Raising a Vegan Family In A “Non-Vegan” World
“Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a Vegetarian diet.” Albert Einstein
My son Alex is 13 and my daughter Ava is 7, and they have been living free from animal products for about 4 years. Thankfully they both enjoy many veggies, as well as brown rice, whole wheat breads & pasta, beans, fruit and lots of other healthy stuff! I am also thrilled that they are totally on board with the “not eating animals” thing!!! I know that many kids would pass out if they had to give up pork chops, bbq chicken and steak!!! But not my little Vegans! They are proof that children can physically thrive on a plant based diet and be completely content doing so!
My family could honestly be the “poster family” for Vegan living! All four of us are 100% Vegan, including my husband. We love that our bodies are healthier, our foot prints on this Earth are lighter and no more animals will suffer for our meals, fashion or beauty products. My family is proud to live cruelty free!
Although becoming Vegan is truly one of the best decisions that we have ever made, I can’t tell people how great it is raising a Vegan or Vegetarian family, without being honest about some of the obstacles we encounter. These obstacles should not sway anyone from choosing this lifestyle, but instead prepare them for a few bumps in the road.
One issue is school lunches!!! I mean, would it kill our schools to have a Vegan option…. other than an ice-burg lettuce salad & PB&J?!?! The food they feed these children is horrible!! Lots of ham, cheese, sausage, fried chicken….. the list goes on!! I’m not even sure if there is actually any chicken in the “pop corn” chicken served in most cafeterias! Is it a surprise that so many kids are overweight and on their way to a lifetime of health issues? I truly hope that our nation’s schools will begin to make some “real” changes in our children’s cafeterias. The school systems need to realize that “food is health & good health begins with what we eat”!! I pack my kids lunch on most days, but I won’t lie, it is tough to be creative every day. Some mornings I feel a bit overwhelmed, but fortunately there are a lot of great books that offer me inspiration.
An obstacle for Vegan families is eating out. We have a few restaurants in our area that truly cater to our dietary needs, so we frequent those places. Once we venture out a little farther, we have to be careful of where we stop to eat. I find that most ethnic restaurants like, Asian, Indian, Mexican and Italian are good bets. They use a lot of veggies, beans and pasta. Just beware of egg noodles and creamy sauces & dressings. Ask questions about how the food is prepared!! Believe it or not, there are a few good phone apps that can let you know of Vegetarian and Vegan friendly restaurants in the area. Gotta love technology! Also, be sure to pack lots of healthy snacks for your outings, this way you won’t be pressured to constantly stop for food.
Of course there is also the issue of other children questioning, or making fun of Vegans & Vegetarians. The problem is, they don’t understand this type of diet, so they mock it. They might say, “Where do you get your protein” or “Meat is the most important part of the food pyramid” or “Vegans are weak & meat makes you strong”!!! Fortunately, my son is strong and he stands his ground, and recently a few of his friends have said that they would like to be a Vegetarian or Vegan just like him! I love this! The trick is to make your children feel proud of their Veg lifestyle and other people will be drawn to their positive “vibe” and influence! Alex is a 2nd degree Black Belt in karate and he passed all of the the vigorous physical & mental testing with flying colors! He also won 1st place in Black Belt sparring in his last tournament. He sparred boys much older & bigger without a problem. His cardio is top notch due to his plant based diet. Alex was featured in the Winter 2011 edition of “The Vegan Society Magazine”.
Knowledge is power, so children should be taught about the many benefits, a Vegan diet offers. My son loves the fact that his immune system is so strong and his cardio endurance has greatly increased!! He also realizes that his risk of obesity, diabetes, and certain types of cancers are greatly DECREASED!!! Most factory farmed animals are pumped with steroids, antibiotics and other toxins, which have been proven to negatively effect human health.
My children also realize that a plant based diet is much kinder to the Earth, and that the “United Nations” has recently stated that a Vegan diet is vital for the future of well being of our planet, “A global diet free of meat and dairy is necessary for the world to mitigate the worst effects of climate change”.
I also believe that parents should not hide the truth about factory farming and animal cruelty from their children. Of course you don’t want to be graphic and emotionally scar them. But both of my kids realize that farmed animals are not happy, and they are often in pain and neglected. The media paints such a pretty picture of farmed animals, and many people don’t have a clue about what actually goes on, before they have that glass of milk, chicken nugget or scrambled egg. I recommend taking your kids to visit a local farm sanctuary. Spending time with these beautiful, gentle creatures, will really help your family “make the connection” between human being & animal.
