4 year old would like to be vegetarian

[NightWakings]

As per the title, my 4 (nearly 5) year old DD has repeatedly stated that she doesn't want to eat "animal food" any more. She regularly asks what is in food (e.g. "what are the sausages made from?"), and then declines it if it involves meat. Last night she was upset about what she thought was chicken in a stir fry, but then ate it happily when I told her it was Quorn (it was).

By way of background, I am a committed but fairly relaxed vegetarian; DH eats meat. Because I do most of the cooking we do mainly eat vegetarian food, but I will also occasionally batch cook bolognaise or fish pie for the DCs, and they get things like sausages (I'll just have a veggie option) or burgers if we BBQ. Of my 2 elder DCs, one is a definite carnivore and likes nothing more than a burger; one leans to vegetarian food (and I wouldn't be surprised if he ultimately chooses to be vegetarian), but will eat some meat and is definitely not ready to give up marshmallows or haribo!!

I'm inclined to take DD seriously. She's a huge animal lover, lovely with our pets, and obviously this is an ethical stance that I support. I am comfortable that I can provide her with a balanced vegetarian diet. I'd still try not to foist my views on her (I've been pretty careful not to do this with my DCs, although do explain to them if they ask why I've chosen not to eat meat) and try to be very relaxed about it so that she can change her mind at any time. But I wouldn't, e.g., trick her into eating meat by not telling her the truth about what her food is.

DH thinks that at 4 she's far too young to decide this (I think he thinks she's looking to win brownie points with me, although I really hope I've not set things up this way!), and should be actively encouraged to continue to eat meat and fish a couple of times a week (which is roughly how often they are served this now - maybe bolognaise once, fish pie once, and fish fingers or sausages or similar once).

Thoughts welcome? I find it hard to assess this objectively as I'd secretly be delighted if my children all (of their own accord) opted to be vegetarian. My own mother didn't support my choice at all (and still every Christmas on occasion makes me feel like a nuisance!!).

@LordProfFekkoThePenguinPhD I never said sausages took your friends?? This is a very strange conversation.

It is well established that sausages cause cancer. Argue with Cancer Research U.K. if you like. Cigarettes cause cancer (although not all smokers will get it). Sausages cause cancer (although not all sausage eaters will get it)

You’ve taken a simple accepted fact and trying to say it’s wrong because anecdotally it didn’t kill your friend. My grandma smoked all her life. She’s still alive at 90 but no one would say that cigarettes don’t cause cancer.

Lord Prof how do you mean, you've been wondering about this? Cats are obligate carnivores. Humans aren't, as you clearly know. What has this got to do with a child asking to be veggie?

I'd say yes if she is willing to eat lentils, beans, nuts etc to maintain levels of protein. No if she wants to exist on a diet of chips and cheese. And also be clear that she is under no obligation and can change her mind at any point.

She wants to follow mummy, it's not surprising.
It's up to you, but make sure her diet isn't restricted from protein and Quorn really isn't good for you.

As long as she will have a healthy balanced diet I don’t see why not.

is there any proof that quorn isnt good for you? I looked into this when my DC's decided to go veggie ( they are older) and didnt find any evidence that eating quorn was bad for you. There is plenty of evidence that eating meat is bad for you, however. Im not sure I would have let them go veggie at 4, but thats for the same reason as others- that at that age, they didnt eat enough of a variety of pulses and vegetables. Now, I can reason with them at tell them to try different vegetables. They love lentils and pulses so thats not an issue, but I dotell them that they have to try different vegetables.

Sounds fine, since you already cook a varied and healthy vegetarian diet for yourself, she can eat the same meals as you.

It's a really healthy way to eat. Like pp, I'm also at people who say kids have to eat meat for health but give it to them in the form of ham, sausages, pepperoni, nuggets, etc. I'm not clutching my pearls over it, I eat and serve those foods sometimes, but you cannot claim they are healthy!

and unlike mince/sausages etc doesn’t cause cancer wink well you did say cancer is caused by mince and sausages. It can be a factor alongside other things. Did it cause cause cancer in my loved ones? Who knows, probably not in some cases. It’s still a flippant comment to make though.

And as for pets - I really was just wondering about feeding pets. Not from a ‘I’m veggie so my pet will be’ point of view, but from a how rubbish the meat industry can be point of view (TB in cat food). We choose what we feed our pets - a 10p tin of Catto can’t be healthy can it? So nothing to do with veggie kids more of a mind burp on the subject of vegetarianism.

