Would you 'allow' your child to become a vegetarian?

[DisneyDotty]

Yep--actually did it with my DD12. She decided a year and a half ago that she no longer wanted to eat meat, and her father and I have supported this decision. Her ped. said a vegetarian diet was fine as long as she ate some animal protein daily (eg., eggs, yogurt, cheese, etc.) Apparently there's an essential amino acid that she needs at this age that's available only in animal protein.
So far it's been easy, and frankly, the rest of the family is consuming less meat, which has got to be a good thing.

 

[Laura]

Yes I would. Of course, I'm a vegetarian myself. But the child absolutely needs to eat more things than oatmeal and toast!!!

As for the calcium question: there are a lot of foods rich in calcium that aren't dairy. (There are lots of lactose intolerant people out there who can't eat dairy, too.) Broccoli, collard greens, turnip greens, kale, pinto beans, almonds, figs, black beans, tofu processed with calcium, etc.

 

[Magickndm]

Ah, ok. I knew leafy greens have calcium, but didn't think most (I'm sure I'm one of the "most") people actually ate enough to fufill the daily requirements.
Thanks for not flaming me.

 

[VSL]

Yep--actually did it with my DD12. She decided a year and a half ago that she no longer wanted to eat meat, and her father and I have supported this decision. Her ped. said a vegetarian diet was fine as long as she ate some animal protein daily (eg., eggs, yogurt, cheese, etc.) Apparently there's an essential amino acid that she needs at this age that's available only in animal protein.

Not B12, by any chance? - perhaps the only reason I believe some animal products (not dairy) are healthy for consumption is because I think B12 is only available from animal sources.

Look at me! I'm not even vegetarian! I'm one of those people who knows exactly what's good for me and still eats the junk

 

[lulugirl]

I would support it. You can have a healthy diet w/ out meat products. If the child in question is only eating toast and oatmeal then I'm guessing this is just a phase anyhow.

 

[JVL1018]

I would not allow it. I'm not cooking separate meals and frankly I think it would be annoying to have a vegetarian in the family, someone you constantly have to plan around.
I don't get the whole vegetarian thing, I admit it.

 

[VSL]

Ah, ok. I knew leafy greens have calcium, but didn't think most (I'm sure I'm one of the "most") people actually ate enough to fufill the daily requirements.
Thanks for not flaming me.

That's the problem - I'm not sure when I last ate some leafy greens (although I did have some veggies yesterday and some fruit this morning) - the vast majority of us don't.

Just think how much healthier/glowing/fit we could all be if we got plenty of fresh fruit and veg in our bodies everyday... Oh well

 

[Virgo10]

My daughter did that when she was 14 or so. She's slipped off the Vegan cart a few times over the years but still leads a mostly meat free livestyle.

I was doubtful she'd stick with it as she was another one who wasn't a big vegetable lover but she found a lot of other meat free items that she enjoyed.

Didn't mean she had an eating disorder, she just was finding her own way.

 

[Laura]

I would not allow it. I'm not cooking separate meals and frankly I think it would be annoying to have a vegetarian in the family, someone you constantly have to plan around.
I don't get the whole vegetarian thing, I admit it.

I can understand not wanting to make separate meals! I don't want my family to have to do that just for me. Like last Thanksgiving, I made my own main dish (lentil roulade with chestnut stuffing). At 12 years old, though, they can start making their own meals, I think.

I try not to be an annoying vegetarian and I definitely don't think people should bend over backwards for me. But if you have picky eaters or allergies or other special diets in the family, you do need to be considerate of that person.

 

[VSL]

I would not allow it. I'm not cooking separate meals and frankly I think it would be annoying to have a vegetarian in the family, someone you constantly have to plan around.
I don't get the whole vegetarian thing, I admit it.

But surely it would simply be a case of omitting the 'animal' part of the meal from their meal

 

[Virgo10]

Not B12, by any chance? - perhaps the only reason I believe some animal products (not dairy) are healthy for consumption is because I think B12 is only available from animal sources.

Look at me! I'm not even vegetarian! I'm one of those people who knows exactly what's good for me and still eats the junk

Here's some info on B-12 for Vegans:

Vegans are recommended to ensure their diet includes foods fortified with vitamin B12. A range of B12 fortified foods are available. These include yeast extracts, Vecon vegetable stock, veggieburger mixes, textured vegetable protein, soya milks, vegetable and sunflower margarines, and breakfast cereals.

