Questions -Vegetarian Kids

[....]

Hi, thank-you in advance for any replies!

 

One of my daughters (she turns 7 in couple of weeks) insists that she is a vegetarian and has been refusing to eat meat. She says meat makes her feel awful and she doesn't want to hurt the animals (her words).

 

This is bothering me for a couple of reasons...

 

She seems very young to be concerned about those things, but if she is adamant, I'm OK with helping her find new foods.

 

She is very petite. She's Korean and this kid just has no body fat. Her friends tower over her.

 

I want to make sure she is getting enough nutrients and I'm worried about what to plan for a menu.

 

I'm sorry if these are the dumbest questions ever asked in the history of the forums. :glare: Does anyone else have a younger child who is a vegetarian? Do you have any meal tips? How do you ensure they eat enough protein?

[gsanmb]

My oldest daughter became a vegetarian when she was 9, so not so young but still not so old. :) She's 11 now. I respected her decision to not eat meat; it's her body, and her taste -- as long as she is willing to eat nutritious foods (mostly!) I feel this is a reasonable decision for her to make. Our family values anyway incorporate ideas about mindfulness in eating, and recognizing that eating animals is a privilege and should be done with attention to humaneness, sustainability, and environmental health as well as our health. She took this a step further than the rest of our family and that was okay with us.

 

It has been a challenge to make sure she gets the nutrients she needs, but then again we only eat meat as a family once, maximum twice, a week -- we keep kosher, and finding (and being able to afford) kosher meat that is also organic, humanely raised, etc. can be difficult sometimes.

 

We incorporate a lot of beans into our diet. Hummus is a staple, as are bean sautees (I will use a bean sautee for example in any dish that required chopped meat, like chili, spaghetti sauce, lasagna, etc.). I soak a lot of beans at once and then freeze them in containers with 2 cups of beans per container (about the amount in a regular can of beans).

 

Also, I use some tofu. Not a lot, because there are studies that show too much soy is not good for young children (estrogen receptors etc.). Usually i will use it to bulk up a dairy dish, like lasagna, or pizza, or something, where I can grate up the tofu and have it blend completely in to the cheese.

 

I also make things like veggie burgers and fry them in peanut oil (which has a better high temperature for frying); I use a mash of beans, veggies, spices -- it's kind of like a flat falafel ball. Then those are put on rolls and eaten as you would a burger -- add cheese, veggies, pickles, condiments, etc.

 

If she eats eggs, those are also an excellent source of protein and can be used to add protein to other foods. If you are baking, you can substitute a tablespoon of ground flax mixed with 3 tbsp of boiling water for an egg -- this adds a lot of nutrients without changing the texture too much. (I usually do this in combination with eggs; so if a recipe calls for 2 eggs I'll use 1 egg plus the flax mix).

 

There are some great cookbooks out there; go to the library and check a few out before buying would be my suggestion. I love all the Moosewood Restaurant cookbooks but the easiest one is Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home. Also the Enchanted Broccoli Forest has some great basic veg recipes.

 

I've also got celiac, so I cook a lot of vegetarian AND gluten free things. It can be done, and done tastily, but you will find you need to do some experimenting and be willing to endure some OH YUCK :glare: in pursuit of what is yummy.

[Zebra]

There is PLENTY of protein out there! This is one of those things that everyone is worried about, but just isn't true. You do not need to eat meat to get enough protein. Actually, Americans get too much protein.

 

Research what foods have protein, research how much protein your child needs in a day and you will be very surprised. If she is still eating dairy/eggs she will be FINE! Things like greek yogurt and cottage cheese have tons of protein. Vitamin B12 is the other thing you need to think about.

 

Your daughter needs to understand that she can't just "not eat meat", she has to replace it with other things-tofu, beans etc. We replace ground beef with lentils in a lot of dishes. It's definitely an aquired taste, but we love it. One meal of lentils may cure her aversion to meat, if she's not serious about it ;)!

 

For what it's worth meat always made me sick as a child. Not because I love animals or anything, it just tasted completely disgusting to me. I think sometimes your body is trying to tell you something. If you love and crave meat you should probably eat it, but if it makes you sick you probably shouldn't.

