If you’re like most of the teens we hear from, you’re interested in helping animals in some way. One of the top things you can do to help is to eat humanely.

About Farm Animals
Each year in the U.S., nearly ten billion land animals are killed for food. Most of them are not raised on Old MacDonald's farm. They are crowded in massive facilities known as factory farms. But just like dogs and cats, chickens, pigs, turkeys, and cows have their own personalities and the ability to feel joy and pain. Learn more about farm animals.

The Three R’s
Each one of us can make a difference in the lives of farm animals by applying the three R’s to our diets—reduce, refine, and replace. Reducing the number of animal products we eat can have a huge impact. If each one of us cuts back on our animal consumption by just 10%, that would affect approximately one billion farm animals each year. Refining which animal products we eat can also have a big impact. For example, choose cage-free eggs instead of eggs from hens kept in battery cages. And replacing animal products in your diet with vegetarian options has never been easier. Check out The HSUS's Guide to Vegetarian Eating and vegetarian recipes for tips and ideas.

No matter what you choose to eat, it’s important to make sure you’re eating a balanced diet. Fortunately, everything you need to be healthy can easily be found in a plant-based diet. For example, beans, nuts, seeds, and many meat substitutes are all packed with protein. Learn more about basic vegetarian nutrition. Most vegetarian cookbooks also include a section on nutrition. Check out our recommended books below.

OK, So Now You're a Vegetarian: Advice & 100 Recipes from One Vegetarian to Another, by Lauren Butts (New York: Random House, 2000).
When 16-year-old author Lauren Butts decided to cut animal products out of her diet, she still wanted to eat her favorite foods—chili, lasagne, burgers, tacos—without the meat. In this book, she compiled the best recipes she found, along with a complete guide to proper nutrition for teen vegetarians by nutritionist Donna Shields. Also included are helpful tips for those just learning to cook.

Student’s Vegetarian Cookbook, Revised: Quick, Easy, Cheap, and Tasty Vegetarian Recipes, by Carole Raymond (New York: Random House, 2003).
Perfect for beginner vegetarians just learning their way around the kitchen, this book is full of easy recipes (142 of them), as well as a guide to vegetarian grocery shopping, a cooking glossary and how-to’s, and an explanation of why a vegetarian lifestyle is good for you, good for animals, and good for the planet. (Disclaimer: This book includes a brief section titled “Beer and Vegetarianism” which is aimed at readers 21 and older.)

A Teen's Guide to Going Vegetarian, by Judy Krizmanic (New York: Puffin, 1994).
All the facts about vegetarianism, the different types of vegetarians, and how to make the transition, plus nutritional information and a few recipes to get you started.

The Teen's Vegetarian Cookbook, by Judy Krizmanic (New York: Puffin, 1999).
This book includes a few of the basics from Krizmanic’s A Teen’s Guide to Going Vegetarian along with a “How-To-Get-Your-Nutrients Substitution Chart” and a lot more recipes, ranging from Aztec casserole to Zesty BBQ burgers.

One Final Tip
If you're facing pressure to eat foods you're not comfortable with, explain your decision and the reasons behind it. Though you may face initial resistance from your parents, explaining to them how you plan to get a complete, balanced diet can help them understand. Offer to help out in the kitchen or prepare the family dinner a few nights a week. Showing them that you've done your research and are willing to work with them, not against them, can go a long way.