A trick for Vegan parents, is to always have tasty, healthy snacks in the house and not be afraid of baking!! I bake a few times a week, so my kids always have something sweet after dinner. We buy very little processed snack food at the store.
Another trick is READ, READ, READ!! Blogs, magazines, books, etc…… There are so many great ideas for Vegan families! I never leave home without my newest cookbook or copy of VEG NEWS. It is important for me to have the extra support that they offer!
Raising a Veggie loving family can be tough at times, but just remember that you are offering your children a future that is full of compassion and optimum health. You are teaching them respect for living creatures and the Earth we live on. Being Vegan is “bigger” than just not eating meat, dairy & eggs. Veganism is a “Movement” and Vegans are truly “Enlightened” human beings. Our children will carry this enlightenment with them throughout their entire lives and because of this, they will help in changing our world….
Great post. I will share this on facebook.
Thanks so much!!
Great post and adore your blog. Hoping to raise my future family vegan. Any tips on B12 for young babies and kids is my biggest concern but with more digging I’m sure I will kind the answer.
Great question. Breastfed babies will get adequate b-12 through mother’s milk, as long as you are taking a supplement. Older babies & toddlers should take a children’s multi vitamin. Easy!!
Hello! I just found you on Twitter and am ecstatic! I am raising my 2 little boys vegan (My fiance is also Vegan) and I eat vegan about 95% of the time. I l have been slowly letting go of almost all dairy, I just have ice cream and a couple other things every once in a while. Any advice for me? Being 100% vegan is a goal for 2011 for sure. It can be hard going out to eat, here in Utah we have quite a few options, and most are ethnic
(We had Indian food last night!) Love it. This is such a great post! My little boys are almost 3 and 1 years old. They have been raised Vegan since they were babies. It can be hard sometimes for meal ideas, do you have any? They love Boca Chikn’s! And smart dogs, but I really want to give them more natural-PF foods. Feel free to email me anytime, I would love to talk with you!
Hi Marcy,
Thanks so much for the wonderful comment! I love to connect with like minded moms! Your children are so lucky to have become Vegan at such a young age. I wish I knew about benefits of Veganism when my children were born!
But teach them well now, and they will be proud to stick with their Vegan lifestyle!!!
I hope you are able to make the full switch to Vegan this year. Dairy is delicious and addictive… and actually quite bad for us! Although I know you know that!:) My advice for you, is to quit dairy immediately! Sounds tough, but that is how I did it, and I had no real problems. The more you allow yourself ice-cream here and there & a piece of cheese once and a while, your body holds on to it’s addiction. Once you are physically and mentally free from dairy, you will desire it less & less. Have you tried “Coconut Bliss” ice-cream or “Purely Decadent”? Love those!!!!
As for your children, processed Vegan “meats” are yummy and totally fine for them, occasionally. I would limit their intake to a couple times per week.
A whole foods, plant based diet is what your family will thrive on! Check out the book “The Vegan Lunchbox” for some kid friendly recipe ideas!
Try to feed your kids as many organic, raw veggies as possible, along with legumes, traditional soy, nuts & whole grains! This is the easy time, wait until they are in school, that’s when it will get tough!
Keep in touch,
Lisa
Stopping in to say hello! I’m so glad I’ve found your page. I quit eating meat last year immediately after watching the Food Inc. Oprah episode and then the actual movie that night. I then decided to go vegan that same weekend after reading everything I could get my hands on. At the time my 4 year old son was on 3 different allergies medicines for “seasonal” allergies. The night of the superbowl he broke out into hives from head to toe, huge welts all over his body. The next day I found out he was allergic to amoxicillian because he had been given so much from the ped. I made them test for a dairy allergy which they said he wasn’t. I decided to pull him off of dairy myself and within a week I was able to pull him off of all his meds! Neither one of my kids (they’re now 8 and 5) have been to the dr for a sick visit in a year since following this diet. I love that my daughter has educated her 3rd grade class on being a vegan and sprouts are one of her favorite snacks to bring and my son who’s in kindergarten chooses veggie sushi to bring in his lunch!
off to snoop your page!!
terra
Hi Terra,
I love hearing from Vegan parents with great experiences to share! So glad that your son is doing better, it’s amazing how powerful food can be!
