To give my weaning DD Quorn?

[Spice17]

Should have namechanged to 'Clueless' as I'm trying to get to grips with weaning and, well, I'm not.

Basically I'm Veggie and DH isn't but will eat meals I cook like Spag bol and curries etc with Quorn in. DD is 4 months old, so I've started to think about weaning and am after genuine responses because I really don't know if this is OK or not.

Can I give DD Quorn and other meat substitutes? I know it's not to everyone's taste, but is it OK/safe?

I'm thinking with Spag bol etc, as long as it's salt free, she could have a bit of that. I always put veggies in it anyway, so could skip the Quorn or often a cheaper substitute just unsure if it's OK?

TIA :)

[Theicingontop]

He doesn't need meat substitutes at his age, he doesn't even know what meat is! Unless it's part of your family meal, as in you're cooking quorn bolognese, then I wouldn't bother offering it.

I'm vegetarian and by extension (and his choice, as much as a 2.5 year old can choose iykwim) so is DS. He just doesn't like meat. Very convenient for me but I wouldn't think to offer him a meat substitute.

[nkf]

I wouldn't give quorn to a dog either. Isn't four months a big young for spag bol?

[spickles]

Hi, I've weaned 3 vegetarian children (now 9,6,3). For the first 18 months I've focussed on using red lentils in meals (veggie cottage pie etc) and beans/pulses. They def have Quorn sausages once a week from that age, and some really lovely frankfurters from tivali ( sold waitrose and, ocado frozen) and from what I've seen these are better than most pork sausages for salt and I won't even start on the whole horse point with other meat.
There's never been a better time to be a vegetarian, or raise vegetarian children.

[SaggyOldClothCatpuss]

I wouldnt feed Quorn to the dog. Its foul! I would rather feed my children horse than that shit!

[Whatnameforme]

I am just starting to wean also, the information I read said that quorn and other meat substitutes aren't suitable until 6 months plus.
It doesn't say why, just lists it along with honey, nuts, and a whole host of other things that shouldn't be given until either 6 or 12 months

[Yfronts]

Not sure but leave it to 6 months as recommended. There are problems attached to early weaning if you google.

[IceBergJam]

I give DD 14 months quorn sausasges once in a while , say once or twice a month since about 10M and she eats no meat at nursery, so mainly fish with the odd qourn mince or piece thrown in.

Not veggie but I'd rather chance the quorn than the crap that goes into processed meat.

[IceBergJam]

I probably woulnd't wean on it. Lentil spag bol?

[JenaiMorris]

I'm not vegetarian but I like vegetarian real food (I posted the Shepherdess Pie recipe here eons ago).

Can lentils be a bit hard to digest and a bit guffy?

It was a long time ago, but meat didn't feature much at all when I was weaning ds. Don't forget that they are still getting the overwhelming majority of their nutrients from breast milk or formula for a long time; weaning is more about exploring textures and learning to eat than nutrition, iykwim. As long as the food they try isn't harmful (such as salt, or a botulism risk such as with honey) then I wouldn't stress too much about protein.

[DeWe]

I wouldn't give quorn, but that's mostly because my db was seriously sick after having it. Really ill for several days.

However I didn't give meat until they were about 9 months anyway. They had cheese, and still lots of bm until that age, so didn't really need it.

[JenaiMorris]

I ought to add that I'm not an expert. I've only done it once and the fact that it was (sometimes too!) successful was largely down to luck.

I used to be quite smug about what a fantastic job I'd done, ds trying anything and being a young foodie, but I've seen so many people whose approach was identical to mine end up with finicky eaters that I realise now that I was just fortunate!

[StepAwayFromTheEcclesCakes]

think 4 months is too soon to wean anyway.

[JenaiMorris]

We weaned at 4 months but the guidelines have changed for, I imagine, good reason.

[CreamOfTomatoSoup]

OP isn't saying she's going to wean at 4 months, she's just saying she is thinking about the process of weaning.

[MrsOakenshield]

we are bringing up DD as veggie (DH is veggie, I'm not) and we've never given quorn, mainly cos DH hates it. For a veggie spag bol we use canned puy lentils, makes a great meat-free version. We started off with eggs, cheese and high-fat yoghurts such as greek yoghurt, protein-wise.

We used this book when weaning, alongside Annabel Karmel, it's where I got the spag bol recipe.

[MrsOakenshield]

sausages, we get the Tesco's Vegilciious cheese and onion ones, and Sainsbo's Love Veg (I think) bubble and squeak ones, both very nice.

[coraltoes]

Eglantyne, I can assure you my meat eating dd hasn't eaten horse either, ffs, not everyone who eats meat eats processed shit. What an offensive and myopic comment to make.

OP enjoy weaning, it is really good fun!

[Sashapineapple]

4 months old is way too early to wean, please wait until 6 months. Have a look at babyledweaning.com it's so much easier.

Aside from that quorn is disgusting, I wouldn't eat it (or give it to my dog) and I am vegetarian. There is just never any need for that muck.

[BoysAreLikeDogs]

folks, OP isn't weaning early, she's asking for advice about the weaning process and quorn

Stand down pitchforks and high horses

[user12785]

Coral, one word: JOKE.

[TheMightyLois]

I'd rather eat horsemeat than synthetic protein

[claig]

I am not a vegetarian and I never eat Quorn.

From what I have read about Quorn, I don't think it is good for you. Google it and you will find lots on it

www.blisstree.com/2011/12/06/food/quorn-chickn-fungus-making-people-sick-235/

www.healthyreader.com/quorn-controversy/

[Spice17]

Hi all,

Just to confirm what Boys said, am not planning to wean her yet, just trying to get it straight in my head.

Am finding it quite puzzling and as my family will attest to, like to get things planned ridiculously early like packing my suitcase a month before going on holiday!

Am defo not going to give DD Quorn anyway

[helpineedajob]

I was told no quorn till 2.

I make curry with chic peas (and quorn and pick out the quorn for ds2)

I make spag bol with soya mince from Holland and Barrett (which tastes better than quorn) it is low far so and some chess to up the far content.

[IceBergJam]

My qourn over processed meat comment was aimed at the crap meat served at nursery, not at meat eaters, which I and DD are, just incase I may have offended anyone!