Making the Choice

Karen Eck of Boulder, Colorado, still recalls the day she was out driving with her son Kyle, then 14, when he turned to her and suddenly blurted out, "I've made a decision."

For a second, she panicked, fearing all sorts of scenarios. But then he said matter-of-factly, "I'm going to be a vegetarian." Karen breathed a huge sigh of relief and thought, "Phew, I can deal with that."

More parents like Karen are dealing with their children's decision to go meatless. According to the American Dietetic Association, the number of teens who call themselves vegetarian has risen more than 30 percent since 1995.

So what's a parent to do if her child decides to join the half million or so other American teens who are vegetarian? For starters, don't panic. Or at least, don't panic for long. Being a vegetarian is healthy if your teenager goes about it the right way.