Most of you know that I don’t post many personal details about our children on my blog. I’ve discussed it here. I occasionally share photos (as with today’s post) that show them as part of our family, but without identifying their faces and features. For the most part, I like to keep them anonymous so that they have their own life journeys apart from my blogging as an author.
Still, I AM a vegan mom of three strapping vegan girls! And, I realize that this is a unique perspective as a vegan author and blogger, and that I have useful information and experiences to share. I receive e-mails and comments daily about vegan parenting. So I know you are searching for more information and insight – either as vegans moving into parenthood… or parents moving into veganhood!
Last week I was struck with the idea to do a series on feeding vegan children. I should mention that I do share many family-friendly tips in my cookbooks, especially in Let Them Eat Vegan. There is an entire section in the back of the book called “Powering the Vegan Family” and “The Plant-Powered Lunchbox”. Plus, I sprinkle advice and tips all through the recipes. But, after a brief discussion on facebook (as well as numerous e-mails these past few weeks), I decided it was time to consider a “Feeding Your Plant-Powered Children” series – here, on my blog.
If I start this series, I need information from YOU. I need to know… what pieces of the puzzle you are missing, what stresses you, what is difficult, what is too time-consuming? I’d like to have a “Feeding Vegan Kids Wish List” of sorts. Tell me where you need help! Is it recipes? Day to day tips? Meal planning and preparation ideas? Social situation advice? Help with ingredient groups (ex: nuts or beans)? Lunch strategies? Snack ideas?
Tell me – What information would YOU like to tap into from this vegan mom of three?
My intuition tells me I am on track with this idea. I will run with this series if the response here is strong. I am off to Summerfest this week, and will work on ideas once I return. So, please comment if this is something you’d like. And, equally important – please share this idea to recruit more feedback. The buttons are above to share to pinterest, fb, etc, so get the word out – so I can get the word in!
Susan says
Love your books- I own all of them!
I need some lunch ideas for school. Nut-free of course. Oh what I would give to be able to make PB&J for my kid’s lunch…..
Lauren M says
Just have to suggest Sunflower seed butter (Sunbutter) found at Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, and probably other local natural food stores. It’s the closest to peanut butter, in my opinion. I have had to mark the sandwich container that it is Sunbutter and is nut-free and peanut-free so teachers wouldn’t freak out. I’ve substituted it for peanutbutter in many baking recipies and on toast or sandwiches is great.
LH says
My kids aren’t vegan, but one is a dye-free, preservative-free vegetarian (also low-processed, low dairy) and the other is a nut allergy omni who can be picky about veggies & hates some things like hummus, mushrooms, anything spicy, etc. My husband & I eat a vegan diet though, so my kids are fed mostly vegan meals. My big concerns are finding nut-free vegan dishes (it’s so hard to go out to vegan restaurants since the kids’ menu is nut-laden), decreasing the amount of processed products, dealing with potlucks & school functions and parties, packing interesting lunches that aren’t the same 1 or 2 things, and making sure they get enough calcium, B12 and omega-3.
SaraMM says
Tonya-is your child able to eat nuts? We didn’t have a history of nut allergies so we were allowed to start at 1 year of age. We make walnut/pecan cookies sweetened with dates and cacao powder. Our daughter has never had an anemia problem thanks to the nuts and chocolate (which also provides zinc-especially if you add some pumpkin seeds in).
Dreena-I love you. My vegan 3 year old is incredibly picky. She hates grains and veggies. She will avoid anything new no matter how many times I introduce it.
Our daughter hates all alternative milks so she is on a calcium vitamin chew now to supplement since she also hates chickpeas, quinoa, kale, etc (she only drinks water). Luckily she does love Ezekiel bread and raw nut cookies to get protein and finally started eating sweet potato fries a bit for an orange veggie but honestly her diet mostly consists of grilled daiya cheese sandwiches which is all she has wanted for the past few months.
My kooky kid even hates pasta, pancakes and baked goods (even cookies and mini-muffins)!
I would love to know if you have suffered through any of this and tricks you used to get by and add some variety.
Elizabeth says
I love this idea, too, and would also appreciate any vegan pregnancy tips!
Bethany says
Hi Dreena,
I really love your idea! I have a two-year-old and a four-month-old and they both have been little vegans since birth. We spent a lot of our daughter’s first year figuring out what to say to people when she turned one and we didn’t hand her a bottle of cow’s milk, but it ended up alright with only a few awkward moments. Now I feel we’re facing a bigger challenge. What to tell our daughter. She already tells people, “we don’t eat chickens, we kiss them” and other silly things like that. But she doesn’t really get it. And it’s starting to be hard when we’re around other people and food is involved. Last week we were at a get-together and all the other kids were eating mac n’cheese. I brought a vegan version that she loves, but the SAD cupcakes were hard to pull her away from. I guess my question is, how did you help your little ones figure all of this out? Did you ever cave and let them have a darn (ubiquitous) goldfish?
Thanks so much!