Self imposed vegetarian child

[yoursworried]

We are not a vegetarian family, although we eat vegetarian food fairly regularly. My son is almost 4, and will not eat meat. Not anything and he will not be fooled by quorn! The only thing he will have a bit of is a tuna pasta as long as it's heavy on tomato sauce. He will eat:
Red lentil and carrot bolognese/lasagne
Mac cheese
Cauldron vegetarian sausages
Scrambled Eggs (but not omelettes)
Cheddar cheese
Baked beans
Chick pea korma but only if I make with a jar 🙄
Chick pea tagine
He eats all the usual standard vegetables and carbs and he will eat most fruit.

I am quite pleased with this list as he was a terrible fusspot as a young toddler and most things ended up on the floor. I would, however, like to increase our vegetarian repertoire seeing as he won't eat meat.

What are you favourite veggie things that your young children enjoy eating?

Toad in the hole, fishless fingers, Quorn Bolognaise, spinach & ricotta cannelloni....

Oh and egg fried rice!

Tacos/fajitas/nachos with a bean chilli and lots of bits to add like cheese and chopped peppers, cow boy beans (bbq sauce) and potato skin boats filled with cheesy mash, cheese fondue, cheese pie, make your own pizza, risotto

Mine liking making sushi too!

Bean burgers www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/9978/mexican-bean-burgers-with-lime-yogurt-and-salsa
Risotto www.annabelkarmel.com/recipes/risotto-primavera/
Egg fried rice www.greengiant.eu/sweet-corn-fried-rice/
Falafel www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/5605/falafel-burgers
Enchiladas www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetables-recipes/veggie-enchiladas/
Cheese and tomato bread pudding recipes.sainsburys.co.uk/recipes/leftovers/cheese-and-tomato-bread-and-butter-pudding

He won't eat quorn unfortunately but the other ideas look possible - thank you!

Just be extra-conscious of his iron intake if he won't eat red meat - lots of leafy vegetables and/or fortified breakfast cereals.

Tofu. DS will eat any critter going (although he balked when I said rabbit was rather tasty) but he tried tofu at Wagamama when he was tiny and loves it - he even chooses the tofu version of noodles or rice dishes over chicken.

Spanakopita is delicious
Veggie fried rice

Muttar paneer curry- both my kids love it and it’s easy to make at home. It’s paneer cheese and peas in a tomato curry base (I add coconut milk for extra lushness). One of my DC loves tofu too (especially fried in a salty eg black bean or Kung po sauce) but the other hates it. Meh. I love it though so we have it on a regular basis.

@PigeonofDoom thanks that sounds right up his street will def give that one a go

How about?
Dhal (lentil curry) I make a creamy one with coconut milk and spinach
Will he eat quiches, pasties or meat free sausage roles
Bubble and squeak with mashed leftover veg that is fried in the pan
Savoury bread and butter pudding
hummous
chick pea burgers
potato (with veg possible) gratin
bean chilli tacos

Will he eat quiches, pasties or meat free sausage roles

Certainly yes to the sausage rolls. Lunde can't imagine why he wouldn't like a quiche so I'll make one tonight, good idea.

I need to get better at cooking. I am fine, I can do it it's just not something I enjoy that much

There are lots of yummy curries made with paneer - check out some on-line recipes. My favourite aloo muttar paneer is made with a cashew sauce.

If he eats Mac and Cheese will he eat cauliflower cheese?

My non-veggie niece loves my veggie lasagne, made with red lentils instead of mince. We're not vegan, so I use full fat milk and yogurt to fill her and ourselves up. I also make shepherdess pies with lentils or other beans, and she goes nuts over things like burritos and fajitas made with tinned black beans.

My lad was similar and grew up mainly veggie and enjoyed similar curries to yours and also sweet potato and chickpea curry, butternut squash risotto, lentil shepherds pie. I know you've said no quorn but wonder if with other flavours it'd be ok as mine also enjoyed quorn chicken pieces in Thai curry etc.

Yes also loved fajitas and tacos made with veggies and beans...

Ratatouille? Roasted Mediterranean veg? Veggie kebabs - spear chunks of courgette, pepper, mushroom, cherry tomatoes, add some halloumi if you like. Stuffed roasted peppers. Dahls.

Jack Monroe's 9p burgers go down well with mine. Also noodles. Vegetable soup or green pea soup with bread or cheese scones. I know you said no to Quorn but Quorn nuggets are actually amazing.

I can confirm that the quorn nuggets are tasty. The quorn "chicken" burgers are also a godsend on a busy day.

I don't know if tesco still do these, but they used to do loads of different veggie frozen things like veggie fingers (think fish fingers but filled with corn and green beans, etc), burgers (the cauliflower cheese patties were okay) and other things that are most definitely NOT meat like substitutes. It sounds like quorn might be disliked because it may be too like meat? If so, perhaps these kinds of things would be handy to keep in the freezer too, for quick meals.

Mushrooms in white sauce with pasta
Basil pesto with spinach blended into it, mixed with pasta and peas
Baked potato with coleslaw or frozen mixed vegetables
Greek food - falafels, halloumi cheese, pita bread, houmous, tzatziki, olives, spinach and feta pastries
Vegetable chili and rice
Pasta salad with pasta shells, red pepper, green pepper, sweetcorn, red onion and kidney beans swamped with home made vinaigrette
Cheesey mash with lots of blended spinach stirred in - 'Dinosaur swamp'
Vegetable curry and rice
Soup with garlic flatbread
Cheese on toast with grilled mushrooms and tomatoes
Savory pancakes with hidden veg, sometimes made with a gingerbread man cutter
Homemade pizza
Sweet potato wedges and bean burgers
Vegetable lasagne
Shepherdess pie
Stirfry with smoked tofu
Courgetti and spaghetti in cheese sauce with peas stirred in

It sounds like quorn might be disliked because it may be too like meat

Definitely this. He won't entertain quorn although I haven't tried the nuggets so I may do that.
We've just had a successful cheese and broccoli quiche experience! Thanks for all the brilliant suggestions

If he doesn't like quorn, the nuggets will probably not be any good - they're very like chicken in texture. How about falafels? You can make them yourself, but many supermarkets have frozen versions that you can just shove in the oven. It could be his special version of nuggets. If you really felt like it, you could egg and breadcrumb them before cooking so they get the crunchy coating like chicken nuggets.

Mine loves beans and veggie sausages. I think it's a texture thing. So veggie hot dogs, refried beans, or one of those fajita kits made with 2 tins of beans (in water), chopped onions, grated carrot/other veg. Veggie sausages in tomato sauce on pasta.

Also if you are after non-veggie things he might eat, mine likes puy lentil casserole with cubes of salami, and he used to eat a cheat's paella with chorizo and prawns. He's now gone off that but only because of the onion and rice mixed together. He also loves sushi, randomly.