[JessieC]

My daughter of the same age has never eaten meat. I am a vegetarian and didn't give her meat as a baby/toddler, and around five she made the decision that she wants to be a vegetarian. She eats eggs, milk, cheese, cottage cheese, beans, yogurt, nuts, peanut butter--plenty of protein. Protein is actually not really the issue people think it is, but make sure she gets some iron--veggies and a vitamin supplement should give her all she needs.

[HappyLady]

All great advice so far! :) As has already been mentioned, please don't worry about protein. She will get plenty if she's still eating dairy and eggs. And even if she weren't, it wouldn't be an issue. I'm vegan and get plenty of protein. :)

 

Try not to rely too much on dairy for everything. Also, don't go crazy with the processed veggie meats and such. Too much processed foods is not good for anyone. :) If you use tofu, buy the organic, non-GMO kind. Tempeh is a better option when it comes to soy. Edamame is good as well. Quinoa, seitan, both good options for protein.

 

A lot of foods are fortified with B12, but if you're worried about it you can add nutritional yeast to a lot of dishes.

 

Definitely get more veggies/greens into her diet as well as nuts, seeds, legumes, beans, and adding ground flax seeds is definitely recommended. Buy the flax seeds whole and then grind them in a coffee grinder when needed because as soon as you grind them they start to lose their nutritional value. Keep the seeds in your fridge or freezer because they can go rancid quickly.

 

I'd also try some smoothies with avocado for nutrition and fat.

 

Hmmmm....... That's all I can think of right now. Good luck! It seems scary at first, but it really isn't if you start to research the health benefits of her decision. :)

[Carrie12345]

Hi, thank-you in advance for any replies!

 

One of my daughters (she turns 7 in couple of weeks) insists that she is a vegetarian and has been refusing to eat meat. She says meat makes her feel awful and she doesn't want to hurt the animals (her words).

 

This is bothering me for a couple of reasons...

 

She seems very young to be concerned about those things, but if she is adamant, I'm OK with helping her find new foods.

 

 

 

You already got great advice on the food.

 

I don't think one is ever too young to be concerned about feeling good and being kind to animals. (And I'm a carnivore ;).) My daughters have been flirting with vegetarianism for years. It may eventually stick, it may not. We just go with the flow. Secretly, I'm very pleased with their desire to... be sensitive in their food choices, even if they do struggle with the will power at their young ages.

[Teachin'Mine]

I wouldn't worry about her - she sounds bright and sensitive. :) Go to the library together and take out some cookbooks and Vegetarian Times if it's available. You can get lots of vegetarian recipes online, but the books will help to give you an idea of what meals can look like in general, and how to stock your pantry, etc.. Meat is not at all necessary for proper development. Let your daughter help you plan meals and prepare them as well. You may find that your whole family would benefit from eating more vegetarian meals.

[amy g.]

My son decided to become a vegetarian when he was 3. He has never wavered from his convictions, or suffered any health problems from it.

[....]

Thanks, Everyone!! We're going to the grocery store in a few minutes and we're going to browse/pick out some stuff.

 

She made a picture-chart-thingie this morning showing me all the foods that she's going to eat. :D

[4kiddies]

My five year old has never really liked meat and recently declared that she was no longer eating dead animals. I'm okay with that and told her as much but told her that she needs to eat other healthy things if she doesn't want to eat meat. She will eat dairy and eggs so we just substitute those items in for dinners. For instance, we had meat for dinner the other night so I just cut up some cheese for her to eat and added an additional veggie and she ate everything else we ate, just not the meat.

[TxMama]

Vegetarian Times has a Veg Starter Kit that gives a basic outline for a daily meal plan for vegetarian children.

 

Becoming Vegetarian by Melina would be a good read for you. If will help you make a meal plan that has enough protein without adding in too much cheese, milk and eggs.

