Vegetarian

Wow I can't beleive how against some people are of a child being a vegetarian. My daughter is 10 and shes been a veg for about six months now. She loves meat, but she loves animals more and feels bad for them. I fully support her. We talked to her doctor and she said it's perfectly fine for her to be a vegetarian! She loves the veggie corn dogs that they sell at luckys. Cambels makes an all veggie soup with no chicken broth. She also loves cheese and lettuce sandwiches.baked potatoes.

Hi just a quick note my son (then the second one also) at age 5 decided to become a vegetarian. They sell everything you need at Safeway or trader Joes etc it is really easy these days. They sell veggie lunch meat chicken nuggets etc. They are healthy teenage boys now and still vegetarians. Good luck.

I have 4 daughters ages 10 through 20 who over the years, each one has asked to become vegitarian. They usually last about a month or so. Two of them have done it repeatedly. I tell them not to feel bad if they don't stick with it. Recently I bought the book "Vegan Lunch Box" by Jennifer McCann. My girls did not go vegan, but there are a lot of good ideas for lunches etc.. Good luck to your girl.

Check out the book vegan lunch box. I can't remember the author but she wrote the book according to what she gives her son in his lunch box at school. Lots of pics and great lunch ideas. Look for it at your local library.

Hey there! I have been Vegan since last year. HEre are the things I pack in my lunch!

Does she like PB & J? You can get jam that doesn't have all of the HFCS in it...SMuckers makes a great fruit spread that is just fruit.

I don't do cheese...but if she likes cheese you can still do a cheese sandwich. Add avocado and sprouts to up the veggie intake.

You can even do a WW tortilla with a cream cheese spread and then add sprouts, tomatoes, avocado...just about anything and roll it up!

Google vegetarian recipes...you will be surprised at how easy and yummy they are!

she seems kinda young to want to be a veg. Kids her age still need nutrients that they can't get without meat and eggs, etc...
does she fully understand the concept, or did she maybe get the idea from a friend, or other source? this may be a passing idea or phase... make sure she KNOWS what it really means and what it entails before she makes a decision.

Hi- Both my girls ages 10 & 6 have been vegetarians for their entire lives. I haven't really eaten meat in almost 20 years. We are not strict about it and eat fish a few times a month but no read meat or fowl unless it sneaks into something and we are unaware. I think it's great you are supporting her, it's not hard and can be part of a very healthy diet. As for the people saying otherwise they don't know what they're talking about. Just because you don't eat meat doesn't mean you eat tons of soy products. Sure she'll probably eat a little more soy but I would be way more concerned about what's in conventional meat, dairy and egg products than eating a little more soy. There are so many things wrong with the foods we eat and they way we produce and consume animal products is a crime. Spend a little time researching factory farming and conventional dairy production and what is actually in the meat and dairy (unless it's organic)and you may want to become a vegetarian too! It is not some weird idea she picked up at school but a valid and increasingly common dietary choice. We vegetarians aren't just saving chickens we a refusing to put antibiotics, hormones, dangerous preservatives and chemicals into our bodies on a daily basis. The American public has no idea what they are eating and what it will do to us long term. Look at your daughters interest as an opportunity for you both to learn how to make informed decisions about what you eat. I'd love to see the diet of anyone that says that being a vegetarian is weird or unhealthy. The vast majority or food most Americans eat is full of junk that has a terrible effect on our bodies. Go to your local health food market, Whole Foods or Trader Joe's and you'll be surrounded by people who care about what they eat, whether it's meat or not!

HI S.,

I noticed that a lot of the people responding were referring to a vegan diet as opposed to a vegetarian diet. There is a huge difference between the two. I fully support your daughter's choice be become a vegetarian, however, I would be wary about a vegan diet for a young girl simply because a vegan diet is one containing no animal products at all... including meat, poultry, fish, milk, eggs and cheese. I think it's a hard diet to maintain for anyone... and there has been some concern about eating too much soy.

Having said all of that, I have been (mostly) a vegetarian for many years and have raised my two children 3 and 5 on a vegetarian diet. They are perfectly healthy.

If your daughter likes a variety of foods and spices that is a good start. There are lots of cookbooks and resources online to help with ideas of how to prepare tasty veggie meals. Nuts are a great source of protein and easy and filling to pack in a lunch. There are some great bean salad recipes that would pack easily. ( I have a great one if you're interested!)