I am a strong believer that dairy is toxic to our bodies. I have seen such a transformation in my family’s health since we eliminated it. Asthma, allergies, eczema…. all gone.
Thanks for stopping by my blog! Hope you find it useful!
Lisa
Hi there!
Thank you for your wonderful website!!
I’m currently preganant. I have been vegetarian forever, and I have been vegan too. i would say I am currently 80% vegan these days, but now that I have a little somebody to look after, I want to make sure I am at optimum health so am wanting to make lifelong dietry changes…
My husband is currently a meat eater
but we have decided to bring our child up vegetarian, would you have any tips or advice about how I can make sure my child stays on track with being vegetairan and not want to be ‘like daddy’? I’ve tried to convert the hubby, but he is having none of it!
Thanks for your time
Tess
Hi Tess,
I have a feeling that as long as your husband is supportive of your veggie lifestyle & never pushes meat onto your child, he or she will be completely content being a vegetarian. My daughter was very young when she became Vegan & she does not ever remember eating meat, so she is grossed out by “dead animal parts”!! LOL
Best of luck & congratulations!!
I’m not sure if you are primarily concerned with health, or if ethics play a part in your Vegetarianism, but if you child learns about some factory farming facts, that may deter he or she from wanting to play a part in animal suffering.
Check out my list of favorite children’s books & read them to your child.
Children are born compassionate creatures, so Vegetarianism will help your little sweetie grow into a healthy & compassionate grown-up!
Thank you so much for your reply!! I’m certain my husband would never push meat onto our child and that he would be fully supportive as he knows how important it is to me!
I am hoping that as a stay at home mum (and my husbands job means he will be away a lot) I will also have more influence over our childs food choices as he gets older and develops a mind of his own. I’m keen to teach our child compassion for all animals, and you are right, educating him will be key!
Thank you again for your response, I’ll check out the books too
I am so excited to find your blog. I am a mom to a 7 month old baby girl. I have been a vegetarian for a while, but have recently gone vegan. While my husband is fine eating vegan while at home, if we eat out or are at friends or family he definitely eats meat. I would really like to raise our daughter vegan, but I am not sure how well that will go as I know many members of our family think that is crazy. I am also not sure how to handle the whole, baby’s need to drink cows milk, idea. I know that cows milk is not important as long as your child is eating a healthy diet, but I am not sure how to convince other people of that.
Hi Britney,
It sounds to me that you know your child will thrive on a Vegan diet, so I don’t need to remind you of that!
I am a bit concerned about how worried you are with what other people will think. Veganism may not be extremely common, but it is becoming more and more accepted by health professionals every day. And people are finally starting to realize the benefits of a plant based diet.
Many people however will shake their head at you, or try to persuade you with some outdated research about the need for cows milk. But don’t let this get you down. This is YOUR child, and you know that you are doing her a huge favor by starting her out right. Her body will be cleaner & less toxic. She will have a lower chance of countless diseases AND she will be leaving a lighter carbon footprint on the earth without promoting cruelty.
You need to stay strong, do your research, feed her plenty of organic whole foods and be proud of raising your daughter Vegan.
If family & friends keep hounding you, FORCE them to read “The China Study”, it’s what I do!
To Britney. I’m a human physiologist, and have a PHD. 35 years in the making.
You can tell your skeptical family members, that a newborn, infant, or toddler, can easily thrive with a plant based diet. Further more, the AAP(American Academy of Pediatricians), the ADA(American Dietetic Association), The WHO(World Health Organization) all agree that, “Well-planned vegetarian and vegan eating patterns are healthy for infants and toddlers.” End of story.
