try quorn, before i went completely vegan it was one of my favorites, not sure if it's just like real chicken, it had been so long since i'd eaten meat before i tried it, but a lot of people claim it tastes just like the real thing.

I was raised vegetarian so I never was into meat substitutes. They seem kind of strange to me. I eat a lot of Asian foods. Delicious dishes made of noodles or rice + fresh veggies + tofu + different spicy sauces. I favor Thai, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Vietnamese. Stir fry is easy to make. Italian food is also a no-brainer for vegetarians. A nice veggie lasagna or pasta and pesto dish is easy to whip up. Mexican foods are similarly easy to prepare. Veggie burritos are a staple. I also like Mediterranean cuisine like falafels, hummus, tabouleh, etc... And American foods such as soups, homemade bread, veggie or pasta salads, etc are tasty.

I too am in the process of eliminating meat from my diet. I think the best thing it to start slow. I've learned it's best to eliminate cravings by adding something in it's place. I actually started with buying a juicer and making green lemonade in the mornings. I got the recipe from the Raw Food Detox Diet book. Fresh juice is a great way to start the day plus the nutrients you get from it are awesome. My acne started clearing up too. Ray Kordich also has a book out that has some great recipes.

I think the key is to eliminate slow and don't just go cold... err.. no turkey. Also, I'm not a fan of processed substitutes. If man made it I don't think it's meant to be consumed no matter what soy product it's made of. Fake cheese, fake bacon, soy burgers. All that stuff came from a factory and doesn't sound nutritious to me.

You don't have to eat meat substitutes. I don't ever eat them, they'd probably just seem as yucky as meat. Just make sure you get enough protein- like from beans. I had no problem giving up meat, just one day i decided i didn't want it, and never ate it again

Try eating a variety of food. You don't even need the meat substitutes as staples.

For a varied diet, you can try these:
Breakfast- peanut butter and jelly sandwich, cereal with soy milk, fruits etc
Snacks- peanut butter banana and nut smoothie, graham crackers, olives, pickled cucumbers, popcorn, etc
Lunch/dinner- vegetable tempura, vegetable curry, bean burritos, pasta dishes, basic broccoli, stir fried veggies, miso soup, etc

I am not sure of your reason for your vegetarian choice (animal rights? environment? health?). But whatever it is, why do you have to cook meat for your granddaughter? Why not cook delicious veggies for the two of you instead? Why would you continue to support her choice if it's a direct contradiction of yours? (I have no idea how old your granddaughter is obviously).

Anyway I fully support your vegetarian choice! You can do it! Go to cooking classes if needed =)

One more thing, it's normal to go hungry all the time. Because the food you eat now are more easily digestible, you will yourself hungry more often. The solution? Just eat more often. After all, it's supposed to be healthier eating more times in smaller portions than having just 3 massive meals. Good luck!

I'm with you on not liking tofu. Something about the texture bothers me, so I stay away from it unless I'm using it blended as the base for a sauce or dessert.

I agree with the other posts saying taht you definitely don't need fake meat. Sometimes I'll use it and sometimes I won't, but it's more just a matter of what falvors I'm looking for as opposed to needing meat to be full. When you say one week eating only vegetables, maybe you could provide an example of what your diet was? I never felt hungry when I first went vegetarian, although I did go through that the first time I went vegan, which was because there are so many restrictions that I hardly ate anything which didn't work out very well. I went back to being vegetarian and then eased back into veganism and found it much easier the second time because I did it slowly and that gave me time to learn what foods I should be eating.

I'm not a big fan of tofu either. My soy product of choice is tempeh. The texture is better and I like the taste too.

I don't really look for meat substitutes either. I don't eat much in the way of soy products, eating tempeh just occasionally. I get my protein from foods like lentils and black beans. Also, quinoa is a great source of protein. It's a grain/seed that you prepare like rice and is the one vegetarian source that has all essential amino acids.

Like others have said, if it's difficult for you to cut out meat altogether, try to have more meat free days in the week. You may want to check out some of the many websites that have great veggi/vegan recipes.

Most meat substitutes are heavily processed and end up tasting quite fake. I prefer simple whole, non-processed foods,

You're on the right track. Be patient with yourself get as much info as you can on going veg.

I thank all of you for your advice. I will definitely do my best to get back on track. Lovescrappy-my granddaughter is 9 years old. I have only had her for 3 years and she came from parents who ate a lot of fast foods. She is picky on what she eats and will not any vegetables except corn and greenbeans. I have tried it all with her. She will be work in progress revmoving meat from her plate.

beans are really good and can be very satisfying, like maybe you could try making meatless chili. i know tofu is not appealing to everyone, but also you could try consuming more whole grains which are also very satisfying (and good for you!) whole brown rice is good, couscous is very delicious and can be made a variety of ways. also quinoa (pronounced qeenwa) is really good too! just look for things that are satisfying yet appeal to your tastes so you dont feel like your missing out on anything :)

only eating corn and green beans sounds like me and my sister growing up. There are a lot of vegetables that I love now that I would not touch when I was younger. At 9, she's old enough to be able to help out with the cooking, so that might be a way to get her to eat more variety. You could try going through vegetarian cookbooks with her to see what kinds of dishes she might like. And introduce new fruits and vegetables every once in a while to give her a chance to try them. Sometimes kids (as well as adults) say no just because they're not adventurous but end up loving something in the end. Try pesto and hummus with her, both of them are really tasty and pretty good for you.