 

One of my kids recently decided to go veg. We already had several meatless meals so it was more of a transition for the family then a complete change in eating habits. Each week we experimented with a recipe and different food substance such as tofu, etc. It has been a lot of fun and super easy. I did tell the kids that being vegetarian meant that they had to actually eat their of vegetables. It has been fun experimenting with veggies that we did not normally eat. We went from meatless 1-2 times per week to eating meat only 1x per week (or less) in about 6 weeks. Honestly, cooking meat kinda grosses me out now. If dh wants a meal with meat, he cooks it. Overall, everyone feels so much better.

 

I'm currently looking for an alternative source to make tacos. I tried the TVP that was available in the freezer section of my local store and my kids didn't care for it? Suggestions?

[HappyLady]

 

I'm currently looking for an alternative source to make tacos. I tried the TVP that was available in the freezer section of my local store and my kids didn't care for it? Suggestions?

 

 

When we do tacos we either use beans, lentils or wheatberries. You could also use the "beef" crumbles (like from Morning Star or Boca) if you more of a beef type taco.

[Zebra]

This is the recipe we use-

 

http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/tacolentilsrice.htm

 

It's my daughter's favorite meal! This, with homemade tortillas, is probably my favorite meal too.

[freesia]

Vegetarian Times has a Veg Starter Kit that gives a basic outline for a daily meal plan for vegetarian children.

 

Becoming Vegetarian by Melina would be a good read for you. If will help you make a meal plan that has enough protein without adding in too much cheese, milk and eggs.

 

One of my kids recently decided to go veg. We already had several meatless meals so it was more of a transition for the family then a complete change in eating habits. Each week we experimented with a recipe and different food substance such as tofu, etc. It has been a lot of fun and super easy. I did tell the kids that being vegetarian meant that they had to actually eat their of vegetables. It has been fun experimenting with veggies that we did not normally eat. We went from meatless 1-2 times per week to eating meat only 1x per week (or less) in about 6 weeks. Honestly, cooking meat kinda grosses me out now. If dh wants a meal with meat, he cooks it. Overall, everyone feels so much better.

 

I'm currently looking for an alternative source to make tacos. I tried the TVP that was available in the freezer section of my local store and my kids didn't care for it? Suggestions?

 

We LOVE red lentil tacos:

2 T olive oil

1 cup finely chopped onion

1/2 c finely chopped celery

2 garlic cloves, pressed

1C red lentils

1T chili powder

2 tsp cumin

2C vegetable broth (I usually need more than that)

1 1/2 C salsa

 

In large skillet, heat oil. Add onion, celery and garlic. Sautee 5 min.

Stir in lentils, chili powder and cumin

Cook 1 min

Add broth, cover and simmer for 15 minutes (until lentils are tender--do check and make sure you don't run out of liquid.)

Remove lid, cook 10 minutes longer, stirring often until lentils are thickened. Stir in salsa.

 

We serve in tacos but you can use tortillas if you want.

 

Mmmm I think I'll plan these for next week.

[Julie Smith]

I can't offer food advice, because I can't think what we make or do different then meat eaters. I have been vegetarian since I was a mid-teen.

 

My boys have never eaten meat.

[TxMama]

3 votes for lentil tacos. I'll make it tonight.

 

Morning Star is the one I tried that was vetoed by the kids. My local store no longer carries Boca but in the past my kids didn't realize that they weren't eating meat when I used Boca.

 

Thanks for the taco recipe!

[....]

Wow, I can't tell you how helpful this all is! Thanks!!

[....]

We LOVE red lentil tacos:

2 T olive oil

1 cup finely chopped onion

1/2 c finely chopped celery

2 garlic cloves, pressed

1C red lentils

1T chili powder

2 tsp cumin

2C vegetable broth (I usually need more than that)

1 1/2 C salsa

 

In large skillet, heat oil. Add onion, celery and garlic. Sautee 5 min.

Stir in lentils, chili powder and cumin

Cook 1 min

Add broth, cover and simmer for 15 minutes (until lentils are tender--do check and make sure you don't run out of liquid.)

Remove lid, cook 10 minutes longer, stirring often until lentils are thickened. Stir in salsa.

 

We serve in tacos but you can use tortillas if you want.

