Turning an eight year old vegan

[Sheila]

I was wondering if any of you had a child that you took from omni to vegan?

I turned veggie last July and went vegan in September. My daughter is eight and she and my husband are serious meat lovers. Though they are getting better since my conversion.

I have fought with my inlaws and husband about nutrition for a long time. They are very southern and the concept of good nutrition involves cooking vegetables so long that you cannot recognize them and slathering them in butter or cooking them with fatback/salt pork.

Needless to say they are a healthy bunch.

Here's the problem. We went to doctor yesterday and due to a serious constipation problem she is having the doctor and I decided that vegan was mandatory. My husband and MIL were informed of this and now have no choice in the matter.

I want to make the transition for her as easy as possible. She had Tofu dogs with vegetarian baked beans and peas last night. For breakfast today she had grapes with whole wheat toast and Tahini.

She has tried my vegan chicken nuggets and likes those but I don't really like buying them or having her want to eat them for every meal.

Does anyone have any suggestions for a kid who thinks meat is wonderful?

Thanks in advance,
Sheila

[Jane M]

try going to

veganlunchbox.com

[Gliondrach]

Hello, Sheila.

I'd say that if she likes strong flavours, to make vegetable stews with spices. Or steamed veggies with spicy sauces. Or veggie pies. Italian-style dishes with lots of tomato and garlic. Curries? Have you tried nutroasts, or lentil bakes, or pease pudding? Would she like cous cous or that chickpea spread - the name of which escapes me just now?
You'll receive lots of other suggestions soon.

Regards,

Martin.

[Sheila]

Thanks for the input!

Gliondrach,
She loves pasta and marinara sauce which is what's for dinner tonight. She's not a huge veggie fan. I think I can count all of them she likes on one hand.

I made some seitan the other day for the 1st time. I think that will hold some promise for this situation. I do need to try nutroasts and lentil bakes. I'm still learning on the cooking.

Jane,
That is a great blog! I love all of the pictues. Thanks for the link.
Sheila

[Jane M]

Your welcome Sheila! Good luck with your young lady. Somewhere on that site is some discussions on how to get a child to eat veggies....but really can't remember where exactly.

[tipsy]

try making spaghetti & taco- like things with TVP!

i loved those as a kid!

tempeh, lettuce & tomato sandwiches with veganaise are good for kids!

mac & chreese! my cousin's kids love mac & chreese!!

dont forget to educate her on being vegan! shes old enough to know that she is saving lives with every meal!!!

best of luck!!

[SarahM]

you have a doctor that said vegan is mandatory?!?! i left NC 7 months ago, but I'm moving back!

instead of tvp, morningstar farms veg crumbles might be easier to start with - they're more "meat" like. they're good for spaghetti, tacos, whatever! they also have hte steak and chicken strips too now. those are good for easing her into it.

there are some great veg recipe books - vive le vegan, vegan with a vengeance . . . . VLV's blog is at http://vivelevegan.blogspot.com/

[Sheila]

jjdaiquiri,
Your food choices are great. Actually for breakfast I just had a fakin' bacon with tomato and vegenaise!

Sarah,
I am very persistent and I think the doctor realized that I knew a little more then the average person about nutrition. I'm also a very strong personality so people tend not to argue so much with me but seem very interested in what I'm saying. I'm sure the doctor has her doubts but I'll prove that vegan is the way to go....

The veg crumbles are so good and she's tried them and liked them. I found that if I use the chunk TVP and cook it in a stew or something like that it has a very similar appearance and taste to beef. Thanks for the blog link too.

Sheila

[cedarblue]

pasta and marinara sauce, Sheila

could you steam or boil some veg like cauliflower, carrots, brocolli and blend it up and mix it in with the marinara sauce? then she would be getting some extra 'unnoticed' veg??

[tabitha]

Ive made shepherds pie for my meat eating kids with tvp on the bottom and mixed sweet potato and ordinary potato with cheezly for a bit of flavour for the topping. Would she like that? Good luck.

[Sheila]

I would have to make the brocolli into something that could be hidden since she believes that it is the curse from the Devil for kids everywhere.

When you blend it up and put it in marinara can you see any of the green? I'm not above tricking her!

She likes corn, carrots, sweet peas, green beans, and potato.

I think I can pull off the shepherds pie. Thanks for the suggestions!

Sheila

[tabitha]

Arent kids funny with broccoli!!! I think its absolutely delicious as long as I dont cook it too long and its all soggy (gag). Now brussell sprouts I can understand - absolutely revolting things

[Xenius13]

If you mix a little soya sauce into the water when reconstituting TVP it will have a heartier flavor. Also add nutritional yeast to the food you're mixing it into. I have a killer vegan taco recipe if anyone wants it.

[Sheila]

I would love to have a great taco recipe! Cinco de Mayo is Friday....

Sheila

[Xenius13]

Ok.

Olive Oil
1/2 onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/8 cup Soya Sauce
7/8 cup Water
1 Tbsp. Chili Powder
1 Tbsp. Nutritional Yeast
1 tsp. Cumin
1 cup TVP
1 cup Tomato Sauce

Saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil until the onions begin to caramelize. Add the soya sauce and water. Stir in the chili powder, nutritional yeast and cumin. When the water starts to simmer stir in the TVP and mix thoroughly. Stir in the tomato sauce.

Serve with warmed corn tortillas or taco shells.


Variation: you can also add other vegetables if desired. I often add two diced potatoes and saute them with the onion and garlic.

[Sheila]

Thank you so much! One quick question though. When you say Soya Sauce do you mean Soy Sauce? I'm not sure what Soya Sauce is.
Sheila

[Xenius13]

Yeah, soy sauce and soya sauce are the same thing. It's just said differently in some places.

