4yo is vegetarian by preference, not ethics! Advice needed

[PippiL]

My 4yo son Ben doesn't like meat at all really. He will eat mince in lasagne and maybe a tiny bit of sausage, or teeny bits of ham on pizza.

I am fine with this as it isn't an ethics thing which i would find hard to believe at 4 (though i should say that i understand some kids will make the ethics decision at this age, he just hasnt!) He just doesn't like the texture of meat, or the taste either really.

I tend to make a couple of veggie things per week. His favourite is pesto pasta and would happily eat every night.

However, I do also do things like casseroles, and he will have the gravy and veg but no meat. I sometimes give him say 1bit of meat but tell him he can leave it if he wants. He always does.

The nursery he went to pretty much forced him to eat the meat they gave him, and he would store it in his cheeks, sometimes until the end of the day. I strongly disagree with them having done this. He is happy with just having everything else on the plate so why force him?

Am I wrong to be giving him meat dishes like casseroles? Should I be switching to entirely veggie foods?

Funnily enough, he doesn't like some cooked veg, and would be happiest eating apples, tomatoes and cucumber for all meals! But will eat most of the basic veggies fine cooked.

I don't think he is being fussy, just has strong taste preferences.

Any ideas? Do we need to go full veggie?

Oh and I should also say that my daughter esme is 7 and avoids veg and fruit at all costs!

Casseroles are about the only thing they will both eat as she has the meat (and a few token veg) and he as the veg and gravy!

I think if it is a dislike rather than a moral choice that he has made (as you mention, unlikely at his age) then its fine to keep offering meat but not forcing him. But make sure he is getting enough protein from elsewhere - e.g. plenty of eggs, dairy, nuts, tofu, quorn, pulses.

Ok, I think you are right, I do need to make us that his meals are more balanced. Giving him just the carbs, plus veg from our meal isn't the best.

I could sneak some quorn or lentils in there. He is not a big egg, or nut fan.

Need to research ways with tofu!

I think you're being a bit OTT with these concerns, if I may be so honest. If he's happy with meat in casseroles then stick with that. If he's happy with veggie parts of a meal, then just give him that. I wouldn't worry about special cooking (tofu, although I love a good hard tofu, but it's not essential). I was veggie for 15 years & it used to bewilder me when some people (meat eaters) assumed that I needed a main course to replace the meat. No really, I'm happy with mash + veggies, I don't need the gravy or meat to feel the meal is complete. Why would I??

Most vegetarians get most of their protein (plenty enough protein) from milk products.
And most of their iron from wholemeal things (like bread) and regular breakfast cereals.
But it's not tough to get enough protein from grain products alone.
And a small amount of Heme iron in a meal (from meat) will boost the bioavailability of iron in grain/veg sources, to more than adequate.
You don't need to understand the science of all that, or monitor closely, he will get enough of everything he needs with a varied diet.

DS1 doesn't like anything obviously meaty, I expect he'll go veggie when older.

Sorry for being ott. Just concerned about giving meat to a child who considers himself a vegetarian. He is old enough to know the name now, and will call himself that.

I have friends who chose to be veggie at a very early age, and as he is old enough now to make his choice, I don't want to get in the way of that, if you see what I mean.

I think we would benefit as a family from eating more veggie meals so will probably introduce more tot he weekly diet, but yes he is also happy just missing out the meat bit of a meal sometimes too.

Thanks for the advice.