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Here are best 10 Veggie Challenge stories we received in 2010 from those in their teens or twenties.  Also see the best stories from age 30 and up and the top story of 2010.

At first my Muslim parents tried to force me to eat meat

Hi my name is Antara and I am 15 years old. I wanted to become a vegetarian because a few months ago on Youtube I saw a video about how animals are kept and killed for our purpose of eating them. After watching it I felt horrible and I wanted to do something about it. I strongly disapproved of killing animals and of the way in which they are kept, treated and killed for the purpose of our food.

So I told my parents I want to become vegetarian and they should become vegetarian with me. But they are really strict Muslims and they thought that I liked some vegetarian guy and he had influenced me to change my religion or something. They tried to force me to eat meat and told me that I would become unhealthy.

But I explained it to them that becoming vegetarian has nothing to do with my religion or becoming unhealthy.It's a choice I made because I believe that we should not kill animals. After a long argument they decided that its ok if I stay vegetarian, since I am not going to change my mind but I can't tell any of my other family members about it beside my parents.

After a while a friend of mine told me about the Toronto Vegetarian Association and I wanted to become a part of it because I wanted to find people that support me unlike my family. Anyway I heard about the Veggie Challenge, so I told my parents to try it for a week, after convincing them for like a hour, they finally agreed and surprising they actually like it :). They told me they would sometimes go veggie with me:) which is really surprising hearing it come from my parents. I wanted to share my story because I don't think that there are many Muslim vegetarian people out there. But I just wanted to say that becoming vegetarian has nothing to do with religion. It's a personal choice.

– Antara, teen, Toronto

My love for animals and the Earth surpassed my love for the taste of meat

I have always been interested in becoming a vegetarian!! I love animals and I believe that they deserve life. I am also very much in love with our planet and I have always been interested in ways I can contribute to its preservation. I took the Challenge and to my surprise I did ok!!! I must admit that my weakness had always been chicken wings and fish!! Those two were a little bit difficult to part ways with!!! But as I was doing the Challenge I received e-mails about why it is a good idea to omit these animals from our diet!! I did additional research as well! I watched videos about animal cruelty, I learned about shrimp fishing and how it destroys our ocean ecosystems and to be honest it made me too sad to want to eat any of these things!!!

As I have mentioned above I am in love with our planet in all of its intricate beauty and miraculous ways and it breaks my heart to realize even more how it is being destroyed in spite of our ever extended awareness. We can live VERY healthy lives WITH a meatless diet... I no longer see a point to eating meat because there are far too many benefits not to!!

Indeed I did love the taste of meat, I can admit to that, but my love for animals and for the environment FAR surpass any love for a taste especially if I get tasty meals that are MEAT FREE!!!

I have challenged myself indeed and I now eat with a clear conscious and a wonderful feeling of pride that YES, I CAN DO THIS... I can be a vegetarian, although its not always easy... I accept the continued challenge of a meat-free diet in exchange for a clear and sound conscious, great health, good food and to be an example of the small sacrifices made to my first true love... mother earth!!!

Keep the love alive... as well as the animals and our planet = )

The meat conqueror,

– Kiya, late 20's, Toronto

Best of all I don't feel guilty

I have wanted to become vegetarian for a couple of years but almost everything I ate had meat, so I'd say "ah, forget it, it tastes good" and pig out. I am a fan of PETA and I'm always reading stories and news, and watching videos (like Meet Your Meat) because I am an animal lover.

I didn't like thinking that I love animals and still eat meat after knowing how much torture they go through just to be the hot dog I'm having. I decided to not eat meat anymore. I did find it hard at first because our fridge was packed full of meat, sandwich meats, steaks, nuggets. I actually got disgusted. I still live at home and my parents are all "meat is good, eat meat", but I've asked them to not put any type of meat in a dish they're making or to make it separately.

I have been vegetarian for two months (not long I know) and I feel fine. I don't miss any cooked dead animal at all, and I am eating a lot more fruits and vegetables than ever. I have lost about 10lbs in the past 3 months, I am overweight and dread exercising, so learning that I lost weight by just eating is awesome!

I now take into consideration what I eat, instead of just taking something out of the freezer and popping it into the microwave or buying fast food, which is what I used to do a lot and was the origin of my weight gain. But since the majority of frozen dinners and fast foods have meat, I don't eat them anymore. I am eating a lot of fresh foods now, less greasy stuff, and best of all I don't feel guilty. A couple of people I know said they didn't think I would last not eating meat. I even inspired my brother to not eat meat but that only lasted 2 days. I think one day he will change, just like me. I will definitely stay vegetarian and hopefully one day become vegan.

