DP wants the baby to be vegetarian...

[CassandrasCastle]

DP said this morning that he would like DD (13 months) to eat a veggie diet, and that we should think about asking the nursery to accordingly change the food they give her.

I just don't really want to! We cook and eat mostly vegetarian at home, and I totally get DP's ethical concerns re. meat, but I I'm afraid I really love it :/ - if we go out, I tend to have steak. And I just think it's too early to change DD's diet, I want her to have a range of tastes.

However, arguing against it makes me sound awful, I WANT THE BABY TO EAT FLESH sort of thing.

Anyone bringing up vegetarian kids?? I'm not sure what to do

My partner is strictly vegetarian, I mostly eat the same diet but do occasionally eat meat when out, and we don't have meat or fish at home. Our child will be vegetarian until they're old enough to choose their own food, because this is the way we eat.

There are plenty of sources of protein, meat is obvious and I suppose easier but it's not restrictive to avoid it. Millions of Indians are vegetarian for religious reasons and seem to survive!

Little Veggie Eats is a great cookbook for toddlers - you could batch cook things for her - or just increase the amount of Hello Fresh you get. She won't be satisfied by Ella's pouches for much longer.

If you think of it on the flip side, is it not weirder for us to feed our DC dead animals until they’re old enough to make the choice?

If you raise them vegetarian and then they choose meat after, then they’ve made an informed decision. Surely that’s more logical..

Seems a bit odd when he isn't vegetarian.

I'm vegan, DH veggie. We decided that we will raise our DS 99% vegan until he's old enough to decide for himself. Like everyone else does with their kids, raise them with your own beliefs until they're old enough to express otherwise.

So all of his meals, snacks etc. are vegan, but we don't mind him trying bits here and there of vegetarian foods (we draw the line at non vegetarian, he's 18m). When he's old enough to express that he wants to do something different we'll support him 100%, whether that's vegetarian or omni.

@fairynick

If you think of it on the flip side, is it not weirder for us to feed our DC dead animals until they’re old enough to make the choice?

If you raise them vegetarian and then they choose meat after, then they’ve made an informed decision. Surely that’s more logical..

Don't just barge in here with logic!

Funny how nobody bats an eyelid at raising a child Christian or Muslim until they're old enough to decide otherwise... it's only when a vegetarian raises a child vegetarian people start to panic.

Thanks for the tip re. Little Veggie Eats @whatswithtodaytoday

@ShagMeRiggins

WTF has being omnivore got to do with vegetarianism being wrong? Being omnivores means we CAN survive on just about anything. If anything it strengthens the argument for avoiding meat when we can if we're that way inclined.

only when a vegetarian raises a child vegetarian people start to panic.

Not really. I don’t see anyone panicking. I see different opinions and information.

Again, human beings as a species are omnivores. That’s indisputable.

If some choose a different diet based on religion, or concerns about the planet, or eating animal flesh, that’s up to them.

The most important thing—always—is proper nutrition for the growing baby/child.

@CassandrasCastle you might find this helpful, it’s based on veganism but you can take what you want from it. There’s a good section on types of vegetables to introduce as well as recipes by age static1.squarespace.com/static/59f75004f09ca48694070f3b/t/5a5a4935ec212dd5067a0622/1515866446317/Eating_well_Vegans_Oct_2017_final.pdf

From the sound of her eating habits, you should probably not artificially restrict the range of foods available to her, at least for the time being.

[quote Pengwyn]@ShagMeRiggins

WTF has being omnivore got to do with vegetarianism being wrong? Being omnivores means we CAN survive on just about anything. If anything it strengthens the argument for avoiding meat when we can if we're that way inclined.[/quote]
I didn’t say vegetarianism is wrong. I appreciate your acknowledgment that human beings are omnivores.

As I stated: live and let live.

@PickAChew I don't think there's anything wrong with her eating habits...I mentioned throwing broccoli, but what child doesn't chuck food about sometimes!? She mostly eats whatever is in front of her - most recently it was olives, which made me feel very middle class proud :p

This is a great resource if you're struggling OP. Has some good info for omni babies and vegan babies, you can pick what you need.

www.firststepsnutrition.org/eating-well-early-years

[quote kikisparks]@CassandrasCastle you might find this helpful, it’s based on veganism but you can take what you want from it. There’s a good section on types of vegetables to introduce as well as recipes by age static1.squarespace.com/static/59f75004f09ca48694070f3b/t/5a5a4935ec212dd5067a0622/1515866446317/Eating_well_Vegans_Oct_2017_final.pdf[/quote]
Jinx! Though I opened the page before you commented and then only just posted.

That's such an amazing link, I used it nonstop when DS was weaning.

@ShagMeRiggins

only when a vegetarian raises a child vegetarian people start to panic.

Not really. I don’t see anyone panicking. I see different opinions and information.

Again, human beings as a species are omnivores. That’s indisputable.

If some choose a different diet based on religion, or concerns about the planet, or eating animal flesh, that’s up to them.

The most important thing—always—is proper nutrition for the growing baby/child.