I would be cautious of all of the processed simulated meat foods. I think they are ok in moderation, but some are loaded with "stuff" and SALT!!

Hope this helps. Good for you for listening to your daughter and supporting her. At 8 years old she has her own opinions about what she likes and who she is and whether she chooses to continue with this diet forever or it's just an influenced phase as some people suggested, she'll appreciated that you let her make her own choices and kept her healthy doing it. Also, what a great opportunity for you two to learn together about a healthy diet... especially in our society of obesity, diabetes etc...

J.

Just stay away from SOY!!!

A "recovering vegetarian" exposes the dangers of soy: http://www.douglassreport.com/see_video.html

Don't fall for the "soy is good for you" baloney the vegetarian community tries to shove down your throat. Here are the facts, plain and simple…
Soy damages your thyroid, and leads to hypothyroidism
Soy increases your need for vitamin D
Soy blocks the absorption of protein
Soy blocks the absorption of key minerals, such as calcium, magnesium, and iron
Soy is estrogenic and can contribute to early puberty in girls
…And that's just the short list! Click here to hear Dr. Sherrill Sellman explain why you should avoid this health hazard.

Love, G.. :0)http://stemcellforautism.blogspot.com/

"I know of nobody who is purely Autistic or purely neurotypical. Even God had some Autistic moments, which is why the planets all spin." ~ Jerry Newport

Here is my two cents: take advantage of this new situation to work on your communication!! This is a wonderful learning opportunity for both of you and give you a chance to become closer to your daughter. Your openness and willingness to support her will pay off in the coming teenage years when she needs someone to trust and turn to. Do your research together on being a vegetarian and spend time in the kitchen together. I truly hope you jump at this opportunity to bond with your daughter. Whether or no she maintains her vegan lifestyle is up to her, but you can help her learn to make health choices. Good luck.

There are probably some good websites out there with meal suggestions. You want to make sure she gets complete proteins (beans with rice combined) and interesting flavorful meals.

I would discourage this. Kids are given all manner of messages at school and other places that it's good to be a vegetarian, whether it be for animal rights reasons or for health reasons, and the science is just _not_ there. Children NEED saturated fats & they need the fat soluble vitamins that are obtained in the fashion most usable by the body only from animal fats. They also NEED cholesterol--for brain development (breastmilk is some very high-cholesterol stuff, for instance). Humans evolved (or were created, depending on your viewpoint) as omnivores. We need a wide variety of animal and vegetable foods to get the best nourishment.
A couple of good websites to look at are:
http://www.westonaprice.org (long, well-researched articles, site doesn't sell stuff)
http://www.mercola.com (shorter articles, but does sell a variety of supplements and other things)

You and your daughter will learn a lot together by exploring a different way of eating. A very interesting website is www.fatfreevegan.com. SusanV is a vegan mom with an 11 year old daughter that has her say in all of her moms recipes. She started her website as a place for all vegetarians and people interested in eating a more health oriented diet to come together. If you and your daughter direct your questions to her, she will prove to be very helpful. Have fun on your adventure together!!!

There are tons of books & cookbooks about vegetarians & vegetarian kids. It depends on how picky she is and whether or not she's a lacto-ovo vegetarian, which would allow cheese and eggs. The good old PB & J is always an option. My daughter is a super picky vegetarian, so it's hard for me because she only wants the same things over & over. Hummus is great if she will eat that, hard boiled eggs, egg salad sandwich, cheese & veggie sandwich, bean salad, bean burritos, there's tons of food for non-picky vegetarians. Best of luck! C.

Hummus and cut up veggies and pita bread.

A bagel with cream cheese keeps well in a lunch box.

a thermus of vegetable soup or spaghetti.

In the canned fruits isle at the store there are the jello cups with fruit in them also the apple parfait my daughter likes.

Tomato and cheese sandwich

The obvious, Peanut butter and jelly sandwich

Hope this helps.

