Not to want our children to eat red meat?

[Flymeaway4]

I'm vegetarian, have been for 20 years, partner is not. Since before they were born, I've said I'll let them have chicken, fish etc, but not red meat including pork. Once they're old enough to properly understand that meat was once an animal, then they can decide for themselves whether they want to eat red meat too, or be vege if they like, their choice. Partner thinks I'm ridiculous and said "why can't she have a ham sandwich" at a party yesterday, "what harm will it do". There were plenty of other options there anyway: chicken, cheese and egg sandwiches, quiche, fruit etc.

In case you think it's relevant, my reasoning behind no red meat is that I think cows and pigs are too intelligent, they know exactly what is happening when they arrive at the abattoir and I think that's just too cruel (and lambs are babies). Allowing chicken and fish, until they can make their own informed decision, was my compromise. If it were purely up to me, I'd be happy raising them vege!

So, am I being unreasonable?

That is simply not true see link:

https://amp.theguardian.com/environment/2022/jan/28/uk-risks-falling-behind-on-reducing-farm-antibiotics-after-eu-ban

Sorry but why are you so keen to disadvantage your children? There is a slew of new research coming out indicating that veggies and vegans are having health issues in later life.

In the UK no animal antibiotics are allowed to enter the food chain, the paperwork farmers have to do is incredible and recording every single injection along with the dates and the permitted dates before that animal can go down the road is part of that process.

I don't think that I understand fully the logic of this - per se if you don't want your kids to eat processed meats etc but beucsee the cows and pigs have more feels is a bit of a strange reason and it leads to "why can I have a chicken sandwich but not a ham sandwich"

Take them to the donut shop in Nottingham, they’ll give you a free vegan donut if you watch a cow being killed while th a bolt gun first.

That was certainly the case when the UK was in the EU. Do those rules still apply now? I hope they do, but I wouldn't put it past this government to have quietly scrapped them.

Fish are incredibly intelligent and I used to own pet chickens too which are very intelligent.

I don’t think it’s fair that you are making these decisions on behalf of your kids.

I would let them eat a range of foods but ensure that all meat is from the same country and preferably slaughtered on site.

My DD is not veggie and can eat whatever meat she wants but we do eat a lot of meat free meals either with meat substitutes like quorn or things like veggie pasta.

Not really the right forum- hardly anyone on mn cares about animal welfare.

I’m vegan, DH and DD are not, I let her eat what she wants and she can decide when she’s older if she wants to eat dead animals. I think it’s wise to limit it based on cost and health. I will only buy high welfare meat and poultry and I don’t eat it myself.

I think most young people will find the ‘meat’ they will be buying in ten, twenty, thirty years plus will be vastly different to what you get now. It’ll likely be ridiculously expensive or Lab grown.

Your 'argument' is ridiculously flawed.

If you're looking from an animal cruelty POV, why are you not vegan??

Two thirds of all antibiotics administered globally are to animals.

It is one of the main drivers of antimicrobial resistance. Why would any parent want to actually feed their child animals pumped full of antibiotics? Therefore increasing their child’s personal resistance and the health implications and consequences.

I find it staggering anyone with even a passing interest in health would feed their children this stuff - even if they clearly could careless about the ethics and the cruelty element.

Your reasoning is ridiculous, it's ok to eat something as long as it's thick? Almost as bad as my vegetarian aunt who eats fish because they have no soul 🙄
I'm a vegetarian btw have been for donkey's years.

I think it's worse to eat the chicken and fish because one life feeds fewer people.

I also have pet chickens and I don't think they're as unintelligent as some would have you believe.

What does your DC want to eat? I'm vegetarian and my DC is also veggie, but my DH is veggie too so it was kind of a given. I think if you've married a meat eater, you just need to accept that he can feed the DC meat when he's responsible for feeding them. You both have an equal right to decide things like this- although id stick to your guns if the DC don't want to eat meat, as he should if they want to try it.