I'd let her try being veggie and see how she gets on OP, you know how to eat a balanced diet, as you are cooking veggie food for yourself anyway, just give it a go and see how she finds it.

She sounds lovely too, what a kind quality in such a young child.

My husband and I were vegetarian when we had our children (now adults and both in their 40's). We brought up our children eat vegetarian food with no issues, letting them decide what they wanted to eat when they were in their teens. One of them chose to eat meat and fish when he was older, the other stayed vegetarian. I was bought up vegetarian by my mum and my husband, from a Hindu family, was too. All of us are healthy. It won't do the child any harm health wise as long as she is getting a good diet. I've never taken vitamins or supplements. Its just up to younwith regards to cooking her something. If you decide, get a good veggie cookbook with balanced recipes in.

well you did say cancer is caused by mince and sausages. It can be a factor alongside other things.

Of course, like most lifestyle factors eating processed meat has a stochastic (random but noticeable statistically) rather than determanistic (definite) effect.

But on here I have seen many people don't seem to know about this link. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry when I read a post a while ago, the OP made a thread to criticise a random women she saw in the shop buying jars of baby food. "Can't she just feed the baby something fresh and healthy?" complained OP, "Like bangers and mash."

at 'mind burp' LordProf. I try not to think about our cats food too much as they are such fussy fuckers I don't get to consider that kind of thing!

I thought the thing with Quorn and young kids is that it's very low in fat. And just seems to be a bit grim. We don't use it at all,

I think it's pretty horrific to make a child (no matter how young) eat animals when they don't want to! (Not aiming this at you OP).

It may well be a phase but then what's the harm if she did want to eat meat again?

We should all be aiming to reduce meat consumption.

We are vegetarian so DD is too (she's only 10 months). If she decides to eat meat when she's older then that's her choice and we won't stop her - I don't see how it's any different to allowing your DD to stop eating meat.

Some quorn can really give you bad tummy ache.

We use the mince in a chilli once and both of us were really sick the next day. When I read up about it I saw that a lot of runners were complaining that the mince have them d&v - it isn’t unusual!

Just make her what you are having she doesn't need to be chowing down on meat to be healthy my friends dd has not eaten meat since she was 5/6 and it isn't an issue for her she is fit and healthy

If that's what she has decided then let her.

You may find that in a couple of years she changes her mind but since you can provide all the nutrients she needs in a vegetarian diet then it wont do any harm.

I would be inclined to respect her wishes, she might change her mind in the future, but as you are tweaking meals for yourself to be veggie anyway then it seems it won't cause too much extra work. Guessing as well that you know how to sustain a non-meat balanced diet, so seems like a no-brainer.

You may find that in a couple of years she changes her mind

why do people say this? Every thread about children wanting to be veggie, someone pops up to reassure that it won't last, as though it's a bad choice, something daft that kids do.

It’s no biggie. The only hassle will be eating at other people’s houses or ‘helpful’ relatives trying to slip in some chicken stock or mince into a meal.

I would give her a vegetarian diet but would also give a bone broth( without story of origin) to make sure she was getting what she needed.

I think your dh is right, she wants to be like you but that not a bad thing.

I think you also need to consider how honest you are with her, try to keep your Information Age appropriate.

I say this as the most carnivorous person I know, just let her go veggie if that's what she wants to do. She will be getting enough protein and iron because she's already getting a varied vegetarian diet at home.

I do think at this age kids become much more aware of what's in their food and where it comes from. Especially through school. DS1 did all about healthy eating in reception and delighted in telling everyone about how their roast dinner was made from chicken muscle. I also had to try and explain why we don't have humans milk instead of cows milk.

why would you give a vegetarian child bone broth???

Because she’s a child

I wouldn’t take any risks
Or op could consult a nutritionist.
An insufficient diet is far worse for a child than adult.

Risk of what, exactly? I have a 9 year old who has been veggie from birth, she's never been given bone broth . Perfectly fit and healthy.

I'm vegetarian, dd2 (is also 4) and knows exactly what she wants in life. She is 95% veggie by her own choice, but wouldn't turn down a jelly sweet or a trifle when out. She couldn't give a flying fiddle what I eat it's her own choice. Dd1 is 9 and very anti vegetarian food (because it actually contains, shock horror, vegetables!) and equally that's her choice, although it's hard work to ensure she eats fruits and at least some disguised veg.