Hi there Vegan Mom! I’m new to your blog, in fact…I just found out about you literally right now. This is the first posting I’ve read on your site and I read all the comments to go with. I just had a few questions. First off, a little information about myself. I’m 19 years old and just a few weeks ago found out I was pregnant. I can’t begin to tell you how excited I am to be apart of such a beautiful thing but I have a few reservations about it as well. Which are what led me to finding this post and ultimately your wonderful site. The reservations I have have been really worrying me to the point where its all I can think about while I’m at school. My boyfriend (and father of my baby) is also 19 years old. He’s slightly over weight, unhealthy beyond belief (in my opinion), and has the worst mucus buildup from his “weather changing” allergies that I have ever seen in all my short years. He has a good heart, which makes up for why I’m with him, but other than that….he’s positively disgusting. I need not say more. Lol. Next month I will have been living a lacto-ovo vegetarian lifestyle for 4 years. I have cheated a few times, and since finding out I was pregnant, I’ve eaten meat here and there. I knew eating meat was probably the worst thing for my baby but I was desperate with the morning sickness. But now that the morning sickness has “kind of” leveled out, I’m starting to get back into my lacto-ovo veg diet. But lately, I’ve been really thinking of how I want to raise my baby and the principles and life lessons I want to teach my child. For instance: no yelling or use of a stern voice around my child, no cursing around my child, no spanking, no traditional “time outs,” no baby talk (I want to talk to my child with normal words so that he/she picks up on our language faster. I believe baby talk only prolongs speech. Just a personal belief that I’ve done research on.), NO PUBLIC SCHOOLS, no celebrating holidays in a materialistic way, and the list GREATLY goes on from there. But the biggest one and probably the hardest one that I’ve been thinking about lately is switching to a completely organic/vegan lifestyle for myself and my child. And HOPEFULLY my boyfriend so he can set a good example for our child. And all this is what ultimately brought me to this post. I think the information and advice you give is wonderful. Now, my questions are about raising a vegan/organic family. Are there any great, informative books that can help me raise my child as a baby and up to have a vegan/organic lifestyle? Any recipe books?? I would even go so far as to bake our own loafs of bread to make sure it was completely organic and nutritious. And also, do you have any tips or even any books that can help me convince/educate my carnivore boyfriend that this lifestyle would be so beneficial to our family (and him) and also very yummy. I’ve been wanting to go vegan/organic for a few years now…but never really had the urge/resources/money for it. But now, more than ever, I want to make this switch. For my little family. I just have no idea where to begin. The only thing I know is that I definitely what to do it. Just don’t know how to go about doing it. Any advice or magazine/book references would be greatly appreciated. Thank you and I hope you have a wonderful day! Hope to hear back from you soon!!
Shay
Check out “The Everything Vegan Pregnancy Book” by Reed Mangels. It’s a wealth of information! Please have your boyfriend read “The China Study”, it will change his mind about meat & dairy. Also watch “Forks Over Knives”.
Subscribe to “Veg News” Magazine, I could not live without it!
Sounds like you are going to be an amazing mom, you are already putting so much love & positive energy into your baby’s future.
Great blog! I have been vegetarian for 2 years and “quasi-vegan” for that time. i.e. I would cook vegan for myself, but just be vegetarian while out, or I’d eat pizza if I really wanted it! I am a breastfeeding mother to a beautiful 6 month old baby girl. It suddenly donned on me, as I was nursing her, how incredibly disturbing it is that we drink/eat the milk of another species!! That was my tipping point. I decided to go 100% vegan (about two days ago, haha!), mostly for ethical reasons, but more and more for health reasons, too. I was fairly undecided about whether to raise my baby as a low-meat eater (hubby still eats meat), vegetarian, or vegan. Now I’m decided. I’ve known in my heart for a while, I think, to stick to my guns about what I KNOW is best for her (and the planet!), but resources like your blog are incredibly motivating to raise vegan children. Thank you so much to those of us who are new and uneasy, and can use the encouraging information!!
Thanks so much for the kind words!
I have really enjoyed reading your blog! I have a 10 month old and another on the way, and totally planning on raising them vegan. It’s nice to get ideas from veteran moms like yourself. Thanks for all the great pointers.
Heidi
Thanks for the nice comment Heidi! Congrats on your new addition!
I’ve just found your blog tonight and am really pleased, thanks for writing it. We have a near 10 month old son and have as a family just converted to veganism this week. I am so happy about it but am still learning lots so it’s great to have a place like this to come.
I guess the signs were there when my baby would always choose a pulse over meat and just loves his leafy greens!
Abby
Best of luck on your new Vegan lifestyle. It is such an amazing way to live! It’s healthy & compassionate at the same time! Your child is so blessed to have such a great start in life! Subscribe to Veg News, it is a wealth of important information!
Hi Vegan Mom! Just recently became vegan and really enjoyed finding your blog…in fact, I made your banana chocolate chip muffins earlier today and they were delicious and a big hit with my family! My son is about to turn a year old…would love to know what multi vitamins or supplements you recommend, as we are trying to guide him in a vegan lifestyle. And any other recommendatios you have…I know your kids were older when they went vegan, but if you have any good info you could share I would really appreciate it.
