about being picky eaters. My parent would get annoyed with them and tell them to eat.

Angie: One of my sisters refuses to eat red meat, my other sister is a hardcore anti-vegan, and my twin sister is vegan.

Brenda: My twin sister [Angie] went vegan a little after me.

Allison: my little brother went vegetarian for a week for my birthday present one year. They just laughed at him a lot because they knew how much he was struggling.

Has either of your parents converted to vegetarianism?

Ginger: No

Angie: No and they don't intend to. I'm waiting for them to have a disease so they'll be convinced.

Melissa: I wish. I went through such a hassle to even have my parents throw me an all vegan graduation party. I told my mom it was a party to celebrate my accomplishments through schooling, in which 75% of the time I was veg, and she thought it was too much for me to ask her and everyone else to eat one meal that no one had to die for. That really got me upset, she told me I had to respect other people's beliefs, but she had never respected mine and never even attempted to not eat meat for one meal or even a day out of respect for me. It really hurt that she was so opposed to the idea of me asking people to eat simply one vegan meal, if not for the animals out of respect for me after I've endured 8 years of eating with people who eat meat everyday.

Allison: Yes, my mother.

Sam: My dad has become vegan.

What has been the most difficult part of the way they've handled you becoming a vegetarian?

Ginger: My mother being so worried about my health.

Angie: Having to go grocery shopping and buy my own food considering I don't have much money and that. I'm only 16.

Joann: How they tell me I need the protein and vitamins and tell me I should eat meat once in awhile.

Melissa: Getting them to take me to health food stores to buy food. They complained I didn't eat well at first but would never buy me food - go figure? And this was back in '94 before the whole soy craze came about; now regular grocery stores have most everything you need.

Brenda: They stopped grocery shopping for and with me.

Allison: I am so lucky; my parents were so wonderful about it that nothing has been difficult. I have friends who have parents that have refused to buy them vegetarian food and that alone has made it really hard for them. I have had very supportive parents that have been nothing but accepting of my choices the whole time.

What's been the best part about the way they've handled you becoming a vegetarian?

Ginger: My mother, despite some reservations, has been so, so supportive of me. She might not like it or agree with me, but she does support me.

Angie: Nothing . . .

Joann: My dad always tries to find a new way to substitute meat...he used to be a chef.

Melissa: Hmmm. My dad occasionally (maybe once a month) makes food for me. My mom is no help at all. The very few times I ever asked her to cook for me, she put either eggs or milk or something bad in my food.

Brenda: I'm more Independent.

Sam: The fact that my dad also converted.

If you had it to do over again, what would you do differently?

Ginger: I would ease my way into becoming a vegan instead of just doing it overnight.

Angie: Nothing.

Melissa: Yeah, I would become vegan as soon as I was born.

Brenda: I would've becmme vegan way much earlier in life.

Sam: Start sooner.

What advice would you give to parents who've just found out their teen is veg and don't know what to think?

Ginger: I would say support them because teenagers are so obstinate, and the more you fight the more they will resist what you want them to do. Be supportive, buy them healthy foods, go shopping with them. See what they like and make sure they know that they have to eat well to stay healthy. How they treat their bodies now will determine the rest of their lives.

Angie: I highly suggest they ask their teen why they decided to become vegan and just discuss it with them.

Joann: To give them all the support they need and listen to what they have to say.

Melissa: Support them! This most likely is something they truly believe in, and who can complain about having such passionate caring, and independent kids? Don't make them go through this by themselves; try out new foods with them, otherwise they'll resent you for it. For me, there is nothing In this world I love more than knowing that I do not contribute to the killing of innocent lives, and it sucks my parents don't share or understand this passion of mine.

Brenda: Just let them become vegan! Don't all parents want their kids to eat their veggies?

Sam: Well, all parents want their kids to be healthy, and if they do a little research they will find this is the way to be very healthy.