My 8 year old is a vegitarian

[livinitup]

And I am not, neither is DH. We have lots of vegitarian meals per week, so that's makes her happy and I've said neutral things like "Okay, you can be a vegitarian on Tuesday". But lately, she always chooses the vegetarian option (when we are out - opting for cheese or beans) and she's been much more frequent in announcing that "she's a vegetarian". She also likes to be a pescatarian. She's a good eater at home and always enjoys her meat (beef and chicken) when we serve it. So, it's not a food aversion. She wants to be healthy and animal-friendly.

So, I'm meal planning for a busy week and plan to do crock pot chicken tacos and then follow-up with using the chicken for enchiladas. We usually mix in a lot of beans but I made a point of asking her if chicken was "okay". She was really sweet, thought about it, and said okay.

Should I be more supportive? I don't want to be making separate meals ... obviously, no one does... and 8 is young to expect her to meal plan for herself. But part if me wants to say "okay, honey" and let her opt for vegitarian as much as she wants - but momma does not have time for that.

Any suggestions? Anyone navigate this successfully? Am I over thinking/indulging too much?

[nicbreeful]

I was a vegetarian around that age. And again when I was 12-14 (and off and on since). So I personally would be as supportive as I could, since my parents were pretty supportive of it. If it's possible, I would make as many meals as I could that are easy to leave the meat option out.

[VillainV]

It sounds like you're giving her options, and asking her if it's okay to put chicken in her meals.

If you think she's old enough, you could have a conversation about why she is vegetarian. Does she have a friend who is? Is she an animal-lover who doesn't like to think about eating pigs, cows, and chickens?

I pick a lot of meat-free options, always have. I was vegetarian in college for a few years, but even when I do eat meat, I don't eat a lot of meat....I wouldn't be too worried about it.

[livinitup]

Her BFF is pro-meat and jokes that bacon is too delicious to be a vegetarian. So, for DD, it comes from her own heart. She wants to be kind to animals and not eat them.

[cabbagecabbage]

I'd keep cooking what you cook and let her know what's in it. If she rejects something, I'd cater to her but only a tiny bit. Maybe let her choose yogurt or she can make a pbj if she won't eat it. I'd be nonchalant but respectful of her feelings.

[curtains]

My dd became a pescatarian at age 7 (her dad and I eat meat) and I indulged her. By 14 she gave up fish and now she is slowly cutting out milk. Luckily she still eats eggs.

I miss cooking meat.

There was no point to this post... good luck and be prepared for every stranger and loved one to inquire if your daughter gets enough protein.

[puppyluv]

Its awesome that she is pursuing it and I am glad you want to be supportive. My husband has been a vegetarian for 10 years and I it hs become pretty easy to cook for him after figuring out alternatives. For dinners like mexican, it would be easy to add some extra beans/rice that she can have in place of chicken.

Burger or chicken nights could easily be subbed with veggie patties or veggie 'chicken' nuggets. Check out the MorningStar and Gardein meat alternatives. They are easy to just heat up and add to a meal. Have her try a few differant ones as some are better than others. I really like the Gardein 'chicken' strips.

You could also keep some individual freezer meals for her on nights when she doesnt want to eat what you guys are having. There are a few differant frozen pasta options out there. Good luck!!

[lilibet]

I love that you're talking to her about this and asking her opinions. I went through a vegetarian phase around 11 or so and my parent would not even humor me a little. There were a lot of days I ate bread and a veggie or plan pasta with spaghetti (because meat sauce) for dinner.

Would it be possible to make a big batch of beans or something every so often that she could substitute on nights when what your making isn't so easy to translate into vegetarian? Like of you're making tacos she can still eat the shells, cheese, etc but she'd use beans instead of the meat. Maybe you could teach her how to make them even so she could help. Or like pp mentioned make a big pan of roasted veggies and use it like the beans.

I love that she's able to tell you what she wants and you're such a good mom for working with her with this.

[underwaterrhymes]

Yeah, my suggestion is to still cook what you're cooking, but to make reasonable accommodations. Like, if you're making spaghetti, leave out some of the red sauce before you put meat in it for her. Or make extra veggies for fajitas or warm up some vegetarian refried bean for tacos or some fake meat crumbles if she eats those.

And then make an effort to have one vegetarian meal a week for all of you, which is a good idea anyway for health reasons, as well as from an ecological perspective. You can see if she can help you cook it, so it gives her a sense of her showing you how awesome vegetarian meals can be.

[isabel]

I agree that there's no reason not to humor her, especially if it doesn't require you to go out of your way. For the chicken tacos, can you open up a can of black beans and let her use beans instead of chicken in her tacos? For the enchiladas, use the rest of the beans and some cheese to make a non-chicken option for her. You could even use the same pan and just put hers to the far right so she knows which serving to grab. Honestly, it seems fairly easy to accommodate when I think about what I cook. Like, I made stuffed peppers last night. They had meat in them, but I could have easily set aside some of the veggies, rice, and tomato sauce that I used in the mix and stuffed one of the peppers with just vegetarian filling.

Anyway, I think you're awesome to consider her feelings and do what you can to provide her with meals she is comfortable eating.

[lulu13]

I became a vegetarian at 15 and never went back to eating meat (I'm 41 now). Because my kids and H eat meat I make meals that I can sub tofu etc with if needed. It can be a pain but it's not a huge deal. I would support her but also continue to offer meat options.

[underwaterrhymes]

Also, I just want to say kudos to you for your honesty.

I cut out beef, pork, and poultry in 2009 (although I have since added poultry back in). My father and stepmom intentionally served me a dip that had dried beef in it and didn't tell me until after I'd eaten some. I was livid and it made me so physically ill. My stepmom is an outstanding cook and they haven't tried anything like it since. But it was a really shitty thing for them to do.