– Eliya, early 20's, Toronto

Going vegetarian isn't easy, but it's worth the effort!

I became a vegetarian in January of this year. I didn't realize how different it was. I changed my eating habits this year. I dropped all meat and dairy from my diet. It was hard.

I just moved back home in November hoping to better myself in the long run. I put up with high blood pressure all the time. I'm always stressed out because I've been working a lot. I spent all of last year on the road for work, eating McDonald's. So gross.

Wasn't until I started straightening out my life, that I decided to go the vegan way. I buy vitamins to supplement the missing nutrients from cutting out meat and dairy products. It's hard. I'm trying to save money to afford to get some schooling for myself. Working all the time and spending money on food for myself is hard and tough because vegan, natural and organic products are sooo expensive.

My friends are cool with it. They think it's good for me. I've always been a big girl. I can't remember the last time I weighed less than 200 pounds. I've lost 40 pounds since last summer and it's going well for me. Not only are my beliefs there against animal cruelty, but going vegan has been very beneficial for my health. It's hard at home, though. My food gets eaten by my family, which I put my own money out for. We all eat differently and it can be complex and stressful.

Overall though, I will never go back to eating meat or dairy. I've gotten so attached to the yumminess of all the good vegan foods – I crave them more and more now. I do yoga and exercises every couple of days. I try to do some meditation at night. I can't picture taking this any other way. It's amazing, and I feel awesome about myself. So it's great, and I will never turn away.

– Melanie, early 20's, Oshawa, ON
Top stories of 2010 – random draw winner

*Note: If you eat a varied vegan diet, the only vitamin that is critical is b12 but taking D during the winter is a good idea no matter what diet you eat. See our vegetarian nutrition page. Vegan foods need not be expensive if you are eating seasonally and cook with bulk grains and legumes.

Vegtastic! I love being vegetarian

My Veggie Challenge was pretty Vegtastic. My boyfriend and I decided to do it together, at first it was a bit hard, we found that we really had to watch the labels and ingredients in products that looked vegetarian but really were not like soup for instance. A lot of them had chicken or beef in the broth.

I became interested in vegetarianism in July when I went to a concert in Toronto and people were there giving information about being a vegetarian. I like being a vegetarian because I can help the animals and stay healthy at the same time. We now have no meat products in our apartment. I love being vegetarian :)

I enjoyed the emails, they were full of good information and recipes.

Update (Dec 2, 2010): I am still a vegetarian and loving it, I feel like I have more energy and my body feels free of all the toxins I was eating before. I find that I get questioned a lot about my choice and I am never afraid to let people know why I chose a vegetarian diet. I find that a lot of people are misinformed of the nutrition you can get from vegetables. Everyone is always wondering and worrying about how I am getting my protein and calcium and are always surprised to hear the many answers that I come back with. I bet if everyone just tried it even for just a week they would see how diverse and healthy a vegetarian diet can really be.

– Danielle, early 20's, Pickering, ON

I decided to join a vegan club at the University of Toronto

Vegetarianism only started for me after the progression of a number of events. Before this year, I had known five people who were vegetarian yet I had not ever eaten with them. At the beginning of this year at the University of Toronto, there was a fair where you could join different clubs. There was a vegan club at the University of Toronto and I decided to join it. Ever since, I've been receiving emails from Hot Yam about a 4 dollar vegan lunch each Thursday and the variety of foods appeared very decadent to me.

Photo: three students enjoy stuffed peppers, garden salad, "groovy" grapes and Selamine baked squares (a tasty grainy dessert) outside of Hot Yam.

A new friend quite adores animals and she told me about how she volunteered at the animal shelter in the small animals section. Subsequently, I began to volunteer there every weekend with her. Simultaneously, another new friend at U of T was a vegetarian and a few times, I had eaten with her. She never talked about it, but the fact that she was vegetarian enforced the lingering idea even more in my mind.

I started to research it and discovered how the animals are killed. Every time I began to eat meat, it felt like I was eating another human being because these animal had had a life similar to my life. As well, I found through research that it takes more energy to raise animals than only harvesting vegetables and fruits. Therefore, I was intrigued that it would help against global warming.

