Has anyone been vegan from birth

[StormBringers]

Um, I know I’m asking nosey questions (I’m not a journo) but I’m interested to hear from anyone who’s been vegan from birth.

A few of my kids friends are being raised vegan, as far as I know all of their parents were raised eating meat. Even now I find it quite hard to feed visiting friends, and I’ve even not invited them round so much as I need to prep snacks often (due to also fussy eating/ fruit alone not sating). It must have been a nightmare years ago? If you did grow up vegan did you feel like it was a barrier to social meets ever?

Specifically wondering about veganism, I certainly had vegetarian friends.

Following because I am curious!

I have one friend who was raised veggie, back when it was more unusual than now. She resented it (chiefly because of the social awkwardness) and is now a meat eater.

I am!
After some initial explanation, there was never any problem. My friends' parents were happy to adjust the meals I was given. I didn't fell left out because I almost always ate the same thing as my friends, just without the meat/dairy/egg component.

@IchBinEinBerliner1963 I find it harder than just missing out an ingredient, eg everyone has crisps- child is left out, or they snack on toast and the only option is dry toast. Or I end up offering pasta or rice plain etc. Unless I plan it’s not easy to accommodate spur of the moment play dates. Or party venues are awkward in choices etc. I guess we have a more snack based culture now. I guess they also normally have an excellent range, and aren’t happy with bitty offerings. I can obviously plan, but it’s awkward for unplanned stuff.

Almost, I have never eaten meat, as a child/at home the only dairy we consumed was ghee. I have however eaten eggs since being little. My diet is culturally quite normal, so never caused a problem eating at a friends etc.

Why do they have to have dry toast, pasta etc? Jam, hummus, margarine, marmite, pasta sauces

Lots of crisps are vegan, toast is an easy one - jam and peanut butter are both vegan and cheap cupboard staples, you can buy vegan pesto or a ready made tomato sauce for pasta.

Are you in the U.K or Ireland? It has never been easier to be vegan than it is now. The shops are full of options so there's no need for kids to have dry toast and miss out on crisps.

It’s fine if I plan, but a quick scan of my fridge- no Marge (we’re butter people), the crisps/ biscuits are cheese or have milk), I have one sauce jar but it has Parmesan, jam I find is Satan’s sugar nowadays even I do have it...

I’m not saying I can’t have them, I’m saying I usually have to shop specifically for the visit or they have little to no options and I feel mean. I can’t have such an open door policy, usually their friends all pop by at little to no notice.

Aren’t crisps vegan.

Just keep a pack of Oreos in to offer as a snack. Most kids like them vegan or not.

There are loads of vegan crisps. Walkers you can have ready salted, salt and vinegar, prawn cocktail, Worcester sauce, crinkles salted, baked salted, Sunbites sweet chilli, skips, golden wonder ready salted, salt and vinegar, smoky bacon, sausage and tomato, pickled onion. Pringles salted, Texas bbq, paprika...

This list might help www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.peta.org.uk/blog/44-accidentally-vegan-snack-foods/amp/

The Vegan Womble is a good site with list of Supermarket products that are vegan or "accidentally vegan" if you're looking for snacks for their friends.

I know it’s not what you’re asking but I grew up vegetarian, turned vegan as an adult and all my family followed suit. I know some people through online groups and some I have met who were raised vegan (all are still vegan).

I’m very able to purchase vegan stuff, I just don’t tend to have to to hand. Mine are quavers fans so I just stock what they like. Food here vanishes fast I find so I don’t tend to keep stuff. It’s very easy to buy, I’m just saying it’s a barrier at times to unplanned meets.

My DC2 is on a mostly vegan diet due to medical necessity rather than choice.
He has life-threatening food allergies, including milk, eggs, soya, nuts and a few fruits. He also just doesn’t like meat/fish, and will only eat tiny nibbles if offered it and then pushes it away or throws it on the floor. I think it’s the texture he doesn’t like
He is closely monitored by a paediatric dietician, a consultant allergy specialist and allergy nurse. He has to have a specialist, amino-acid based toddler formula to make up his calorie deficit, vitamin and minerals needs, and he has to take calcium supplements. We have to make tweaks to his diet/supplement needs based on the results of pretty regular blood tests if they show anything amiss.
I find it really difficult to see how people who raise their children as vegan by choice can possibly be 100% sure their child’s diet is balanced and meeting proper nutritional requirements when my DC is monitored so carefully by medical professionals and we still have to make changes every so often

Not exactly the same, but dd was veggie from birth at home, but I allowed her to eat what she liked outside of the home (with a few restrictions!) She is now fully veggie and has been since about 8.

How can anyone be sure that their child's nutritional needs are being met? There are plenty of children who eat animal products who also have a terrible diet. Though I know of one vegan family who has a doctor do tests a few times a year and the children are fine. Your son also has more restrictions than your average vegan child who can eat soya, nuts and all fruits.

Many more obese meat eaters during of disease than vegans

You do have to be careful about if of course, but it's perfectly possible to raise a healthy vegan child. If said child has various allergies/is a very fussy eater/sensory issues etc then I'd advise against it but otherwise yes you can raise a healthy vegan child.

@parhapsiwill not children though, not sure why brought up something completely irrelevant

@op I was raised on a restricted diet (no pork products) and it caused the same issues you experience in that I would go to someone’s house, it would be time to eat and I’d be given something I wasn’t allowed. In the end I just started eating it without telling my mother to avoid being rude. If this is a reoccurring problem for you it may be best to just stock up on some vegan quick foods that can be kept in the cupboard/freezer.

@IntoValhalla the vegan diet has been deemed by WHO and NHS as safe if done properly - to be vegan without soya / nuts and some fruits (like your child)
Would be very hard to do well so I don't think it's a fair comparison. I'm raising my child Vegan from birth and had a healthy vegan pregnancy. Like all diets if not balanced then it is unhealthy of course and I wouldn't be confident doing it without soya / nuts and restricted fruit

Countryslices Soya is definitely the hardest part of it all. It’s hidden in absolutely everything “accidentally vegan”, and so many vegan alternatives are soya based! He reacts to soya lecithins too, which a lot of children with soya allergies are able to tolerate So no Oreos for him

I bet! I would not choose this diet for my child if I didn't have soya / nuts to reply on for protein / fat / calories. I'm assuming he can't have coconut yoghurt? Sounds tough I'm sorry :( is he likely to grow out of any of the allergies?

@IntoValhalla my son had soya/ fish/ dairy allergies, it was my introduction to the world of alternatives. Soya was definitely the tricky one here too. Luckily he grew out of the dairy one so it’s way easier. It’s been so long I forgot and let him eat fish the other day, hives, swelling and projectile vomiting were pretty quick so I’ve realised he didn’t grow out of that one. We also saw a dietician for years

We replaced Neocate with Oatley in the toddler years, it was easier to cook/ bake with and things got better