Discourage 8yo from becoming vegetarian?

[beeyourself]

I've been a vegetarian for a couple of years. Occasionally try to be vegan but never last long.

DP and children still carnivores, although will eat meals I cook with meat substitutes (quorn etc), but they're all awful about eating vegetables- it's like I'm trying to poison them - veg soup is the only time they'll happily eat veg.

Now my 8yo wants to be vegetarian- I don't want to dissuade him but have told him he'll need to eat a lot more vegetables if he gives up meat.

AIBU to say this?

What about talking about being a pescatarian which could include fish, shellfish, eggs and diary? It's a good compromise and will also be much easier to meet their dietary needs.

If he wants to be veggie won’t he naturally begin to eat more vegetables? I’d encourage him personally.

You would be unreasonable to stop him giving it a go I think. However if he doesn’t enjoy it he’ll most likely decide of his own accord. My brother “went vegetarian” at aged 6 and lasted until dinner time when he had a veggie burger. I went veggie at 7 and lasted 9 months, eating fish on and off. I’m veggie again now and although I appreciate it must’ve been a hassle for my mum at the time (the rest of the family ate meat) I would’ve have resented her later in life for not letting me give it a go.

My daughter is very sporty and wanted to become a veggie age 8. We compromised on pescatarian so it’s easier for her to get good protein etc. 3 years on she hasn’t wavered I really admire her (the rest of us all eat meat)

DS2 decided to become vegetarian when he was 9. He loves animals so that was the catalyst for him. He managed it for a year, then decided to go back to eating meat and maybe try again when he's older (he's now 13). I was veggie for many years so I was happy for him to try. One of the problems he found that was although he loves most vegetables, he doesn't like cheese and lots of veggie alternatives are cheesy.

I'd let your DS try it out. I think it's good to let kids follow their principles if you can, and if you're already cooking veggie meals for yourself it won't be too much of an inconvenience. He can always rethink if it's not for him.

Your family are carnivores? They only eat meat? I think you mean omnivores.

I also think pescatarian is the way to go, until DC is old enough to make their own food and therefore the decision to not cook meat

I would let him try being veggie and encourage him to eat different vegetables.

Yes, let him try it, what’s to lose?

I would encourage it. We are a family of veggies and my 6 year old wants to be vegan. I'll be encouraging her.

l agree with the pescatarian thing - l gave up eating meat 30 years ago, but struggled so much going out for meals (so many veggie things seem to be curry or chilli, and l'm allergic to chilli) that l eat fish. Not often, but mainly sandwiches or meals out.
Could you possibly get your son interested in learning to cook vegetarian? We used Sam Stern's Eat Vegetarian book with my youngest stepson from him being about 8. He's not veggie, but my OH wanted him to eat more veggies, and it really helped.

I'd encourage it.

I get your point but I think it’s a bad idea to be too controlling with his diet. I fully appreciate how frustrating it must be to cater for a vegetarian who doesn’t like vegetables but if he is serious about being veggie you won’t have much choice. Turning meals into arguments where you insist he eats meat or veggies will be counterproductive. Maybe work with him to find more recipients with veggies he likes. My DD went veggie two years ago when she was 6 yo and it was a good prompt for me to find a lot more veggie recipes.

My children asked me to cook more veggie dinners. They only want meat twice a week now. I'm pleased as I'm not that keen on meat really. I think why not!

Ur not a carnivore surely 😂

Unless you just eat meat which is very,very unhappy

Sorry unhealthy

I’d let him.

I turned vegetarian when I was 8. I realised that I’d have to eat new things and that it was my decision. It wasn’t a problem and made me more willing to try other foods.

I’m vegan and my very sesitive, animal-loving ds turned veggie at the age of 8. Totally his choice (the other four members of the family are big meat eaters). I’m all for it (and would secretly like the rest of them to join us one day but would never persuade them either way!) so have set about educating him on veggie nutrition and healthy choices. He’s embracing it :) It shows respect for their choices - so important for them to be listened to.

Sit down with him and work out at least a week's worth of meals (lunches and dinners) that he will eat, are reasonable for you to cook and that you feel are a balanced diet. If you can't do that, he can't do it.

You are not unreasonable to say he needs to eat more veg if he goes down this route at all.

Telephone him shopping, let him choose some veg, peas in pods and some unusual veg, teach him how to cook it, he will eat it then. Trust me it will work, always gets a child eating peas if they pop the pods first!

Telephone?!!
Take him

One of my children chose to be vegetarian at 8 and still is. I was vegetarian (and have been vegan in the past) so fully encouraged this with the understanding they would be open to trying new things

This phase worked marvellously for my dd, then 6. To not eat meat, my rule was she had to substitute it with either a handful of nuts or eggs each meal. After a while she got bored of being veggie, but the nuts and eggs have stayed. Yay.

Best way to get kids to eat veg is to get them to GROW VEG. As ppl said - who can resist a podded pea... our peas rarely make it to the pot from our garden they fight over the picking!!

I've been veggie since I was 10 and barely a vegetable passed my lips until I was about 25 😂

Could you try the hidden veg sauces?