I like Mega Food Vitamins. They contain wholefoods & not synthetic chemicals. Nice to hear that your son is vegan from a young age. Introduce him to lots of different veggies! As he gets older try ethnic dishes. Most Ethnic restaurants are Vegan friendly so it will be great if he enjoys a varieties of flavors!!! Make sure to include vitamin c foods with his iron foods. He will better absorb iron this way.
Hi. I was hunting the internet for a little support and encourgement, and was thrilled to find your blog. I went from eating the standard diet to meat and dairy free, and avoiding eggs (I know they hide in some of the baked goods, pastas, and veggie burgers I eat when out). The switch came after reading The Kind Diet 2 years ago when I had been sick literally the entire winter. I am happy to say that I have barely had a sniffle since then. However, I do find this journey difficult. My husband is pretty supportive, and will eat my vegan meals several times a week without complaint. My daughter (8) eats many vegan meals too which thrills me. We start every day sharing a green smoothie, and just yesterday she ordered the veggie stir fry in a restaurant instead of the chicken fingers (so proud!!). But, my son (5) is crazy-picky. While he eats lots of fruit and veg, he won’t eat pasta, rice, quinoa, couscous, barley, bulgar, salad greens, smoothies, beans, chickpeas, veggie burgers or dogs, anything saucy or casserol-ey…the list goes on. I haven’t forced my kids to go full vegan, or even vegetarian, because I’m wanting them to be willing to try new foods, and I feel like restricting their choices, particularly when none of our friends, families, or local eateries offer vegan options would be too difficult for them. That said, I feel guilty every time I purchase meat or milk for them. I guess I’m just hoping that eventually, my example will lead them into a kinder lifestyle. It seems to be working with my daughter. Anyway, thanks for your blog. I look forward to reading many more of your posts.
Kind regards,
Kim.
Hi Kim,
Thanks for the comment. I am happy to hear that you are doing so well on your Vegan diet! It’s amazing how our bodies thrive without animal products. I wish you lots of luck with your kids, I know that dropping meat, dairy & eggs is tough for young people. Especially because the world we live in is so obsessed with animal derived foods! Remember one thing though, you are their mother, the strongest advocate for your children’s health! No one has more power, to set their growing bodies up for a life of optimum health and vitality than you do. I can’t tell you what to do, but don’t stop trying to Veganize your household. I was lucky, it took 24 hours to clean out my kitchen. But I realize that is rare. My son was 9 at the time, and he is a healthy, happy, athletic 12 year old Vegan now. He is educated about animal welfare, environmental issues & nutrition. He reads every label to double check that it is vegan.
Follow Dr. Colin Campbell & Dr. Joel Fuhrman. They will explain that plants are all we need to live healthy, and usually disease free lives. Keep in touch!
Thank you soo very much for this post? My husband and I just decided to start a Vegan diet for our family Today!!! We are the last people you would ever guess would do it. We are known for my cooking and his grilling skills, but after extensive research I have been doing for my dad with Parkinson’s, I came to the conclusions this is the healthiest lifestyle out there. we are soo excited and very motivated, but I am overwhelmed. I too am scared about the idea of school lunches, and the nights when i just want to order pizza, or what to serve next week at my daughters birthday party. What kind of cake, etc. I plan to start reading anything and everything I can and this is a great start.What about seafood? Breakfast ideas? I would love any other advice you can share. May God Bless you as you bless others with this website!! love, Amy
Hi Amy,
So happy to hear that you & your family are going vegan! You are going to feel great! Don’t get overwhelmed about birthday parties & school lunches. You will just have to do some extra planning. There are many wonderful Vegan cake recipes out there, and no one at the party will no the difference! I have been told by many omnivores, that my “Vegan” cupcakes are the best they have ever had!! You can serve the kids cheese-less pizzas or jam tea sandwiches (I did for my daughter’s last b-day party) the kids gobbled them up!! As for school lunches, pb&j, hummus wraps, pasta, dinner leftovers, raw veggies & guacamole, soy yogurt, bean salad etc… you don’t need meat to make a tasty lunch! As for breakfast, we make vegan pancakes, waffles, cereal with almond milk, oatmeal & fruit.
And don’t be worried about ordering pizza! We have pizza every week! I get artichokes, pineapple, garlic & olive oil. (no cheese) Best pizza ever!
