DC going vegan?

[57mama]

My DC are 12 & 14. They've decided that they want to go vegan because it's "healthier". They've been vegetarian for almost 5 years because they just refuse to eat any meat or fish we serve to them (except the gravy and roast potatoes that they think are vegan ). DH and I will absolutely not be going vegan, whether we let the DC do it or not. I've heard all the stories about vegan kids being malnourished etc, but AIBU to let them? DH thinks it's dangerous and inconvenient, but they'll be cooking for themselves, and surely they can just stop if they want/need to? Any advice would be appreciated!

but if they won't do their own research and find out how they're made it's their own fault really.

So it’s your 12 and 14 year old’s fault you feed them non vegetarian foods against their knowledge because they should check their own Mother isn’t conning them? right-o.

Veganism, when done right, is the healthiest and most superior diet. Watch the programme Game Changers on Netflix.

Hi there I have been vegetarian for 14 years. And been vegan for 2. If you are concerned about protein and growth watch game changers on Netflix

Make sure they get enough calcium (and vit D), might want to look into getting them a supplement too. Losing bone density is no fun for anyone!

Your kids sound great, try to be more supportive of them.

@0Countryescape You can get b12 from cereal. It's not this massive deal you're making it out to be.

@0Countryescape You can get b12 from cereal. It's not this massive deal you're making it out to be.

Erm , it really IS. Even the vegan Society acknowledges that. You need to supplement B12 daily if your not eating it in foods

If my children had wanted to be vegetarian or vegan I would support that choice but they would be making their own meals. I would never cook separate meals for our family. Everyone had the same.

‘I’ll do what I want and sod anyone else’s feelings’ in other words.
But you expect it the other way round? Children decide to go vegan so mum has to buy and cook separate meals and forgo her preferences?

I agree with @squeekums. If they want to go vegan they need to come shopping with you, pick out the vegan food and cook it. By all means do a vegan meal once a week for example but you aren't the one choosing to go vegan.
Veganism is an extreme change, I wouldn't be pandering to it tbh.

I think it should be their choice but I would make them more responsible for shopping and cooking etc - I know they are still young but they could still do their own research about what meals they would eat etc. I'd also want them to help with food prep and cooking etc.

I think I'd see this as a positive in that it would mean I could have a good excuse to make them more engaged with their diets etc.

@RockinHippy Like I said, it is incredibly easy for a vegan to get b12 in their diet. The PP was acting as if you can only get it as supplement if you are a vegan.

We don't pretend the foods are vegan, but if they won't do their own research and find out how they're made it's their own fault really.

Well done for lying to your kids. Maybe you should have told them so they had the choice.

Well, she's said she didn't lie to the kids. I'm surprised the kids didn't think to ask! Or perhaps there was a bit of wilful ignorance on the kids' part - they're prepared to give up a lot, but not their Mum's roast spuds and gravy?! So don't ask, don't tell. . .

I don't think it's unreasonable for people to wish to go vegetarian or vegan, there are many good, valid, and noble reasons for wishing to do so.

I do think it is unreasonable to expect somebody else to shoulder the burden of your wish - to do the research, to do the meal planning, to do the shopping, to do the cooking - while keeping separate utensils etc to prevent cross contamination. That is whether they are your children, your partner, or your parent. And either expecting separate meals to be cooked, or other people to follow your preferred diet.

I do it for my daughter who is coeliac, obviously, because it's not a preference, it's a requirement for her survival.

@Whattodoabout @Irl8

Again, this film (not documentary) was not researched and did not present facts. Its unscientific and all 'findings' are insignificant. The filmmakers are peddling their moneymaking agenda.

Can't belive the bollocks people will believe without question.

(I'm not saying veganism itself is without benefits, and I think that basing meals around plants is smart for a number of reasons, but none of them are to do with that crap everyone's jumping on like it must be true!)

I don't think they should be doing all their cooking themselves. They're children! Apart from anything else you need to be careful about what they eat if they are vegan to ensure they are getting the right nutrients.

Dd announced this too but was put off when I said that I needed 10 Vegan recipes from her. We've compromised and have the odd veggie meal which was easier for her to find recipes.

I wonder how many of the mums slating the OP for cooking her kids food in non-vegan juices etc and not telling them have ever "hid" vegetables in their kids meals? If my DC has an aversion to vegetables (like many do) I know I'll most certainly be blending onions and peppers into their spag bol and telling them it doesn't contain any vegetables! What's the difference? (With reference to the OP whose kids want to be vegan because it's "healthier" rather than a truly ethical choice).

One of the PP made a good point. If my DC suddenly declare they're vegan then I expect a detailed list of all the meals / nutrition values etc that they think are suitable. If they can prove that it's not just a fad and they really want to take it seriously then I'd amend mealtimes to include a vegan option. I think so many people are jumping on the vegan bandwagon these days only to be chomping on a steak a few months later. It's not fair on busy mums to constantly meet demands.

What LolaLollypop ?
That’s hardly the same and I don’t know anyone who has to ‘hide’ vegetables in meals

RockinHippy Like I said, it is incredibly easy for a vegan to get b12 in their diet. The PP was acting as if you can only get it as supplement if you are a vegan.

As I said. It really isn't & you are spreading dangerously false information that contradicts even the Vegan Society. There are NO good, reliable sources of B12 in a Vegan diet & B12 deficiency can be deadly

@FizzyIce You've never heard of that, seriously? My mum used to do it to us all the time. Mix carrots in with the mash or blend onions so we wouldn't taste them etc.

I'm comparing it to the people saying "you're lying to your children" etc.

They didn't check at the time because they were 7 and 9. They didn't ask every time a meal was put in front of them if the potatoes were veggie because...they're vegetables. They didn't ask because they obviously didn't think their DM would add exactly what they were avoiding to their food.

I became vegetarian aged 8, my parents supported me and my choice and I also learnt to cooked and loved doing so, I'm still vegetarian now 20 years later. Don't think ur funny op

A relative once fed me (vegetarian) vegetable soup and half way through me eating it declared "there's bacon in that" the soup was liquidised and I had until that point no idea. I felt awful. This was years ago and to this day, I do not trust her to eat anything she serves. Unfortunately she lives some distance away and we.need to stay with her when we visit. I visit as infrequently as possible. Not eating meat is really really important to me. Just be careful that your DC don't go on to feel the same about you

I'd be massively fucked off if someone secretly fed me meat or dairy

@LolaLollypop , no. My parents didn’t do it to me and I have never had to do it to mine . Veg was pretty much all my dd would eat as a toddler

@RockinHippy Yeast extract, breakfast cereals, non dairy milks, soya burgers, and vegetable margarines are just some of the places you can get B12 without supplementing. Easy.