Some basic advice for vegetarians

Take a good (2 a day) multivitamin & mineral. It is very easy to become depleted in certain nutrients quite quickly, even if you are eating well. Check the label to ensure that they are suitable for vegetarians.

Iron, especially for women, is an important consideration. The iron contained in red meat is easier for the body to absorb than the iron in vegetation. If you start to feel tired or lethargic a lot of the time, you may well benefit from an additional iron supplement. Generally if you take a supplement for a month or two this will be enough to correct an average deficiency. If you can remember to, and what I personally do, is from then on to take the iron supplement every day that you have your period, helping to replace the iron that you lose, and giving you a little boost every month. Amino Acid Chelated products are the best ones to choose as they will not cause constipation, however as Vitamin C aids the absorption of iron, take your supplement with a glass of orange juice (preferably real orange juice, not that 'made from concentrate' stuff) and reduce the likelihood of constipation even further, whilst also fitting in 1 of your 5 a day, and giving your immune system a boost. Marvellous! Vegetarian iron rich foods include:

Dark green leafy vegetables
Dried apricots
Dates/figs
Pumpkin seeds

Protein is very important, as it provides your body with the essential building blocks for growth, renewal, energy production and many other processes; generally people will obtain their protein from meat, fish, dairy products and eggs so if these are not in your diet it is important to ensure you are getting sufficient intake from other sources. Protein also helps to keep you feeling full for longer, and balances your blood sugar levels so you are less likely to get that mid afternoon energy crash. See my main article on protein for further information. Every meal or snack should contain some element of protein. Non-animal sources include:

Quinoa (use in place of rice, add cold to salads, mix into stirfrys in addition to rice)
Beans (not just baked beans, buy a bean receipe book and try them all!)
Lentils (Cauldron do an amazing lentil pate)
Tofu (good quality)
Soya milk
Seeds (sprinkle on your breakfast, even better if you grind them first)
Nuts (useful to have a few at the same time as a snack of fruit, all nuts have different benefits so eat a wide variety, avoiding the salted ones!)
Hummous
Asparagus
Broccoli
Peas