[Sheila]

Hey everyone,
I just wanted to thank all of you for your info. She is doing great. She has an absolute glow about her and is so excited to be vegan now! Even my husband is amazed at how different she is in only one week.

He is even eating many vegan meals which is amazing!

Thanks again,
Sheila

[cedarblue]

When you blend it up and put it in marinara can you see any of the green? I'm not above tricking her!

maybe you could say its basil or parsley or something?

funny, my daughter will eat most green veg (except brussel sprouts and peas) but she will not eat tomatoes, tom sauce, anything tomatoe-y although she will eat my chilli-non-carne. strange!

[ravenfire]

Soytaco is also really good for tacos, and already seasoned. I love cashew noodles and figure that they would be very kid friendly. I don't remember which one but either "How it all Vegan" or "The Garden of Vegan" has a kids section, I'll have to pull them out and see if I can find some suggestions that haven't been mentioned yet.

[jem]

it must be lovely to witness such a transformation--
its one thing to experience it yourself but another thing entirely to watch it happen !!

when it comes to veggies, one thing i've noticed about myself is the more i eat them, the more i crave them.
i think its both physical and psychological.
maybe if her veggie intake is increased a bit each day or each week, she'll begin to both crave them more, as well as get over her belief that they're "the devil".

best of luck and keep us updated

[abrennan]

what a great thread this is

[Sheila]

I don't remember which one but either "How it all Vegan" or "The Garden of Vegan" has a kids section, I'll have to pull them out and see if I can find some suggestions that haven't been mentioned yet.

Thanks!
If you can let me know which one it is I'd love to go get a copy of it.

Jem,
She actually was so excited the other day that she was getting a salad in her lunch box for school. I almost cried! She is starting to crave apples and eats at least 1 each day along with new veggies. It's so awesome to watch her because she is getting so healthy and does not even complain about being vegan. (My child complains about everything!) She is loving how good she feels.

I posted it on another thread but this has been a two fold win situation. My husband who thinks the sun rises and sets on meat has now become a veggie. Not vegan, but we'll work on that!

It's been a great month for my family!

Thanks all,
Sheila

[jem]

thats great sheila !
did he become veggie because he's starting to feel the connection between eating healthy and feeling good ?
or is it more your powers of persuasion ?!!

[Jane M]

Oh, Sheila! I am so happy for you! Whoa did it sound like an uphill battle for you when you 1st posted. So relieved to hear things are going well!

[puffin]

Sorry havent read all the thread but i will list some of the things my 8 year old likes to eat (meal times only)
Pasta with tomato, onion, pepper sauce
Stir fry with rice noodles and tofu
Sweet potato
Nut cuttles with tomato sauce in a bun with salad
Lasagna
Veg with gravy and vegan sausages
Ummm cant think of anything else right now. He is pretty fussy though

[Sheila]

thats great sheila !
did he become veggie because he's starting to feel the connection between eating healthy and feeling good ?
or is it more your powers of persuasion ?!!

My powers of persuasion are usually through example but we did have a small disagreement the other night. I was a bit on the tipsy side and got mad at him for being 39 and acting like he's 89. I get mad because I know that he could feel, look, and act so much younger if he would make some dietary changes. Watching someone you love turn old before their time is very frustrating. Heck I was in the back yard the other day on the trampoline doing flips! He probably couldn't even jump up and down on it.

He went to the doctor last week because of some health problems. Severe headaches, 30 pound weight gain, extreme heart burn, low blood sugar, etc.... Well his cholesterol is high with the good being too low and the bad being a bit too high. So his ratios are bad. It turns out that they think he has sleep apnia (I do not know how to spell that sorry) The doctor told him because of that his body cannot function right which would give him the headaches and weight gain.

Before I became vegan I felt almost as bad. Bloated, fat, sluggish, etc... So I guess over the past year he's watched me become physically the person he met 11 years ago. Maybe he just had to feel as bad as he does to realize that there is a better way.

Puffin,
What are nut cuttles?

Thanks,
Sheila

[jem]

he sounds like my father !!
but he won't listen to me....no matter how unhealty he gets.

but i find this an inspiration for all !!

i wish him (and you and your daughter) the best of health

[Cherry]

Puffin
What are nut cuttles?

Nut cutlets They are like burgers but made mainly from nuts. They're nice Like nut roast in a burger.

[Sheila]

Nut cutlets They are like burgers but made mainly from nuts. They're nice Like nut roast in a burger.

Do you make them yourself or are they store bought? I have tried a couple of different 'burger' recipes and have not been happy with the results.

Sheila

[puffin]

I get mine from Tesco

[sheri beri]

Shelia i have an eight year old who was raised omni for the first four years and now is full vegan...any way i can help PM me....My son didn't like meat so the change was easy, we attribute our conversion to him, this was a little boy who would sit and cry if he had to eat meat...he was born with this empathy towards animals and a good nose..he always said it doesn't smell good, it looks bad...etc...etc... he also gets on his little freinds and at first I was worried , its one thing to be vegans ourselves but to convert others isn't our place...but kids have a way of putting things that is to the point, he was intrumental in helping his little friend who was borderline diabetic and obese at 6, My son told him he needed to care for himself better, the boy went home told his mom and she came to my house and asked me what i ate and this boy and her have lost tons of weight and no longer have the worrys of being diabetic any moment becasue it could be controlled through diet.....

[Haniska]

This thread is so inspirational!
Have you had your child(or husband!) pick out recipes that they like the sound of and help make them?