 

Mmmm I think I'll plan these for next week.

 

Awesome!!! :hurray:

[eternalknot]

I'm also East Asian, and just naturally petite. I've been a veg*n my entire life. It's true that many Asians will mimic Western size/ailments once they adopt a Western diet, but ... it could just be that she's naturally a lean person, regardless of her diet. The best gauge isn't counting protein grams, but perhaps to mentally track her growth -- by this age she'll have a normal pattern that you can see if her new diet is affecting, if at all.

 

The biggest problem I see with people GOING veg*n is that they're not huge fans of veggies or other 'healthful' filling foods; so they become junk food veg*ns - just as there are junk food omnivores! Lots of pastas, and other more nutritionally void foods for filler rather than filling up with a variety of nutrients (whole grains, fruits, veggies, nuts, etc.)

 

Is your daughter a good eater, or is she picky? Your concerns about nutrition are valid, less from a veg*n vs. omni diet, but definitely from a junk food v. healthful diet POV.

 

My kids are largely veg*n. They were veg*n exclusively for the first 5 years of their respective lives, and they eat this way at home. One is naturally petite (like me), whereas the other is off the charts size-wise (bigger; like their dad). Same diet, just different genetics :D!

 

I don't count protein; just make sure they eat a varied diet. They don't have any personality or behavioral issues that require me to track protein intake, so we just go with intuition. During sports season they'll crave more protein, so we do that (et cetera).

[TxMama]

I didn't have taco shells so I made chili instead.

 

I did put the lentils into the food processor before adding in the other beans. My kids didn't even realize they weren't eating our regular recipe that asked for 2lbs of ground beef!

 

 

Thanks!

[freesia]

I didn't have taco shells so I made chili instead.

 

I did put the lentils into the food processor before adding in the other beans. My kids didn't even realize they weren't eating our regular recipe that asked for 2lbs of ground beef!

 

 

Thanks!

I'm glad the lentils worked for you. If you cook them long enough they do "melt" to a mush.

[Haiku]

Does anyone else have a younger child who is a vegetarian? Do you have any meal tips? How do you ensure they eat enough protein?

 

My kids have been vegetarian for nearly a decade, vegan for the past four years.

 

My dd9 is tiny ... her friends tower over her. My ds8 is gigantic ... he towers over his friends. He's six inches taller than my dd (even though he's the little brother) and is almost the biggest kid on their hockey team, even though it's a 9-10 team and he's only 8.

 

Being vegetarian/vegan won't make your kids tiny. Genetics does that.

 

My advice is ... don't buy cr@ppy, processed food, and you have nothing to worry about. Protein deficiency is called kwashiorkor, and you basically have to be starving to develop it. It's what causes famine victims to develop distended stomachs.

 

All food has protein in it. As long as your dd has adequate caloric intake, she WILL have adequate protein intake. Americans worry about and generally consume too much protein, anyway.

 

We are not "weird food" vegans. We eat regular stuff, just minus the animal products. Typical meals for us include spaghetti with marinara sauce, or lentil soup, or bean burritos, or english muffin pizzas (with vegan cheese) ... it's actually really easy to eat vegetarian. Don't be fooled into buying a bunch of fake meat products. They are budget busters that don't add anything, nutritionally, to a vegetarian diet.

 

Good luck! It's nice that you are supportive of your dd.

 

Tara

Edited January 7, 2012 by TaraTheLiberator

[....]

I'm also East Asian, and just naturally petite. I've been a veg*n my entire life. It's true that many Asians will mimic Western size/ailments once they adopt a Western diet, but ... it could just be that she's naturally a lean person, regardless of her diet. The best gauge isn't counting protein grams, but perhaps to mentally track her growth -- by this age she'll have a normal pattern that you can see if her new diet is affecting, if at all.

 

The biggest problem I see with people GOING veg*n is that they're not huge fans of veggies or other 'healthful' filling foods; so they become junk food veg*ns - just as there are junk food omnivores! Lots of pastas, and other more nutritionally void foods for filler rather than filling up with a variety of nutrients (whole grains, fruits, veggies, nuts, etc.)

