Any vegetarian mums out there?

[RMarieClaire]

I have been vegetarian for over a decade, and became a vegan about a year ago.

I'm now 13 weeks pregnant and I've reintroduced eggs and some dairy into my diet because I've gone off a lot of vegan protein sources since I became pregnant.

Anyway, I had always planned to raise my children vegetarian, as I think it's a very varied and healthy diet. My OH eats meat and fish, but is also happy for us to raise our kids vegetarian. However a few people have asked me and been surprised by (and very judgy) about our plans.

Just wondering if there are any vegetarian or vegan mums who have any thoughts or tips?

I've been vegetarian over 20 years I have 2 dc and they both eat meat, I feel it's up to them to decide if they want to be vegetarian as they grow older, my 7 yo dc has mentioned he would like to be vegetarian but it's up to him,I wouldn't put my views on them and restrict their diet

We've raised our 3 girls vegetarian. They're now 14, 11 and 11 and healthy heights/weights. We had the same type of reaction but we have always said once they were old enough to express an informed opinion, they could decide. All 3 have tried meat and decided they don't want to eat it at the moment, but it will remain their decision. DH eats meat so it gets cooked at home so the discussion is always open.

I'm vegetarian and have been for over 20 years. DD has a few meals per week with meat. She can make the choice when she gets older.

I've always been vegetarian, because I refused meat and fish as a small child. My child eats meat. It's up to her to choose her preferences. She loves fish and beef so that's that.

You have to make a decision one way or the other for your child. Both can be equally healthy. I chose to raise mine veggie as we don’t cook or eat meat but she’s welcome to change her mind when she understands.

I've been vegetarian for 25 years and have two small vegetarian DC. I think they are too young to understand at the moment and I think it would be strange to feed them meat when I don't agree with it. They can make an informed decision when they are older.

I'm vegetarian but chose to raise dc as omnivores. They all eat meat. I'm very glad I didn't restrict their choices.

Thanks. Interesting to hear different approaches. I wouldn't raise kids vegan, as it is a difficult diet and would restrict their lives, but I also choose not to eat meat or much dairy for moral reasons, and would feel wrong feeding meat to my kids.

However I totally agree with what everyone is saying about choice, should they choose to eat meat once they're old enough to make a decision.

I'm also unsure if I'd restrict their diet when they're elsewhere - staying with relatives, for example. It's a bit of a minefield!

I've been vegetarian for 25 years and my 2 DC eat meat and fish. Mostly when they're out of the house at nursery or grandparents but I also cook it if they ask / if DH is having it too.

I wasn't given a choice as a child and resented my mum for it, she forced her vegetarianism onto me and by the time I was old enough to realise what I actually wanted it was too late for me to make the change to eat meat. That's not fair in my opinion and experience.

Veggie for over 30 years as is DH. 2 now adult children we raised vegetarians who have stayed veggie. Would honestly never have considered feeding them meat. We live a rural backwater & it was never an issue - and it is far more mainstream now.

I'm vege. All 3 of my children eat meat. If they chose to be vege later that's up to them. It's a minefield. As long as their diet is healthy I'd say not to worry.

Yep
I was raised vegetarian by parents who later introduced fish but not to me so I've always been veggie. I was veggie through pregnancy and raised my son veggie. I'm now vegan but wouldn't try that with DS as I wouldn't be happy that he'd get a balanced diet.
Ignore people who act as if you're doing something wrong. They are tedious and irrelevant.

I wasn't given a choice as a child and resented my mum for it, she forced her vegetarianism onto me and by the time I was old enough to realise what I actually wanted it was too late for me to make the change

You could say exactly the same thing about being raised meat eating

Weird how it divides us.

I'm veggie , dh eats meat. I don't talk about it to others but I wish dh didnt - with hindsight I might even have had it on my list of deal breakers!

We raised them veggie - the choice thing works both ways plus for me it's the same as putting any moral or ethical or religious belief into your child.

Mine aren't interested in meat (I'm sore the usual suspects will be along to assure me they are chowing down on burgers behind my back) . I think people feel affronted or threatened by it - like you are putting their choice in a bad light.