The health benefits astonished me – including a reduced risk of heart disease, osteoporosis, and many other good effects. As for protein and iron, I had believed that one could only get these nutrients from meat and I was shocked of the truth that many vegetables were packed with iron, protein, and other nutrients.

Regarding my challenges, it was difficult to live with others who are meat-eaters, but I believe that I have been steadily increasing my tolerance despite the familiar smells. My mindset has become stronger for being a vegetarian. With these healthier recipes, I cannot comprehend why I never before thought of the vegetarian option.

– Kelley, early 20's, Toronto

Vegetarianism is right for my whole family!

I am a wife and a mother of two kids. I spoke to my daughter (5 years old) about how she felt about eating "meat" and she said it made her sad that people kill animals. So I looked and looked and read so many things saying vegetarianism is not for kids or infants. Then I was like – I don't care, my baby girl wants to do it, I want to do it, and I don't want my 9 month old being exposed to salmonella, e-coli, mad cow, bird flu, etc. So I decided it was the way to go for my kids and I. I signed up for the Veggie Challenge for extra info, ideas, suggestions etc. I personally think it should be a 30 day email program. A week wasn't sufficient enough.

Anyway, happy vegetarianism! My family won't become fully vegan – some things children can't avoid during snack time (at school). As for me, I am pretty much vegan, with the exception of milk (feel guilty enough for the calves) in my tea outside of home, as many stores don't carry almond milk.

My family's diet is very challenging as we don't eat GMO's at all. So we are heavily restricted – no soy etc.

– Krystle, early 20's, Toronto
Top stories of 2010 – random draw winner

An eye-opening experience

I think being Vegetarian is one of the best choices I've made. It helped me to think about mass production and my previous food choices, as well as the impact I was having on the environment as a meat-eater. I never thought about the food I was eating. Everyone asked me WHY I was going vegetarian, no one could understand, this forced me to research my decision in depth, and it really opened my eyes to what I had been doing to myself and the kind of industry I was contributing too. Now that I am vegetarian I feel healthier, and more energized and ready to learn and do more. I simply feel GREAT!

– Christy-Marie, teen, Toronto

Gallstone attack prompted gradual switch to vegetarian diet

Taking on the 7 Day Veggie Challenge was a breeze! Mind you, I had already paved the way by eating a low fat diet that did not include dairy products (due to lactose intolerance) and red meat (due to a gallstone the size of a golf ball). Since those dreadful gallstone* attacks in October 2009, I started eating tofu, beans and legumes regularly to replace the meat I was no longer eating. During the Veggie Challenge, eliminating the chicken and fish I used to eat once per week was not as difficult as making that initial step. Starting slow is definitely the way to go.

I regularly research new and easy recipes on the internet.

My biggest challenge has been facing the reactions from my family and friends. They express many concerns about my family‘s health (my son and I), doubting the nutritious value of a vegetarian diet, particularly for a growing boy. Our opposing views on healthy diets differ so greatly it has unfortunately lead to heated discussions. However, during this learning experience, I discovered that my view on nutrition and ability to make such changes is not as easy for others. I try to never impose my position. Instead, when discussing, I only offer the information that has resonated and motivates me to continue this path of optimal health. I regularly research new and easy recipes on the internet and feel confident that I am providing my son and me a healthy and well balanced meal.

– Carolyn, late 20's, Oshawa, ON

*Note: Avoiding gallstones might be easier than you think. "Compared to meat eaters, vegetarian women were only about one-fourth as likely to need gallbladder surgery."

The Challenge solved my worries about getting enough protein and iron

I came across the Veggie Challenge at the Indian Festival at Centre Island. For me, it wasn't too difficult because I've gone a few weeks at a time without meat or eggs in the past. The reason why I couldn't keep it up in the past was because I was under the notion that I wouldn't be getting enough protein and iron if I cut out the meat altogether. However with the wonderful Veggie Challenge e-mails, I've learned SO much about the nutrition in vegetables and I'm so motivated to continue the Challenge. I find that avoiding meat in my diet makes me feel a lot lighter, gives me more energy and makes me feel so much better about not harming any precious animals.

Now that the Challenge is over, my future goal is to really learn what each vegetable tastes like so that I know what they offer to each dish. This way, I can experiment and make my own combination in the kitchen.

Overall, this was a wonderful learning experience for me.

– Sobi, late 20's, Toronto