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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

6 yr old dd wants to be vegetarian, crying about eating meat,advice ??

74 replies

MerryChatkins · 31/12/2008 20:21

Not sure where to post this really, maybe health too ?

We're not vegetarian, but my 6 yr old dd has announced over christmas that she wants to be one. We have a friend of mine staying with us at the moment who is veggie, and I gather that dd asked her why, and she explained about animals being treated really badly.

This has made dd refuse to eat meat over christmas, no meat in her christmas dinner at all! I am fine with it in theory, but I am worried she is a bit young, and also I am not sure what or how to cook for her ! THB it has thrown me a bit, and as she is skinny anyway, I am concerned about doing it the right way, and don't have a clue.

Would you insist she eats meat or hope its a phase and will pass ? Or should I be encouraging her to pursue her own ideals and values on this ?

She broke down and cried at the dinner table yesterday as I had forgotten and cooked her favourite sausage mash and veg, and she cried because she said she wanted to eat the sausage but 'felt too guilty'. Tonight she was relieved to see her jacket potato and beans had no sausage in it !

I am just surprised she has stuck with it this long really, and not sure what to do. Dh is a big meat eater and thinks we should encourage her to eat it again. Anyone else any experience of vegetarian kids ??

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KatieMorag · 31/12/2008 20:25

i have no personal experience but suspect that i would not try to force her to eat meat. just go with it. i woudl encourage her to help cook simple things so she can make alternatives where necessary. if it passes then there is no harm doen. if it doesnt then she is learning a useful life skill

IlanaK · 31/12/2008 20:25

My friend's six year old son did this too. He just decided one day that it was all too cruel. And he was a huge meat eater before. She went with it and turned veggie herself too. I think at 6 they are old enough to understand. That said, I am not wishing my kids do this as it will be a big pita!

thisisyesterday · 31/12/2008 20:27

i would let her go veggie. however, i am veggie myself so maybe biased.
i can't think of any reason to rty and make her eat meat. she may well decide she wants to anyway after a while.

Original poster

MerryChatkins · 31/12/2008 20:27

Thanks for your reply - I don't think we should force her either. She was strangely excited when I explained you can buy pretend meat ie quorn so she can still have burgers and lasagne ! I guess it must have all the right nutrients etc in it. I think that is what I am worried about, making sure she gets the right balance

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FrannyandZooey · 31/12/2008 20:28

we're all veggie - me and dc
it will be fine
read on the vegsoc website about kids' nutrition
what a sensitive and principled young dd you have there congratulations

rempy · 31/12/2008 20:28

Dont force her to eat meat, but would suggest iron supplements. Keep cooking it yourselves, but you'll have to offer perhaps something "extra" for her where the veg are literally sides. So if you are having cauli or brocc as a side to a piece of chicken, cauli/brocc cheese.

Original poster

MerryChatkins · 31/12/2008 20:28

I think I might do that too IlanaK - I am not a big meat eater really, I could give it a go for her !

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SazzlesIsASleighBell · 31/12/2008 20:30

Can you not eat ethically produced meat to remove the guilt factor? IMO a 6yr should not be feeling guilty, especially when it sounds like she would have really enjoyed the sausage.

DingdongmerrilyonDOO · 31/12/2008 20:30

I have been veggie since 10 years old,so 29 years![eek]Ds1 is 9 and veggie[and very fussy eater]Ds2 and dp are meat eaters.There's loads of good veggie stuff out there now.So best of luck to you and your dd.

littleducks · 31/12/2008 20:30

in the short term you could get her to tsake a multivitamin while you and she adjust to a change in diet

perhaps look into buying organic/reared happy animal meat? would she be happy with that and too eat less meat?

Original poster

MerryChatkins · 31/12/2008 20:31

Thankyou frannyandzooey - I will try that website. I think I will be ok with some recipe ideas to go on.

The funny thing is my younger dd is 4 and she is the real animal lover in the family, but she is still quite happy to sit and tuck into her meat, despite knowing where its come from !

