giving kids vegetarian/vegan food.

[dangermouseisace]

Hi. I'm having difficulty meal planning/shopping/cooking due to depression. And, yay it's the school holidays. And I'm a single mum.

I'm vegan. My 3 Kids eat meat. I brought them up vegetarian, but they chose to eat meat when they knew what it was.

I was cooking and freezing food for me, and cooking different meals for them or cooking similar meals but veganising one of them, and making most of our cakes/snacks from scratch. I was able to plan the week and shop accordingly. This now, has all gone to pot and I am currently living on marmite sandwiches and the kids are on fishfingers/chicken nuggets and chips/pizza…you get the jist. It's not healthy and is actually rather expensive. I don't trust my food hygiene particularly at the moment either and I'm always paranoid about meat anyway.

I've got an old book- the single vegan which has a shopping list and easy recipes that are nutritionally all there. The food is nothing extravagant and relies on the minimum amount of ingredients to make a meal, and the meals don't take long/use lots of pans. I think I could cope with this level of shopping/cookery. Would it be so bad if I gave them food made with the recipes for most of the week? With bread so that if they don't eat it at least they have something? Does anyone feed their kids vegan food?

My two youngest are a bit more up for trying new stuff, eldest has a fit at anything that involves vegetables/pulses which makes his diet really restrictive in terms of variety.

[LaContessaDiPlump]

I'd cook vegan meals and tell them that meat/cheese can be added if they want it. I'm vegan with omnivore DH/DC so do sympathise!

[dangermouseisace]

ah that's a good idea lacontessa, I was doing it the other way around- revolving around the meat meals and making them vegan.

[WowOoo]

I don't know how old your kids are but get them to help you. I mean with deciding what to eat, planning, shopping, preparing and cooking - the lot.

Maybe you could all come up with some good ideas. Have a day each where you choose? That's 4 days. 3 days left go vegan, go easy and go easy on yourself. It's healthy and they can always snack on protein and have some veggie or non veggie extras rather than vegan.

My eldest has just helped me in the kitchen as he is such a faddy eater. It was a disaster tbh, but I'm going to get him to choose and 'help' again!

[canyou]

I would esp if it helps you feel better.
If DC really want meat could you serve chicken fillet/fish fillet which are just bunged in the oven for 15 -30 min while the rest of the meal cooks.
We eat 80% veggie 20% meat and I find independant butchers do great deals and it works out cheaper ghen even aldi

[dangermouseisace]

thanks for the replies. Kids are between 6 & 9 so have their opinions, and the dead set favourites that HAVE to happen each week. Eldest has noticed the lack of homemade goodies and has asked if he can make them (with help) which is good. Chicken/fish in oven to go with the rest of the meal is also a good idea as they like that. Off to shops tomorrow then with my vegan + extras list and the aim of getting stuff for the week, rather than panicking at the last minute.

[lastqueenofscotland]

I would go mainly with them eating what you eat but adapting the odd thing they might not like ie chicken instead of tofu in stir fry etc

[LaContessaDiPlump]

Meal planning is always a good idea!

Easy meal suggestions for a family of mixed eating habits:

-Stir-fried broccoli and cashews, served with rice - beef strips on side.
-'Sausages' chips and peas - bake sausages for them, vegan substitutes for you.
-Chili - make a vegan one and add in some fried beef mince if so desired. This can be made in bulk and then added to things like jacket potatoes.
-Jacket potatoes - filling of your choice! Cheese, beans, curried mushrooms etc. Same goes for things on toast.
-Vegetable soup - serve with crusty bread and bake some chicken breasts to be torn up and dropped in at the end if wanted.

Good luck :)

[ppeatfruit]

I would give them the veggie sausages, you know the type that Linda Mcartney makes, they won't know the difference and they are healthier than pork ones. IMO.

Give them fruit plates so they make it into funny faces or whatever, before their meals, it fills them up a bit too.

[dangermouseisace]

thanks for the ideas!

[OnyK]

I'm veggie with veggie kids and omni dh (who eats what I cook!).

I also think it would be easier to make all meals basically vegan.
Every or some meals could then be topped up with separately cooked meat bits or cheese/eggs.

[Mummyoftwo91]

I'm vegetarian and I have 2dcs who eat meat, sometimes it's abit off a faff making 2 meals but what I usually do is have a few meat free dinners a week such as bolognaise with quorn mince, pasta or jacket potatoes ect or I will cook one meal and add meat to theirs keeping mine veggie or sometimes cook one meal such as sausage and mash, burgers ect and just cook meat and veggie options