Seafood is not vegan. Fish can be just as dangerous to our health as meat. Fish is often loaded with toxins & Dr. Colin Campbell, (author of The China Study, please read) believes that it leads to disease, just like other meats do.
Have fun with your new vegan lifestyle~feel empowered to encourage others to make the switch too! I can’t imagine our life any other way!
Hi there!
Great post! Just wondering what brand of vegan multi vitamin you have found for your kids?
Thanks! Looking forward to checking out the rest of your blog!
Jen
I’ve been giving my kids Nature’s Plus “Animal Parade GOLD”.
This is so wonderful and encouraging! I have been a vegan for around 5 months and have no children. My whole outlook on life has changed since I educated myself about plant based diets and all the harmful effects that eating animals has on our planet and ourselves. I only wish I would have changed years ago!! I do not have kids yet, but since going vegan the thought of raising a healthy vegan baby is so exciting to me! Everything you said, is exactly how I feel and the type of vegan parent I want to be.
Of course we are already getting picked on as adults by adults for being vegan. It amazes me how bent out of shape other people get about what food I choose to put in MY BODY! My blog: http://www.mymodstyle.blogspot.com
Thank you so much for this great post! I just discovered your blog and can’t wait to read the rest. My husband and I have been vegetarians for 16 years and have raised our 7 year old twins as veggie from birth. All of us have now transitioned to a vegan diet and the issues you touched on, school lunches and comments from meat eaters, are some of our current concerns/challenges. Fortunately my boys are strong and healthy kids, so I know they can handle it. Our next step is educating them on vegan issues in an age-appropriate way that can empower them as they make their way in the non-vegan world. Please keep giving great advice on this issue. I think there are more of us out there than anyone realizes!
Thanks for the positive feedback!
I am so excited to find your blog! I have just gone Vegan after reading Eat to Live by Dr. Fuhrman. I am so excited. My husband is doing the diet with me. It is my 6 and 2 year old girls that I am worried about. I have always thought that I tried to feed them so healthfully when they are in the home but now after reading the book, I realize that their diet that includes yogurt, cheese, eggs, and white meat chicken is not that healthy afterall!! They eat tons of fruit, some veggies and love raw nuts. However, I am noticing as I try to make them a vegan plate for lunch or dinner, some of the easy things I went to before cannot be used – like string cheese, yogurt, or chicken breast. Their plates look empty and I don’t have many ideas. My husband and I are just eating tons of salads – but they seem too little to eat salads. I think the real issue is that i work a lot and never really learned how to cook. I also want to make sure that as I transition them to a vegan diet, I don’t allow tons of processed foods or un-healthy “carbs” into their diets, which I think is easy to do when you remove animal protiens. Anyway, I realize that I am rambling a bit…just trying to figure this all out. I saw in an earlier post about the “vegan lunchbox” so I’ll look into that. I appreciate any other advice you can provide. Look forward to digging around more on your site. Thanks again! New Vegan from Dallas Texas.
Hi Bunny,
Please check out “Chole’s Kitchen”. I have found the most delicious, kid friendly recipes in this book. Most of them are really simple to prepare! Vegan lunches & dinners can be very hearty! Focus on green veggies, whole grains, sweet potatoes & beans.
Best of luck on your new journey.
I found that when I became Vegan, I also found a whole new creativity in my cooking. It’s so easy to throw a chicken in the oven, but creating chickpea croquets, lentil loaf or portobella steaks with cashew creme kale & mashed potatoes is a different story. Embrace Vegan cooking, don’t look at it as an added stress in your day. Plan ahead & create a weekly menu. (that gives me an idea for a blog post)
Hi Vegan Mom,
I’ve just come across your website. I’ve been vegetarian for quite a while, but vegan for about 4 months now & my daughter (who’s now 15 months old) has joined me. I am currently reading The China Study – amazing book!
I battle to find inspiration for meals to prepare for the 2 of us. My husband is most definitely a carnivore but at home he eats whatever I cook. I’m worried that my daughter is getting enough minerals, vitamins, protein, etc. Do you know of a book that can help explain exactly what I should be feeding her?
“The Complete Idiots Guide For Feeding Vegan Kids” is a wealth of great info!!
hi i was wondering if you had any suggestion on what to make for lunch for my 1 year old son he is vegan like me. loves veggies and tofu but does not really like purees any suggestions on what i can make for him that will still give him the nutrition he needs.