I think dh freaked a bit as my friend who is veggie is not a good advert for it, as she is very thin and pale and has been ill for a out two years, bless her !

OP posts:

thisisyesterday · 31/12/2008 20:33

you shouldn't need supplements or anything if she is getting a well-balanced diet.
there isn't anything that meat offers that can't be found elsewhere

quorn isn't really nutritionally the same as meat in any way though, so I would be wary of just swapping meat for meat substitutes.

Yurtgirl · 31/12/2008 20:33

We are veggie too. I have never really told them about the animal cruelty side of it (I think your dd has heard more from your visitor tbh!)

To us to be veggie is utterly normal, I would give it a go for a bit. I wouldnt be surprised though if your dd starts to crave things she used to like - bacon etc (we love veggie sausages and have managed to fool a few meat eating children!)

HTH

FrannyandZooey · 31/12/2008 20:33

good easy meals for veggie kids:

jacket pot + beans
pizza and salad
pasta with pesto and some tinned beans eg kidney
quorn sausage and mash
veg soup with lentils, bread and butter
felafels, salad
pittas hummus and salad
macaroni cheese
omelette
peanut butter sandwich

good snacks:
dried fruit
nuts
seeds
bananas
salad bits and hummus to dip
fresh fruit

Original poster

MerryChatkins · 31/12/2008 20:33

Thanks sazzles and littleducks - I think the cruelty factor is playing on her mind - it was this my friend used to explain why she is vegeatarian, she didn't say anything about health. I did tell her the lamb we had on christmas day was reared happily, (it should be for the amnount it cost !) but she wouldn't give in.

Multi vitamin is a good idea too, as she is very active and skinny like her dad !

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Miyazaki · 31/12/2008 20:34

My dd1 is like this. We eat organic free range meat only, and not much of it. She does eat it. I explained about how it is important that animals are treated as well as possible. And that we play a part in that. She has been known to ask in other peoples homes if it is 'happy' meat which is embarassing but she really does care where it comes from...

TheFallenMadonna · 31/12/2008 20:35

My dd is effectively veggie because she doesn't like the texture of meat or fish (no principles involved with her...)

She eats a lot of pulses and nuts.

Original poster

MerryChatkins · 31/12/2008 20:35

Thanks again everyone - some great suggestions and advice there, I feel better already, and will suggest to dh that we let her get on with it for the moment, and see what happens.

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FrannyandZooey · 31/12/2008 20:36

the thing is, even if the meat is ethically reared, it still gets killed at the end
not many children are going to go for that, really

Miyazaki · 31/12/2008 20:38

I had this chat with my dd1 and my take on it is that if we didn't eat meat, the animal wouldn't be born. A life that ends or no life at all?

FrannyandZooey · 31/12/2008 20:39

HOWEVER
merrychatkins i would try to make a deal with your dd
you won't serve her meat if she will make an effort to eat lots of good healthy stuff (don't know if she will eat veg etc already)
she needs a wide range of foods she will eat (as do all children of course, but you can use this to advantage)

ideally she should eat fruit, veg, wholegrains, pulses, nuts and seeds, a good mixture every week
not just cheesy stuff

Original poster

MerryChatkins · 31/12/2008 20:40

Yes and I have tried to explain to her that animals eat animals, its natural, but she still won't budge. I guess I have to respect her commitment so far, especially concerning the sausage and mash, her fave dinner ever !

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FrannyandZooey · 31/12/2008 20:41

i don't agree miyazaki but poss wrong thread

you could argue is ok for people to have many children and mistreat them, couldn't you? better than no life?

FrannyandZooey · 31/12/2008 20:41

the sausage refusal was impressive! i suspect she will go far

Original poster

MerryChatkins · 31/12/2008 20:42

Frannyandzooey - see this is where I think I can use this to my advantage, as I have explained to her firmly that she can't just not eat meat, that she has to eat lots more fruit and veg, plus pulses nuts etc, lots of things we don't eat, new things, and she was excited by this ! So thats a good thing, maybe we will all pick up some new and exciting, not to mention healthy, eating habits

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