jkeram01
Registered: 12/16/09
Posts: 1
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| | 03/23/10 at 05:47 PM | Reply with quote | #1 |
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I've been vegan for almost a year. I have 2 boys 2.5 and 4.5 years old. They LOVE cheese...i have definitely reduced the amount of cheese i purchase, but i do typically make a pizza once a week with a vegan and non-vegan side. I guess I'm feeling torn between doing what I know is right at the grocery store and letting them make their own decision about being vegan. I don't want to force the issue and not " allow" certain foods and create a backlash, but I really would like them to embrace the vegan lifestyle. They are also typical kids, so while they are great fruit/veggie eaters, they really don't tend to love my (delicious!) vegan meals at dinnertime..much happier with mac/cheese, grilled cheese, pasta with ...cheese. anybody sensing a trend? If anybody has ideas for how to break the cheese addiction/encourage vegan feelings in my kids, they are welcome. |
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elisa
Registered: 08/05/08
Posts: 99
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| | 03/24/10 at 10:14 PM | Reply with quote | #2 |
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Okay, so I don't even have kids myself, but I do have a 6 yr old niece and a 2 1/2 yr old nephew. Their mom, my sister, is kind of in your boat- my sister has been basically or 99% vegan for about the past year, and her kids are nearly vegan, except...cheese. I observe the attachment that these kids (and all kids?) have to cheese. Now, my sister has not asked for my opinion about this, so my idea is untested. But, since you ARE asking- here is my humble opinion...
I just think that cheese is something you can't mess around with! With cheese it seems that you have to go 'cold turkey.' I know this is going against your desire to not 'force the issue.' I'm not saying it will be easy, in fact you will probably have to gear up mentally and physically for a really rough few weeks, but in the long run I think it's the only way to go. I just think that cheese is something you can't 'just have a little of.' Too addicting. And your kids are too young to 'decide' if they want to be vegan right now. As the parent you GET to decide for them. You know better, and you can teach them better. The younger they are when they can be broken of their addiction to cheese the better. (Obviously most adults are too far gone to contemplate a cheese-less world!) With all this 'tough love,' you will need to explain to them repeatedly and in simple terms what is harmful about cheese, and keep pointing out that you don't eat cheese for the same reasons you are stating. Then quite simply you should remove cheese from your house, make dinners that are 'no cheese' friendly, provide lots of positive reinforcement when they eat the meals you cook, and avoid going out to eat for the 'weaning period.' You shouldn't cook a separate dinner for you and for them. What you make for dinner is dinner. I read Dr Fuhrman's book 'Feeding Kids Right' and he talks about how it may take over a dozen times of presenting new foods to kids before they accept them. Well, it seems the reverse could be true- after over a dozen times of them requesting cheese and not getting it, they should give up asking. After their taste changes, they will forget they ever loved cheese. Can you remember when you were that young? I can't. Good luck!
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vegissexy
Registered: 09/15/09
Posts: 18
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| | 04/02/10 at 06:46 PM | Reply with quote | #3 |
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Have you tried Daiya cheese yet? I think it's the best vegan cheese out there so far. I actually made a pizza with it and it was fabulous (photos here on my blog)
Honestly, I bet if you made a pizza with Daiya and just didn't say anything they wouldn't even know the difference. I like to sprinkle a little garlic salt on top too for a little extra flavor.
Daiya is FABULOUS for grilled cheese too!!!
You can get it on veganessentials.com, but it's supposed to be available now nationally at Whole Foods.
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Julie
Registered: 10/20/08
Posts: 59
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| | 04/03/10 at 10:19 AM | Reply with quote | #4 |
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I have found a great grilled cheese replacement is to use mashed up avocado. I still use veganaise on my bread then spread the mashed avo. Put earth balance on one side, pop it onto a hot pan and then spread earth balance on the exposed side. It is divine! We haven't had one in ages but just writing about it is making me want one.
I also think just slowly weening your guys off of their favorite cheese meals and trying to make lots of new interesting meals. What about getting them to help out in the kitchen? Like having one sit on the counter and the other in a high seat and you have them put things in to bowls and help measure out things. That might help make them want to eat the non cheesy meals more. Good luck!!!!
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IvyB
Registered: 09/25/08
Posts: 29
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| | 06/14/10 at 10:28 AM | Reply with quote | #5 |
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Hi. When I went vegan, my kids were 10 and 11, so because of their ages, I let them choose. Outside of the house, they could eat what they wanted. They chose to go vegetarian at that time. When I stopped buying meat, I also stopped buying eggs. I did continue buying hard cheeses, as well as frozen junk food, like pizza and ice cream. Not good for them. Then I replaced cow's milk ice cream with delicious nondairy ice cream. That was a few months into their vegetarianism. I did all that because they were older. But if I had gone vegan when my kids were 2 1/2 and 4 1/2 years old (little tikes in my opinion), they would have gone vegan with me. If you won't put up with animal cruelty for yourself, why would you for your children? They're so young--perfect time for them to go vegan with you.
Good luck!
Ivy P.S. My 10 year-old went vegan shortly after her 11th birthday. My now-13-year-old is still vegetarian, but vegan at home of course.
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MrsNix
Registered: 01/10/10
Posts: 43
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| | 06/14/10 at 05:39 PM | Reply with quote | #6 |
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| If my daughter were still a toddler, I would just "make" her go vegan by not offering non-vegan foods. In my situation, however, I didn't go vegan in time to make unilateral decisions like that in my family.
My daughter is 6, precocious, and full of questions. She has watched me go vegan, and she asked all the right questions, "Mommy, why don't you buy milk anymore?" and "Mommy, why aren't you getting a fish sandwich (my old 'usual' from drive-thrus)?"
She has voluntarily given up cow's milk all on her own, and because it was not forced on her, she is VERY proud of that choice. She struggles with meat. I answer all her questions and remind her every time she asks or hesitates about meat of the reasons I don't eat it. She now refuses to eat "cow meat" because she saw cows in a truck one day and asked, "Mommy, are they going to kill those cows and eat them?" I answered honestly with, "yes," and she has not asked for anything with beef in it since. On the contrary, she asks with concern, "This doesn't have any cow, right?"
So. Every child is different and every family situation is different. These choices should not be made based on guilt. Don't feel guilty!! Feel joy that cheese is the only animal product your kids are consuming and come up with fun ways to replace it for them. We have not gotten rid of cheese with my daughter (or chicken), but her awareness of what she eats is rising, and I know that letting her choose her own time for each step is important because then she owns it.
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adelbean
Registered: 04/17/09
Posts: 2
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| | 06/28/10 at 07:46 AM | Reply with quote | #7 |
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The best option I've found for keeping my toddler vegan has been to simply not offer non vegan foods. Our children are creatures of habit (just like us) and if their familiar cheesy standbys are always available they will inevitably pick what they enjoy. Having lots of delicious non cheese snacks available (particularly those first weeks you're taking the cheese away) makes the process much easier. It's far more easy to redirect your child's attention by saying, "We don't have any cheese, but we do have (insert favored snack item here)."
As parents we can direct our children to healthier options and help them form long term healthy habits. Kudos to you for helping your children live a healthy and satisfying life. |
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