Getting Kids to Go Veggie

I'm sure this thread has been done before, but I am trying to find ways to encourage my kids to go vegetarian. I know ultimately it is their choice, but I think a lot of the problem is I am not sure of a lot of good ideas or recipes to please a kiddos appetite. By the way there are 5 little appetites to please. The baby is still to little. Any links or adivce you all could offer on this subject I would really appreciate.
Peace~*

 

How old are your kids? The "eat what is on your plate or nothing at all" works pretty well for the younger ones who have no other means of acquiring food.

 

he he...ya this is true. They are 2, 31/2, 6, 8, and 12. I am also looking to find some decent sites for recipes and meal ideas. Thanks

 

Well if it was me the 2, 3 and the 6 year old id just feed only veg food and inform the schools and such and leave it at that, that way they can grow up veg and decide later. For the 8 and 12 year old i guess you could talk it over, say there are the choices but you believe veg is best because...Maybe 8s a little young to decide so you should be more presuasive with them, at 12 though i think they should understand perfectly, even if they make what for them will later seem a wrong decision, theyll be informed enough to change later
Just how id do it, but then i only work with kids, im not a mama Good luck

 

I think what would be best, have it veggie in the house
leave them to eat as they want outside of it
inform them of why you believe in being vegetarian
and let them find their own way

 

You would love the vegan lunchbox blog. http://veganlunchbox.blogspot.com I've found tons of great ideas there - especially for NEW and FUN foods for my kids to try.

With my kiddies, special diets are a constant topic of discussion before & during mealtimes so I've just answered their questions as they came up. I only cook meat about once a week for everyone. My husband will occasionally pick up something to grill, but that's it so nobody here is used to a lot of meat anyway.

What's helped with my kids has been the ability to help choose what they'll be eating. As I write out my grocery list for the week, I call out "I'm making the menu... let me know what you'd like to eat this week!" This usually causes a stampede, as they rush to check the weekly sales and "place their orders." My kids know that I'll take any meal they want into consideration (I'm NOT baking lasagne in August though ) and if they see something REASONABLE on sale, I'll usually add it to the list.

We try two new foods/dishes each week. Everyone MUST try the new dishes, but for any other meal they're free to eat what I've cooked, any leftovers in the fridge, or a baked potato. (that they prepare themselves) Because they help me choose & prepare the meals, they usually enjoy eating them as well... and the few times I cook something they'd rather not eat, they do have an "out" that doesn't require extra cooking for me.
love,
mom

 

Introduce them to more vegetarian food, don't force them into it though as they'll probably resent you for it in their teenage years, aslong as you just keep reminding them of the vegetarian food and how nice it is and all

 

Order this(it's free) - http://www.goveg.com/order.asp

And this(also free) - http://www.peta2.com/livevegpak.asp

 

great sites for ideas! Thanks

We do the meal preparation together. Believe it or not, my son likes to cook more than the girls. I haven't had them help with the grocery list though. That is something to try.
Thanks again for the suggestions and ideas!

 

If u would make ur kid be a vegetarian, by no means let them be a vegan until their late teens. Milk and other animal products are essential (regardless of what vegans say) for them growing up. Veganism kills babies and toddlers because they don't get the nutrients they need (also proving that humans are natural omnivores).

 

Wow, and where did you get this information?

 

More sorry ignorance

Sometimes vegans do it wrong. That doesnt mean veganism itself is wrong. Some omnivores eat only junk food and so die young. Research more

 

P.s-How on Earth can "dairy" products (i.e-things that come from or are cows milk...a cows breast milk) be "essential" for young HUMAN BEINGS. It is made for baby cows, the calves, animals with four stomachs. THINK...

And what if the cow had never been domesticated? The human race would surely die, non?

 

Nevertheless, you must approach vegetarianism with caution and care, especially for children. I am a Vegan. However, I would allow my child to choose for him/her self whether they would make such a choice or not. You might feed them vegetarian foods, but be sure you are watching vitamin intake, etc. to ensure he/she gets the proper amount. There are certain things we humans need which as Vegetarians we must eat a large variety and amount of certain foods to get.

 

Well exactly, and thats called doing it the right way...you need to do a bit of real research about nutrition, especially for kids...which plants contain which vits and so on...but assuming that will be done, theres no problem. That should be done with ANY diet

 

We went to a farm yesterday. When we were looking at the chickens I reminded Dakota that is what chicken nuggets are made out of. Didn't phase him a bit. He came home and ate chicken nuggets for dinner.

Kathi

 

Dakota's Mom... my son is like that too. My daughter will sit and think about things, and then decide whether she wants to eat meat or not.

Oddly enough, she feels that eating things like hot-dogs are okay but she won't touch something like chicken breast. She says that since hot-dogs are "leftovers" anyway, it's better to eat them than just throw them away. And y'know, I can see her logic
love,
mom

 

Dakota just plain likes meat. He will go around chanting, "We want meat! We Want meat!!" It upsets me but it's my fault for not going veggie before he was old enough to know what meat is. As long as daddy eats meat, I'm sure Dakota will as well. I always dreamed of a little veggie kid. Well, it ain't happening. Maybe when he's older. After all, it took me 50 plus years to see the light.

Kathi