There is so much Vegan goodness that you can introduce to your little Vegan!! Baked sweet potatoes, whole wheat pasta, avocado, hummus, lentils, organic fruit, quinoa, tempeh, seitan… how about a smoothie with kale, spinach, strawberries & frozen banana??
Try little bits at a time of these foods & see how he tolerates them.
Hi,
Thanks for the article. It was a great read. I have challenges trying to convert my omnivore kids.
After reading China study, I want my family to be vegan, so I stopped buying meat and dairy. But my six old won’t give up foods made of cheese (like pizza and mac and cheese) and yogurt outside the house. I know what you mean by pressure from other adults. I said to a mom who invited my daughter to a playdate and I said no dairy but then my daughter probably said she wanted cheese so she ate it. I don’t think I can force her in social situations. I heard she devoured 3 pieces of pepproni pizza on a birthday party…And whenever we go on an outing, there will be always lure of ice cream, pizza, hot dogs. And she used to get a treat like that when we are out. So she doesn’t quite understand why I don’t want to buy it now and she thinks I’m just a mean mom. .Do you have any suggestion? I got the book titled “why we don’t eat animals’, but how to explain not eating dairy? Do you think a 6yr old is ready for this kind of book? My meat eating husband will not be happy to see that I got this book…because it will put him on a immoral stance.
My 2yr old hates most kinds of beans and lentils. He eats tofu in miso soup and small amount of edame once in a while. I can see that if you eat a balanced vegan diet, there is no problem but what about picky toddlers? I still give them eggs yet because they don’t like nuts and beans or veggies , any other vegan protein sources. They do drink smoothies made out of soymilk. Do you think if I give them tofu in miso soup 3 times a week, should it be enough protein? I do give them vitamins. I make scrambled eggs with lots of veggies: that’s pretty much only way to eat the veggies for my kids. So it’s hard to give up eggs. Should I slowly phase out eggs instead of eliminating until they start eating some legumes and beans? Sorry for rambling and thanks in advance!
I feel for you!!! Being a Vegan mom to children who want to be omnivores, must be an uphill battle!!! I admit that I was very lucky, because my 2 kids did not put up much a fight when we went Vegan. I think that book is fine for a 6 year old. My 6 year old has read it, and she is not traumatized. It did make her feel good about our lifestyle though! I hope that if you are still buying eggs, that they are local, organic and as cruelty free as possible. Have you tried seitan for your toddler? How about quinoa? Add some nuts & seeds to smoothies (as long as there is not an allergy). Maybe Vegan meatloaf or hotdogs once a week will be a nice treat. Field Roast is the best!!
I know that social situations are tough, I always send my kids with a vegan treat & often request cheeseless pizza. I offer to pay, sometimes people accept my money, sometimes they don’t. I actually told a white lie to my daughter’s school and said that she is ALLERGIC to dairy. They jumped through hoops to get a special pizza for her.
Hey, I’m 17 and I’m about to move out of my meat-eating, fried chicken-loving home, and try a vegan lifestyle. If I like it, I’m going to continue like this even into marrying and parenting. What are some good tips as to how to transform our lifestyle to match that of a vegans and how to prepare yourself for the harder things that are going to come into this?
Start liking lots of Vegan pages on Facebook, buy or take out books from the library, subscribe to VegNews Magazine, Make sure you have a good blender so you can make “Green Smoothies” (fill it with kale, parsley, spinach & fruit),
Fill your cabinets with beans, whole grain pasta, quinoa & healthy vegan snacks. always have fruit & veggies in your kitchen. Tell all your close friends & family that you are Vegan so they are prepared to offer you support & hopefully have food for you when you visit. Before you know it, Veganism will be second nature to you, and you won’t have to put so much effort into it. Best of luck!
Love your story and blog! We dont have kids yet. We have been vegan for about 2 years now. Its (now) very easy for us to socialize with friends and family (all of them non-vegan). But how do your kids cope in a social gathering say a birthday party?? Or play dates?
It takes time, but my kids have become comfortable in non-vegan social gatherings. I do my best to always ensure that they have Vegan food, & they often attend birthday parties with a bean burrito & their own cupcake. Some parents are kind enough to provide cheezeless pizza for them.
I am so glad that I found you!! I watched a small portion on Veducated on Netflix about 2 weeks ago and it prompted me to become more educated on what I am putting into my families body. I would love to become 100% Vegan but my husband is very hesitant on the idea and still believes that our body “NEEDS” meat and dairy. I need HELP!!! I also have a stepson that ONLY eats processed chicken nuggets, chef boyardee and fast food
My ultimate goal is to become plant-veggie based, organic, msg free and high fructose corn syrup free.
