To think veganism is not for children?

[ohhhhlivia]

Yes, I am aware that it is perfectly possible to have a healthy vegan diet at any age. I know that.

However, it is more difficult and easier to get wrong if you want to be vegan. It still is restrictive (even with all of the new stuff coming out) as in you need to tell hosts, check menus in advance etc.

It's a barrier that has to be overcome. I don't understand why you would do that to someone who has no choice in the matter.

Lots of kids go through a fussy phase too, add veganism in and surely you're at a high risk of health problems?

I think what I'm getting at, is that childhood nutrition can be hard enough as it is, so it just feels wrong to make it harder for reasons that do not directly benefit the child.

@firstimemamma

"You're still making the decision to offer him meat." Yes, I couldn't agree more with that. Of course I obviously am! *@EveryPlanetHasAYorkshire*

So really no different to a vegan choosing to not offer their kids meat. We all make choices.

My husband and his sister have been vegetarian from about the age of 15. When we had children my husband said he felt they should have meat as children need it. However as a family we mostly eat a vegetarian diet with the kids eating meat once or twice a week - and they LOVE IT. My SIL is very strict with her kids who are a bit younger than mine - she is a fanatic. My three always feel so sorry for their cousins.

I also think it should be up to the child. My son turned vegetarian at 5. Makes things difficult for me but it’s his decision and he’s stuck by it. Still give the other son meat, despite dh being veggie and me not eating it at all in the house anymore.

I'm a meat eater but you could argue why you would feed them dead animals without giving them a choice in the matter

Who cares as long as it's healthy

I would have thought that most vegan families would have no major difficulties feeding their children a healthy diet as they will generally be knowledgeable on the topic and eating a balanced diet themselves. A child from an omnivorous family who decides to go vegan later in life is surely far more likely to run into nutritional issues as there won't be the background knowledge and if they are the only vegan in the family then they may end up just eating the vegetables from meat containing meals and/or relying on convenience foods.
As for children not liking vegan food, again, if that's what they are brought up with that seems unlikely. They won't even see it as vegan food - just food. That's different to a child who has been brought up eating meat and suddenly being offered something that they perceive as strange. We are not vegan, but my son is allergic to dairy and eggs so quite a lot of what I cook is plant based. Interestingly quite a few people who "don't like vegan food " seem quite happy to eat it if they don't know. I catered for one of our sports club events last year and made most of the cakes plant based, so that for once, my DS could actually have a choice. Everything got eaten and I got lots of compliments, including from people who have previously refused to even try things like DS's birthday cake because they "knew" it would be horrible.

@Lou197

My husband and his sister have been vegetarian from about the age of 15. When we had children my husband said he felt they should have meat as children need it. However as a family we mostly eat a vegetarian diet with the kids eating meat once or twice a week - and they LOVE IT. My SIL is very strict with her kids who are a bit younger than mine - she is a fanatic. My three always feel so sorry for their cousins.

Children don't need meat.

We’re omnivores, hence that’s the default. Veganism is an ethical issue so I think children should decide freely for themselves to opt in when they’re old enough, same as for religion or any other belief that affects lifestyle.

I’m a huge fan of quality meat though, not over processed rubbish.

But you are also forcing your views on your children. Thats what parenting is, doing what you think is best for your child and if a vegan thinks a vegan diet is the healthiest, why would they give them meat.
Its easier to add something than take it away and there are plenty of now vegans who wish they never had meat to begin with.
(I'm not vegan)

I'd rather a kid be vegan than just eat nuggets every day or pasta pesto because they are fussy and only like one thing (not talking special needs but am talking about a real life example)

How can a vegan diet be best (poor quality meat notwithstanding)? We’re omnivores. You can’t just ignore nature.

@MrsAvocet

I would have thought that most vegan families would have no major difficulties feeding their children a healthy diet as they will generally be knowledgeable on the topic and eating a balanced diet themselves. A child from an omnivorous family who decides to go vegan later in life is surely far more likely to run into nutritional issues as there won't be the background knowledge and if they are the only vegan in the family then they may end up just eating the vegetables from meat containing meals and/or relying on convenience foods. As for children not liking vegan food, again, if that's what they are brought up with that seems unlikely. They won't even see it as vegan food - just food. That's different to a child who has been brought up eating meat and suddenly being offered something that they perceive as strange. We are not vegan, but my son is allergic to dairy and eggs so quite a lot of what I cook is plant based. Interestingly quite a few people who "don't like vegan food " seem quite happy to eat it if they don't know. I catered for one of our sports club events last year and made most of the cakes plant based, so that for once, my DS could actually have a choice. Everything got eaten and I got lots of compliments, including from people who have previously refused to even try things like DS's birthday cake because they "knew" it would be horrible.

I'm assuming that when people say they don't like vegan food they mean they don't like food that's specifically marketed as being vegan. It doesn't make sense otherwise because lots of ordinary food is 'accidentally vegan', e.g crumpets, peanut butter, Morrisons jam donuts, McDonalds apple pies...that's before we even get into things like fruit and vegetables, rice, potatoes, pasta and bread (and yes, before anyone starts, pretty much all bread and pasta is vegan!).

Tbh even saying you don't like speciality vegan food is a bit silly imo because there is so much of it out there now. I don't like Quorn vegan pieces but I like Tesco own brand pieces. Likewise I don't like Nando's vegan perinaise but I like Hellmans vegan mayo so I just mix some peri salt in to make my own vegan perinaise.