 

Is your daughter a good eater, or is she picky? Your concerns about nutrition are valid, less from a veg*n vs. omni diet, but definitely from a junk food v. healthful diet POV.

 

You read my mind. ;) My sister is a "junk-food vegetarian". She became a vegetarian when we were kids and she basically replaced meat with carbs/bread products. This was the first thing I thought of when my daughter started talking about the vegetarian thing and it worried me.

 

Also, my daughter IS a very picky eater. Sigh...

 

My girls score in the 10th - 15th percentile in weight/height when they go to the doctor. My kids still eat alot of Asian foods, they are constantly running around and playing sports/doing martial arts.

[....]

Being vegetarian/vegan won't make your kids tiny. Genetics does that.

 

OK, I think you're right!

[Haiku]

OK, I think you're right!

 

It would probably make even more sense to you if I mentioned that my kids are not genetically related, so their differing statures have to be genetically based since they eat the same things! ;)

 

Tara

[jhschool]

My son and husband have been vegetarian since my son was 2.

 

He was always very healthy thanks to God.

Also very large and tall. He is 13 and is 6 ft 2 and weighs about

180 lb. Extremely smart, tested 99% on several standardized tests.

I say all this to show you can be vegetarian and healthy and smart

and not just to brag. He has always been off the charts in height

and weight.

 

He is allergic to egg whites and to full-fat milk and mayonnaise. He is fine with

cheese, yogurt, and eggs if it they are in baked goods. So we are limited

in the eggs and milk department.

 

A typical diet for us includes a HUGE salad at least five times a week.

The salad has romaine lettuce, raw sliced mushrooms, raw chopped

tomatoes, sliced purple onion, raw sliced radishes, raw chopped celery,

sometimes dried cranberries, sometimes pecans, and sometimes bell peppers.

My son eats a HUGE bowl of this.

 

We eat whole-grain bread because it's more nutritious than white

and since they are not getting the nutrients from meat they need better

bread.

Grilled cheese whole-grain sandwiches with slices of tomato and

tomato soup are a favorite at our house.

 

We try to eat bean soup at least once a week. We have the following

toppings: whole-grain bread cubes, toasted, shredded cheese, sour cream,

olive oil, salt, and yogurt. We soak the beans with a spoonful of

yogurt overnight, then rinse before cooking.

 

We eat brown rice and lentils a lot. The white rice is not as nutritious

as the brown and, again, since they don't eat meat they need the

extra nutrients.

 

We eat vegetable soup (potatoes, carrots, celery, cabbage, tomato

from a can, vegetable bouillion - our favorite brand is Rapunzel for the

bouillion cubes) a lot. Cabbage, carrots, and tomato are very nutritious.

 

We also buy fake meat a couple times a week: Tofurky (the deli

slices are very yummy - soy protein), Quorn brand

"chicken" nuggets and breaded "chicken" cutlets

(made of mycoprotein which is mushrooms), and "chicken tenders"

and "ground beef" (Quorn brand).

This is to have yummy food without feeling deprived.

 

DS also has 4 fruits every morning-- from 4 apples to

1 grapefruit, 1 banana, 1 apple, and a bunch of grapes. Well, almost

every morning. Sometimes we just have pancakes but 6 days out

of 7 DS's morning begins with 4 fruits. Next, if he is still hungry,

he has either a bowl of yogurt or a tall glass of kefir (like drinkable

yogurt, very yummy and they have flavors like raspberry). Then,

if he is still hungry, he makes oatmeal which he can sweeten with

brown sugar.

 

The key is to limit the junk food almost completely so that when

they are hungry they eat the good stuff. Junk food includes white

sugar and white flour. Junk food includes processed foods.

 

I have to be very careful because since they don't eat meat I have

to make sure they get the proper nutrients.

 

It is very easy once you get used to it.

 

Good Luck and tell her she's not alone--lots of kids are vegetarian.

I am not vegetarian but since husband and son are I am very supportive.

DH makes most of our meals anyway.

 

The key is not to become a Chips-and-Doughnuts vegetarian as that

would not be healthy!