 

[hucifer]

There are other [natural] ways to get calcium (leafy greens, etc.), but we (the UK/USA/Western world in general) have been a bit brainwashed IMO by the governments and people involved in selling such foods.

I agree. The dairy industry is an influential one. They've been trying to legally have soy milk products drop the "milk" from their labels because it's becoming bigger competition for them.

How does the elephant get enough calcium to support such big bones? After weaning, it's entirely through plant-based foods!

 

[DisneyDotty]

I would not allow it. I'm not cooking separate meals and frankly I think it would be annoying to have a vegetarian in the family, someone you constantly have to plan around.
I don't get the whole vegetarian thing, I admit it.

Fortunately, I don't have to cook separate meals for my DD. She'll eat whatever I put on the table, minus the meat/fish. I do know of some vegetarians who won't eat any food that's touched meat (eg., potatoes with pot roast). That would be more challenging...

 

[Tigger&Belle]

I would not allow it. I'm not cooking separate meals and frankly I think it would be annoying to have a vegetarian in the family, someone you constantly have to plan around.
I don't get the whole vegetarian thing, I admit it.

It doesn't have to be a separate meal. It can be as simple as if you are having burgers, having vegie burgers in the freezer which can be cooked in addition to the meat burgers. Everything else is the same. Or spaghetti with meatballs--the meatballs can be added at the table. For mexican food, there can be a couple different fillings--meat and refried beans or the child can just leave the meat off. It can be complicated or simple.

And it also depends on the vegetarian. Some would be content to pick the vegetables out of a beef stew (I remember doing that at my parent's house when I first became vegie) and others couldn't stomach that (I couldn't now).

 

[JVL1018]

But surely it would simply be a case of omitting the 'animal' part of the meal from their meal

That wouldn't bother me, sometimes my son doesn't eat his meat and I don't mind.
If they didn't want to eat their meat, I wouldn't FORCE them to, but I wouldn't be like Oh yay, you're a vegetarian that's so great..I would be more like why won't you just have a piece of chicken, I think it's weird.

If they wanted to make their own meal as Laura said that would be fine as well...but again I wouldn't embrace it.

 

[hucifer]

If my child wanted to be a vegetarian, then I would help them be a healthy one. Eating crap doesn't help anyone grow strong and healthy. If they wanted to stop meat as a protein source, then we would study what other options there are. It is a parent's job to feed their kid a healthy well-rounded diet, regardless of whether it includes meat.

Wonderfully said!

 

[VSL]

I don't understand why you think it's weird

Some people just don't want to eat something that has been alive. Would you think it's weird if they didn't want to eat dog (as they do in some Eastern countries)?

I'm not attacking you, I've just never come across someone who thinks vegentarianism is 'weird'. Not the lifestyle for them maybe, but weird?

 

[Laura]

I don't understand why you think it's weird

Some people just don't want to eat something that has been alive. Would you think it's weird if they didn't want to eat dog (as they do in some Eastern countries)?

I'm not attacking you, I've just never come across someone who thinks vegentarianism is 'weird'. Not the lifestyle for them maybe, but weird?

Lots of people in the USA think it's weird. I constantly am explaining myself to new people. I also get some passive-aggressive comments like how yummy steak is. And people think it's part of the "circle of life" to eat meat, as if we're still out in the wilderness hunting down dinner.

 

[hucifer]

If they didn't want to eat their meat, I wouldn't FORCE them to, but I wouldn't be like Oh yay, you're a vegetarian that's so great..I would be more like why won't you just have a piece of chicken, I think it's weird.

For those like me who gave up meat purely for health reasons, the more one researches a plant-based diet, the more it makes sense to cut it out of the diet.

Like mentioned earlier, B12 is the only nutrient that one can only obtain from animal sources. Although it's technically a bacteria, one doesn't find ample sources of it in plant foods.

 

[auntpolly]

My DD has been one since she was 10 and she's very healthy and strong. She's always been an athlete. I made 2 meals every night until she and DH told me that they wanted to stop eating meat.

I know kids who say they want to do it and eat only spaghetti every day or something like that. Vegetarianism is a healthy eating lifestyle, not a way to eliminate eating what you don't want to eat.