FWIW I didn't even insist that other family members don't give DC meat, he's free to try a bit at a family meal/party if he wants to. I'd prefer he chooses vegetarianism, but I kind of feel like it's up to me (and DH) what we provide at home, but he should also have the right to try new things even if they don't align with my and DH's values because he's not obliged to share those values. He's never shown any interest in meat even as a baby and seems very set that he doesn't want to eat animals, but I won't say anything negative if he changes his mind.

I'm glad you have something that works for you and I'm not judging you or anyone who eats meat. I'm a vegan now but ate meat for many years and feed my dog meat.

I just find it hard to believe that your iron needs can only be met by eating red meat once or twice a week. There are many foods that are higher in iron than red meat and ways to increase your absorption rate. Lots of different supplements to take too.

As I've said, I'm glad you found something that works for you but as PP have said, GPs tend to know very little about nutrition.

There’s two parts to this:

1. your logic is a bit ridiculous
2. Your husband thinks differently and he’s got just as much right to determine your (young) children’s diet as you do

You may need to accept that you feed your children as vegetarians (who sometimes eat the kinds of animals you consider stupid enough to feed them) and your husband feeds them the way he feels is appropriate. Over time they’ll be able to make their own choices - and both their parents may well find themselves disappointed in the viewpoint a child arrives at!

I’d say let DC eat what is easiest until they can decide for themselves. The off ham sandwich at parties, days out and in packed lunches will be fine.

The issue here is that you have had children with someone who has different views than you. If I were your partner, I’d give them ham when they are with me and not give it a second thought even if you’d asked me not to give them ham. So depending on your DH’s attitude, you may not have a choice.

Can you link the ‘slew’ of studies that say being vegetarian affects people later in life?

I know 88 year old life long vegetarians and if anything they remain slimmer, fitter and more active. Certainly they look younger - I never understood why though.

Lazylikeasundaymorning · Today 11:36
I think you’re being a bit silly to be honest (I’m a vegetarian in case that’s relevant!)- chicken farming involves some of the worst cruelty in the industry, it doesn’t make any sense to be happy with chicken but not other meat”

Absolutely this. Some fish are pretty intelligent too. Anyway, thinking it’s ok to eat something because it’s not that bright is pretty nasty, too.

Perhaps these are veggies who eat processed meat? We eat none. My veggie from birth mother is a size 8 at 77. She walkes miles daily and does all her own housework. My similar granny was the same at 97 and died of old age.

My sister is a veggie, has been since she was child, when she had kids, the compromise they came up with is, when she cooked, they would have veggie meals, when he cooked, they could have meat.

One is a veggie the other is not

And why would you feed your kids any kind of fish?? Have you not seen our oceans? They are pumped full of litres of raw sewage and plastic. Lab tests are truly devastating lately revealing the extent of human impact on our friends in the sea.

Id imagine a whole food vegetarian diet is better than a meat eating diet of processed meat and crap. However, better than both of those is probably a diet which incorporates decent fish and grass fed meat as well as fruits/veg

Do you have girls op? I encourage my dd12 to eat steak...for the iron. I'm also fed up of women being told they should eat chicken and fish and that red meat is for men. Women have periods, they need red meat more than men do.

Let d c eat what is easiest is thoughtless lazy parenting. You owe it to your children to give it far more consideration than that! No wonder we have an obesity crisis.

Can you link the ‘slew’ of studies that say being vegetarian affects people later in life?
I know 88 year old life long vegetarians and if anything they remain slimmer, fitter and more active. Certainly they look younger - I never understood why though

Really?

The ones I've met are quite chubby and mainly eat off from carbs. The vegetarian processed meat is awful with all that shit in it.

You think chicken’s aren’t intelligent. No idea, be they are friendly.
As a vegetarian I would rather eat/buy 1/4 of a beef . Then only one animal has died. Then eat 36 days old chicken 🐓. And eat hundreds. They have a miserable short life.

But why do you need to eat processed meat as a veggie? I might as well say the meat eaters I know who eat Maccy Ds are unhealthy.