Haven't RTFT but trust me, people do massively panic about people raising their babies vegan or vegetarian. People really struggle to internalise the idea that whatever you do with your baby and young toddler is 'forcing' them, seeing as they're not yet capable of making a decision either way.

My kids eat fish but no other meat. We siad we would have no meat in the house ever, and none in their diet until they are school age. Then they can choose for school dinners, parties, meals out etc.
One has no interest and the other has tried meat a few times but didn't really like it.
I thought it was better than giving them a taste for processed meat like ham and sausages.

If he decided to become vegetarian later than as a child then he should let your DD decide for herself as well,he should not be deprived of foods that you both enjoy.
Children do need iron when they grow,that's why we are born omnivores.

Not sure if PPs have already suggested it (if so sorry) but since your DH is an ethical veggie, would you both be happy with a compromise position of 'ethical' meat only for your DD?
Probably this would mean her eating the veggie option at nursery (unlikely they'd do ethical meat) but you could feed her ethical meat at home maybe two or three times a week or whatever.
What exactly ethical meat is depends on what kind of ethical veggie your DH is, but either wild animals shot in the wild, or farm animals raised on small organic farms, or maybe it's more organic/save-the-earth type of ethical? Whatever it is, you could purchase the meat just occasionally, cook, portion and freeze, and then add to your DD's dishes.
A royal pain in the arse right enough!
I have an ethical veggie friend like this, and she'll eat local venison, rabbit, croft raised lamb/beef etc. But won't touch supermarket meat with a bargepole. It's pretty easy to get wild/well cared for meat here though. I guess it might be harder if you live in the centre of a big city or something.

We are a veggie family. Not a big deal. Nursery was veggie anyway because it was easier for food safety etc.! My kids are proud to be veggie. I don't have strong feelings about it but it's not difficult at all, if that's what you're asking? It's never really come up as a thing as kids have grown!

Most vegetarian families I know seem to eat perfectly healthy and balanced diets so I don't think there's any reason not to be vegetarian if both parents are.

But to a poster who suggested w can get our nutrients in the same way as the animals we eat...? WHAAAT? Humans are omnivorous for a reason. As it turns out, we absolutely can adapt to a meat free diet by upping our intake of certain types of foods, but frankly, a cow gets the vast bulk of its nutrients from grass and hay, so I don't think there's anyway we can compare its digestive process with mine. It also has two stomachs.

I have an ethical veggie friend like this,

There's nothing veggie about your friend. Vegetarians do not eat meat.

Apologies, @CassandrasCastle - I misinterpreted that your concerns were about what she would eat.

@Triffid1 who said that? I know I said we can get all the amino acids we eat from plants, and that the animals that people eat get all their amino acids from plants. People tend to forget that all amino acids we consume ultimately come from plants one way or another. That’s not the same thing as saying we should eat grass and hay (and only some cows get the bulk of their nutrients from those, factory farmed cows are fed differently and of course chickens and pigs are generally fed grains, soya etc). Nobody is saying we have the same anatomy as non human animals, especially as they all eat differently to each other anyway. Just that it’s silly to say it’s not possible to get all the essential amino acids we need to consume from plants.

Some background. My mum decided when my sibling and I were 8ish we were not going to eat meat anymore (mad cow disease scared her). So us and my mother stopped eating meat altogether. My father did not but it didn't phase us.

Now in my 30's my sibling and I are very happy vegetarians. Neither of our husbands are. I plan in raising my son vegetarian largely because i have no plans to cook meat. My husband is fine with it and only really eats meat when we eat out anyway!

Not eating meat is no loss in these modern times were there is a lot of veg options and substitutes to choose from.

Just because your partner says he wants it dosnt mean it has to happen.

You say it’s difficult enough with dd at the moment with food, why make it more complicated.

I always thought I’d have veggie loving kids but reality is they are full on carnivores and veggies are pretty much evil as far as they are concerned. I’m sure it will change at some point 🤞

My DB and his family of full on veggie, my DNs were brought up veggie, the oldest had meat until about 4 or 5 but only because my SIL craved meat during pregnancy and gave in to eating it. After number 2 the whole family went full veggie led by my SIL. She was home and did all the cooking. My DN now brings her DD up veggie but her DP still eats meat, just not at home. They use lots of supplements. The LO stays at my DBs a lot so my SIL feeds her lots of home cooked veggie food.

It needs to be something you and your DP agree on, he can’t just make a unilateral decision like that and expect you to be happy with it. My DN & her DP agreed on bringing their dd up veggie but he had rules mainly as long as it didn’t effect DDs health and she was getting all the right nutrients he was happy especially given it was my DN doing the bulk of the cooking he felt it wasn’t fair to make her cook meat.

@CommunistLegoBloc

I don't think there's anything at all wrong bringing up a child as vegetarian. But I say that if the parents are vegetarian, which you're not. Therefore there's nothing wrong with your child eating what you eat, either way. I think it would be odd for meat eating parents to deliberately raise a vegetarian child tbh. I say this as a vegetarian.

But her Dad is vegetarian