[HiC]

My daughter didn't eat meat until a couple of years ago. As a baby, she would cry when I gave her meat....I thought she was on to something, so I stopped eating it as well. Now she eats chicken, but that's the only meat she'll eat. I'm supportive of her, meat or no meat. There are nights that I end up making 3 different dinners. If she decided to become vegan, then she can make dinner for me.

[VillainV]

If you make enchiladas and have some meat-free ones in the tray, just mark them with a toothpick. Same if you make some meat-free lasagna servings in the same pan as regular.

[lilac05]

I think you're handling it well.

In addition to what you're already doing and what others have suggested, you could talk to her about better sourcing of the meat she does choose to eat. I have quite a few friends who won't eat meat in restaurants or buy it at the regular grocery store, but they're comfortable buying a 1/2 hog or cow from a local farmer who is known to treat his animals very well. Not only do they feel better about the practice in general, but the meat always tastes SO much better. Maybe it's not the actual meat/butchering that she doesn't like, but the treatment of animals in factory farming. I know & respect that doesn't make a difference for a lot of people, but for some it does. Ask her & you'll know where she stands on that.

[spinnaker5]

Disclaimer, not a parent, but I'd want to be sure she is getting enough protein. Does she like tofu? Greek yogurt? I bet there are some fun kids' vegetarian cookbooks out there with simple recipes, so she could start getting more actively involved in meal planning and prep (and it wouldn't all be on you).

[Deleted]

May 1, 2016 16:38:39 GMT -5 VillainV said:

If you make enchiladas and have some meat-free ones in the tray, just mark them with a toothpick. Same if you make some meat-free lasagna servings in the same pan as regular.

Meat juice....
As a vegetarian for the last 21 year,  I would not eat that. Nor pick off pepperoni from a pizza. Meat juice. That would be the same as consuming chicken broth or what not. You can use the same pan but separate with a tinfoil wall/boat contraption so it doesn't leak over. 

My niece became a vegetarian at 8/9 because she loves animals and doesn't want to eat the animals. My sister totally accommodates and ensures to separate meat from  the meal. If you're okay with it, just have an honest discussion that you'd work with her meal preferences of not eating meat and that it's her choice if she'd like to be vegetarian full time. She may be hesitant because you still offer her meat. If your meals are super meaty then get meat replacements and cook those with some microwave veggies. Or freeze some options for when your family meals just won't work with leaving meat out or on the side. 

[lilibet]

I had another thought, maybe she could help you cook vegetarian meals for the whole family occasionally. It's a great way for you to support her decision, her to share this with the family, it gets her helping you, and maybe it can help all of you find more things you like. Plus like pp mentioned maybe you could freeze some things that she can eat when the meals you make are more meat heavy.

Annie's Eats has a lot of good vegetarian meals - www.annies-eats.com/category/main-dish/vegetarian-main-dish-2/

[keyslover]

May 1, 2016 15:49:29 GMT -5 livinitup said:

Her BFF is pro-meat and jokes that bacon is too delicious to be a vegetarian. So, for DD, it comes from her own heart. She wants to be kind to animals and not eat them.

I haven't read replies.
DD1 has been a vegetarian for over 2 years. She is 7. We are not. I fully support her decision. She stands by her decision to help animals rather than hurt them. Yes, we have had conversations about humane raising of animals- but she looked at me and said "but they still kill them".

I always have enough options for her and sometimes we have meatless meals.

As for the picking and choosing when/what meats she will eat, nope, I wouldn't cater to that.

[livinitup]

May 1, 2016 16:25:30 GMT -5 isabel said:

I agree that there's no reason not to humor her, especially if it doesn't require you to go out of your way. For the chicken tacos, can you open up a can of black beans and let her use beans instead of chicken in her tacos? For the enchiladas, use the rest of the beans and some cheese to make a non-chicken option for her. You could even use the same pan and just put hers to the far right so she knows which serving to grab. Honestly, it seems fairly easy to accommodate when I think about what I cook. Like, I made stuffed peppers last night. They had meat in them, but I could have easily set aside some of the veggies, rice, and tomato sauce that I used in the mix and stuffed one of the peppers with just vegetarian filling.

Anyway, I think you're awesome to consider her feelings and do what you can to provide her with meals she is comfortable eating.

Yes, we've been doing this for a little while. She's been happily adding beans and guacamole to tacos instead of chicken. That's what made me ask as I was meal planning. As a mom, it's kinda crazy to make crock pot tacos for 3 when 1 person isn't eating it. I asked what ML thought ... and am so please with the answers. Thank you.

[turnipthebeet]

I think I was about 6 when I decided I wanted to be a vegetarian. Little did I know that vegetarians did not live off of corn on the cob and candy bars, so that was pretty short lived.

However, we don't eat much meat these days, and if my daughter (she's just 2 now) were to ever express the interest, I think we'd probably eliminate meat altogether. Actually, if any of us ever seriously pursued it, we'd cut it out. As it stands, it's a convenience thing. We know we should eliminate it. I imagine sooner or later we will. I could see it being more difficult if we were to ever have another kid, especially if that kid were to be picky.

[textbookcase]

K has decided recently that she's a pescatarian. She still occasionally eats meat but she chooses non-meat alternatives and seafood when she has the chance. I don't see anything wrong with letting them make that choice, I just try to ensure that she has a rounded diet, enough protein, etc.

[pretzel]

I was about 8 or 9 when I decided to become vegetarian. I wasn't able to do it until I moved out of my parents house, so I think you're awesome to allow her to make her own choices. I think you should let her eat what she wants as long as she's helping out in the kitchen and eating healthy.

Great job!