Great in supporting your daughter. You asked for ideas on lunches no if this was a good idea or not, so although I am not a vegitartion, I am trying to eat less meat. My kids are 2 and 4. When they take lunch to preschool, it's usually a sandwich: jelly, jelly & cream cheese, jelly & sunflower butter (no nut products at preschool), grilled cheese, just cheese, veggie pizza, cheese/veggie quesadillas, fruits & veggies w/slice of bread, crakers (low sodium) & hummus. When they are older (and 8 may be ok) soups are a great option. Soups are great hot, but there are many soups that are good cold (with 2 children, maybe I am just used to eating cold food:)-

Hi,
How about string cheese, yogurt, tofu hot dogs, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, fruit, carrot sticks, cheese and crackers, protein bars, granola... Good luck and good for her. As a child during meal times I always asked my mother what animal our dinner used to be. Good you two can talk about it and be true to her feelings so that you can give her good nutrition. The health food or organic sections in your grocery store should have lots of veggie substitutes for most of what you already probably eat. Nice you are so supportive. :)

just be very mindful of the concept of complimentary proteins

My family is vegetarian, including my two-year-old son. He obviously doesn't get as much say about his lunches now as your 8-year-old, but I wanted to offer some suggestions:
1. Tofurkey brand turkey slices are the most realistic I've tasted in my 15 years as a veggie. Lots of protein and little or no fat. (I also like Yves bologna, but my husband things it's "weird".) Anyway, veggie deli slices make great sandwhiches.
2. We send my son with: cream cheese sandwhiches, cashew butter and honey (he's too young to eat peanut butter, but also other nut butters have more nutrients), and grilled cheese. Bagel and cream cheese could also work. Avocado and swiss is yummy. As you can see, I'm a big sandwhich fan.

In terms of being supportive, I want to say thank you (since she may be in her 20s before she can really articulate that). My parents were great about it. One thing they did was help me learn to cook good vegetarian food, and then have me cook for the family once a week. I was a teenager already, so it'll be a little different with your daughter. Still, I would suggest going together to pick out a good vegetarian cookbook, and teaching her how to cook and plan meals. It is an important lesson that will be with her for the rest of her life, and is especially important for people who have restricted diets.

Good luck!
-Sarah

Personally, though I have nothing against vegetarianism, I would wonder why an 8 year old living in a house of non-vegetarians would make this decision? Is it because of someone's influence at school? That's my guess. Most 8 year olds make decisions like who their best friend is this week. I'd be warned of who or what she is being taught if that is not the home teaching. Is it she wants 'special' attention from family members because now most of her meals have to be different? Gaining attention, especially from busy parents is important and kids often find ways of getting it. Talk to her about her reasons, give some support, but don't go all out, do support healthy eating habits for everyone in the family. Maybe you can use this to spend time together to make new meals for the family.
Good luck to you!
D.

Why, at 8, would a girl want to be a vegetarian? Who is influencing her? It is fine, just why? I would ask her why she wants to become one and go from there. Make sure you find other foods that contain protein,fiber etc. I would discourage this at such a young age. Not that it is bad, just she is growing and needs a variety of foods. Talk to her about eating healthy oppossed to just certain foods.

I wasn't going to respond but after seeing some of the response I wanted to give my opinion. My daughter went through the same thing. She loves all animals and had a hard time with eating them. So she decided she wanted to be a vegetarian. I try to support her in things she feels strongly in and can tell me why she wants to do it. I made sure I had lots on hand for her. She really like beans and many kinds of cheese so those were her main protein source. She did not want to eat eggs because they were baby chickens.
I disagree with it being unhealthy and trying to stop her. If you don't let her try things she believes in what are your teaching her. She needs to be able to try new things and express herself. She is an individual and needs to be who she is. You should NEVER start food issues. This can cause eating disorders as she goes into the preteen and teen years.
My daughter was vegetarian for 2 weeks and then decided it was not for her. I want my daughter to feel that she can come to me with things she is interested in and that I will support her. By telling her she can not be a vegetarian you are telling her that her opinion and thoughts don't matter. At least if she tries this now you can control what she eats and that she is getting what she needs in protein.
Sorry so long. If you have any other question you can email me.

Hello S.,
I became a veg when I was 12, and at that time there was not much to choose from. Now there's tons! You need to get cheese slices, fake bacon, meat substitute slices (Can find that at Whole foods, they have many different kinds), cream cheese, tomatoes, lettuces. I would get tempeh patties, sprouts, almond butter and/or peanut butter and jam. From those things you can make a veg BLT, a cream cheese and sprout sandwich, a tempeh burger, a meatless deli sandwich, an almond butter and jam sandwich. It's never been easier to be a veg! Make sure she knows, though, that if she's going to be a veg at that age, she REALLY needs to eat other proteins for her growth, like free range eggs.
Good luck!