Veggie for 30 years here. 3 teens. I brought them all up veggie plus fish for flexibility and let them decide if/when they wanted to eat meat. The eldest is still veggie plus fish, middle is just veggie and has dabbled with veganism, the youngest LOVES meat and always has it outside of home.

Another veggie here raising DD as veggie.

If she wants to eat meat later in life that is up to her but I’m not going to force meat on her.

@NotANotMan not really, I tried eating meat in my teens and again in my 20s and each time I have tried it has made me really sick with cramps and diarrhoea.

If you're raised eating meat and when you reach an age when you make your own decision regarding your diet and stop eating meat it's not going to cause you any issues - people give up meat all the time.

Should have said that DS has occasionally eaten a bit of meat when with his dad and could choose to eat meat if he wanted at any point (out of the house at present, since I do all the shopping and cooking at home) but he is totally uninterested in eating meat as I was at his age (and younger) and ever since

Agree with NotANotMan.

Every parent takes the choice away from an infant when it comes to food because the infant is unable to express a preference, what with being pre-verbal.

I raised DD and DS as vegetarian. DD weighed 10lb 3 as a baby and DS weighed 10lb 6. Both are now bright and healthy adults.

If anyone came out with bullshit about taking choice away from them, I’d just say, “that’s an interesting viewpoint” and change the subject.

I'm vegetarian, DH wasn't; our two DC were raised pescetarian as a compromise (we were also living in a very fish-eating country when they were little), and now at age 16 and 20 one is still pescetarian and one is vegetarian/tending towards vegan. Both healthy and were tall for their ages throughout childhood.

Neither of them have ever been interested in eating meat, but I would not have stopped them if they had wanted to at an age to understand what it was. I would never have cooked it for them, though.

It is really very easy to bring children up vegetarian, all schools and nurseries in the UK now cater for them, and there are veggie options everywhere.

I’ve been vegan for 15 years, as has DH. We raise our 2yo DS on a vegan diet and will do the same with our new baby. We believe eating animals is morally wrong, I don’t think it would be a good example for our children for us to feed them meat. Children need to see adults have values.

When they get older we won’t be buying non vegan foods etc but if they choose to use their share of the family money to buy them or to eat them at grandparents, friends etc, that will be their choice.

So far no issues with raising a vegan child, he’s a healthy weight, a normal picky toddler who eats well enough from what we offer him and he’s certainly not deprived of crisps, cake, chocolate etc. Not sure why people think a vegan diet is overly restrictive

Also veggie for 30yrs with a veggie 2yo DS. I do give him iron drops because he was premature and I breastfed him (FF is fortified), but that aside he eats a wide variety of foods and I’m not worried about his nutrition aside from that.

Occasionally I put his meals into MyFitnessPal and he seems to be getting plenty of protein and nutrients. I do make sure he has fortified breakfast cereal in a morning, and he eats plenty of beans, veggies and cheese. If he was a picky eater I might be more worried, but he’s a great eater so far.

I've been veggie for 20 years, I wanted to raise my lo as a veggie but he ended up with serious dairy and egg allergies and poor weight gain, I didn't feel a vegan diet was suitable for him. He eats meat at nursery (mainly chicken) and I cook him a little bit of fish at home (he likes it and I don't worry about not cooking it right)

Not what I had planned, eatting meat is as much a choice as veggie so I don't get the "let them make their own choice" argument, being a parent is all about making decisions!

I've had no 2 recently and I imagine that I'll let them have teh odd fish finger etc rather than give them a separate diet from their sibling

I was raised vegetarian. We actually had a family discussion about this over Christmas. My sister has tried to eat meat as an adult, but it makes her very unwell, like FannyAndMoonFace. So it's not quite the same as raising a child to eat meat, because giving it up later wouldn't make them ill.

But as your husband eats meat and fish anyway, would you maybe consider including some in their diet occasionally, to keep their options open?

I'm a lifelong vegan along with my husband and we have raised our children vegan. They have been brought up knowing every detail of the meat/dairy/egg industry. They are 15,12,8,6. All very healthy. They have never questioned it but it helps that they have never missed out. We eat healthy 80% of the time but they have junk too. Hot dogs, nuggets, pizza, icecream etc veganism is so popular and growing it has never been easier. None of them have had antibiotics and are healthy compassionate people.