I guarantee that if McDonalds decided tomorrow to start advertising their apple pies as vegan there will be people throwing their toys out of the pram and whining about not wanting to eat vegan food...even though it's the same apple pie they have eaten previously😂😂😂.

I would not hesitate to report someone to social services if I saw them raising their child(ren) as a vegan
Oh give over!
And please keep their line free for a child in need.

We’re omnivores. You can’t just ignore nature.

Omnivore means ‘can digest both meat and plants’, not ‘must digest both meat and plants’.

And while we’re on the subject of nature, we could talk about the fact that 65% of the world’s population is lactose intolerant to some degree, and yet the majority still consume dairy products. Let’s not pretend that ‘natural’ is the defining feature of an omnivorous diet.

Absolutely Lantern156. Very little of what we eat nowadays is "natural". On the whole, we eat food that we enjoy, is readily available and convenient. And that is not necessarily bad. I doubt many of us would want to be restricted to foods that are indigenous to these islands in the amounts that we could hunt for/gather ourselves and eat raw, which after all, is what is truly natural. Obviously some have more choice than others, for all kinds of reasons, but on the whole we are fortunate now to have a wide range of foods available to us now. It is possible to have a healthy or unhealthy diet whether you are omnivorous, vegetarian or vegan, but I have to say that most of the non meat eaters I know have healthier diets than most of my omnivorous friends, possibly because they are more focused on their diets. And I speak as an omnivore, so no personal axe to grind.

As long as the child gets all the vitamins and minerals they need from their diet whether it’s plant based or meat based then it’s no one else’s business what they eat.

As long as the child gets all the vitamins and minerals they need from their diet whether it’s plant based or meat based then it’s no one else’s business what they eat.

Exactly. There are a lot of strong feelings on this topic and I’m not entirely sure why.

Tell that to other omnivorous animals, I’d like to se how they fare.

The lactose thing is totally different, humans are acting like no other mammal in having milk after the age of weaning. It’s not ‘nature’ we’re following there it’s a cultural thing that as you say, doesn’t even work for half the population (including me incidentally)

The strong feelings are because if you think (rightly or wrongly) something might be harmful to children then it’s absolutely logical you’d feel strongly.

Same with vaccines, babies in nursery etc etc, all sorts of subjects.

It may be misguided at times but it’s a good thing people care about children’s welfare

if you think (rightly or wrongly) something might be harmful to children then it’s absolutely logical you’d feel strongly.

It’s got fuck all to do with concern for children’s welfare, give me a break. Are the same posters volunteering for food banks and soup kitchens? I doubt it.

The PP said this

As long as the child gets all the vitamins and minerals it’s no one else’s business. That’s challenging but far from a impossible for a vegan child. Assuming it’s achieved, why does anyone give a shit?

Tell that to other omnivorous animals, I’d like to se how they fare.

Don't be stupid.

I'm not sure it's not for children. I do understand the difficulty in sending children to parties etc where people will be dishing up their food and it's a lot to ask for people to accommodate it being vegan but really, the concept of a child being fed meat, the off cuts of flesh from a dead animal being seen as more acceptable than opting out of it seems sooo bizarre when it's written down. I can't ever fathom why people think its oppressive to not offer children animal products. At the end of the day everyone does what they think is best for their children, but each individual is different and if they have a set of values, experiences and beliefs that align them with the ethics of a vegan and see that raising their child in a similar way would be a loving action as a parent then good for them. Also, it genuinely feels like it should be illegal for an animal to lose its life to be the filling of a three year olds half eaten sandwich.

YANBU. There is no reason to make an example of your child just because you have a particular belief. Let them have a chicken nugget with friends, or an ice cream, or a bar of chocolate. If veganism is the right way to eat then they will naturally gravitate towards that as older children/adults.

@crispycrisis

Few points - To the posters saying oat / soy shouldn't be called milk. What should we call peanut butter To those who use the supplement angle to say Veganism isn't healthy since it can't 'stand alone' I hope you're also anti formula, sliced bread, cereal and most meat products. All of which are supplanted. I also hope you are anti nhs advice of Vitamin D supplements for all. To those who say a vegan diet restricts bonding and socialising. I hope you're also anti religion / culture that may follow different diets to your own. I also hope your children don't befriend anyone with allergies as how will they possibly get on. To the posters insistent that we need to consume milk as babies therefore ''animal products'' are needed throughout our lives. Please go into your nearest field and offer the sheep / cows etc a ham and egg baguette because obviously they need it... To the OP who believes it's a choice to provide a 'less than optimal vegan diet to children' what is your opinion on women who can BF but formula feed. Are they also 'wrong' To the op who thinks a fish is a mobile vegetable... well I'm all out of advice there

Lol I love this comment

@worriedauntt

YANBU. There is no reason to make an example of your child just because you have a particular belief. Let them have a chicken nugget with friends, or an ice cream, or a bar of chocolate. If veganism is the right way to eat then they will naturally gravitate towards that as older children/adults.

Plenty of chocolate is vegan, e.g bournville and there is planty of vegan nuggets and vegan ice cream available nowadays. Even Aldi do their own range of vegan ice cream, vegan magnums and vegan no chicken nuggets and fish fingers!

Lots of sweets are vegan, e.g Skittles so being vegan does not mean they won't be able to share chocolate or sweets with friends.

Coconut milk has been a thing for years and nobody gave a shit. God forbid you have oat milk and other alternatives marketed towards vegans though...