I wish you luck! I get many moms who want to raise vegan kids, but have husbands who say NO WAY! This is tough.. my husband wanted to go Vegan, so I never experienced this. I can only recommend that you try to educate him with books & documentaries. Forks Over Knives is very informative. Hopefully you can agree on being Vegan some days? In my house I do all of the cooking, so the ball is in my court. But I don’t know how it works in your house… Baby steps I guess.
Great site – thanks! I am 1 year vegetarian, and switched to low fat vegan just 1 month ago. I can’t get over how much better I feel. I have two little boys who are resisting the switch big time and making it very difficult at meal times. I am a busy single mom so don’t have tons of time to pour over recipe books or sites but do as much as possible. My oldest is 8 and most difficult. Unfortunately I wasn’t veg when I first adopted him from Haiti so he grew up on a heavy meat diet and LOVES it. He absolutely hates beans and lentils of any kind and I’m having a hard time making the switch with him. Currently I sneak some mashed beans into burgers, stews, and pasta sauces, but he’s still eating meat until I can get him somehow liking these other food choices. He’s not obstinate, he WANTS to eat healthier, he’s just finding it’s not to his palate’s liking. I’m hoping patience and time will change that. He is lactose intolerant yet loves dairy. However, I’ve gotten him onto chocolate soy milk which he loves now and he’s slowly letting go of the dairy. Any suggestions of how to turn kids onto beans and lentils would be a big help. And thanks for the blogs which help me deal with family and friends who strongly try to discourage me from going vegan – knowing other’s face this too somehow makes me feel stronger :0)
My kids love beans, thank goodness. Maybe chickpea burgers with BBQ sauce? Lentil stew? Pureed lentils with pasta? Bean tacos?? Bean dips?
Hello, my name is Rose! My husband and I have just been introduced to the Vegan society and I’m overjoyed to start making us healthy and happy!
I was just wondering if you knew of any awesome websites with good recipes for rookies like us 
But, it is tough, my husband has the taste buds of a 16 year old (chicken nuggets, mac n cheese, act.) , we’re only 20 years old living on our own so we have a tiny budget, and we have a daughter. (1 year old, who’s on a vegan diet).
I was just looking towards you for some guidance, I have no idea what type of meals to prepare for us, we’re probably the only people in our town that WANT to be vegan. We live in San Antonio, Texas. So we’re surrounded by steak houses and mexican food.
I just have no idea what to buy at the grocery store and I want to make awesome cooked meals for us so I won’t shock my husband. I checked out the books you have available and really plan on purchasing one when I can
I hope you are doing well on your vegan diet. I like VegWeb for vegan meals. They usually have ratings, so you know if people liked them or not. What a lucky daughter you have, to be vegan at such a young age. Don’t be afraid to give her a supplement to make sure she’s getting B12 & enough Vitamin d & iron.
Hi Vegan Mom! If you have to eat Eggs (which i am not recommending) buy uncaged or caged- free Eggs so the Chickens who provide you with the Eggs you eat can run freely:) and Beneful Dog food has made some Doggies sick and even die! So tell everyone to please not get Beneful and circuses treat Animals bad:( Thank You soo much! Some nailpolish removers and gummy candies and foods have gelatin (pig) and some bar soaps are made from animal fat tallow(cow) or lard (pig) and candies and snacks and yogurts like starburst have gelatin this world doesnt need animals in everything! If we have stuff without it then the other products dont need it either ( They test some hair dyes, colorings, nailpolishes, dish and laundry detergent, toothpaste , makeup, cosmetics, household cleaners, deodorants and other things like cigarettes on animals. Even Bic corporation a company that makes pens pencils and school supplies test On Animals
Soy Candles are the way to go!Try not to eat at fast food restuarants like mcdonalds or kfc because they treat their Animals wrong And they hurt cows to get their milk they make them produce more than they are suppose to. Places that have Animals for entertainment like circuses are wrong avoid them please. Please if you see plastic throw it away because it could go in the Ocean.try to not have Wool in your yarn or clothes pleaseMake sure your jackets and pillows do not have feathers and Uggs are Sheep’s Skin:(Make sure your stuff is cruelty free opi is!