Vicuschka/Shutterstock.com (veggie background); iStock/Getty Images (slate)

STANDARDS

CCSS: 6.SP.B.4, 6.SP.B.5, 7.SP.B.3, 8.SP.A.1, MP1, MP5, MP6

TEKS: 6.12A, 6.12B, 6.12C, 6.12D, 6.13A, 7.6G, 7.12A, 8.5C, 8.11A

Going Veggie

Have you cut back on meat recently? Or maybe you’re thinking of ditching it for good? If so, you’re one of many—including celebrities like Beyoncé, Jay-Z, and Liam Hemsworth—opting for a more plant-based diet. Though only 7% of consumers identify as vegetarian, more than 36% use meat alternatives on a regular basis.

“Lots of people, including teens, are somewhere on the vegetarian spectrum,” says nutritionist Rachel Meltzer Warren. “There’s room for everyone to find the fit that makes sense for them!”

Many vegetarians still eat animal products, like eggs and dairy. But they avoid meats like beef, pork, and chicken. Vegans don’t eat any animal-based products—not even honey!

“It’s important to know that a vegetarian or vegan diet can be a very healthy choice—but it is not automatically one,” says Warren. Although technically vegetarian, a diet of cheese pizza and french fries isn’t well-balanced. Vegetarians need to make sure they get enough protein and iron, nutrients found in high quantities in meat. Warren recommends eating plenty of produce and plant-based proteins like beans, legumes, nuts, seeds, and soy for a balanced vegetarian diet.

“Decisions we make about food are very tied into who we think we are and the stamp we want to leave on the world,” says Warren. “Going vegetarian can inspire a teen to take ownership over their food.”

Thinking about making the change? Read on to explore statistics about vegetarianism and veganism around the world!

Google Quiz

Click the Google Quiz button below to share an interactive version of the questions with your class. Click Download PDF for the non-interactive blank Answer Sheet.

Download PDF

Vicuschka/Shutterstock.com (veggie background); iStock/Getty Images (slate); Wermiel/NY Post/Splash News/Newscom (veggie burger)

Answer the following questions using the information in the charts and graphs above. Record your work and answers on our answer sheet.

Which age group in the U.S. has the fewest vegans and vegetarians?

A. 18-29

B. 30-49

C. 50-64

D. 65+

About how much revenue was made from selling meat substitutes in 2015?

A. $500 million

B. $610 million

C. $700 million

D. $825 million

How many servings of quinoa do you need to eat to get the same amount of iron in one serving of steak?

A. 2

B. 4

C. 8

D. 12

Which country has the highest rate of vegetarianism?

A. India

B. Israel

C. Italy

D. Taiwan

What’s the ratio—in simplest form—of the number of calories in a serving of peanut butter to a serving of chicken?

A. 4:7

B. 5:9

C. 28:15

D. 47:35

About how many people in the United Kingdom are vegetarians?

A. 291,420

B. 5,979,150

C. 6,055,100

D. 7,452,000

What is the approximate percent change of money spent on meat substitutes between 2012 and 2018?

What is the difference between the number of vegetarians in Israel and Australia?

A recipe for vegetarian curry has  1/4 cup lentils and 1 1/2 cups of chickpeas. How much iron in total does the curry have from these ingredients?

Use a separate sheet of paper to make a bar graph comparing the amount of protein in a serving of quinoa, almonds, soy milk, black beans, and salmon.

Skills Sheets (1)
Lesson Plan (1)
Text-to-Speech