many people who start eating a vegetarian diet simply eliminate the meat from their diet and compromise their protein needs. Rich protein sources include lentils, legumes, nuts/seeds, soy products (such as tofu or soy meat substitutes), eggs, and dairy products. You need to be intentional about consuming these foods several times throughout the day.

Answered by Maxine Smith, RD, LD. Ms. Smith has more than 20 years of experience as a registered, clinical dietitian and currently works in the department of Nutrition Therapy.