I was wondering what vegan and vegetarians parents feed their children?

I am the guardian of my 10 year old niece (I became so when her parents died when she was 4) and she has been a vegetarian since birth (my brother and his wife were vegetarians) and is totally healthy.I am also vegetarian but have only become so very recently so I certainly didn't force her to stick to a vegetarian diet-she hates the idea of eating meat.

It is perfectly possible to raise healthy children on a vegan diet from the moment they are weaned from their mother's breast milk provided you do some research into nutrition so you know what your doing.

I am a vegetarian 12 year old girl child and I'm fine. I am healthy, fit, and strong. The rest of my family eats meat. My grandmother wishes I would be a meat eater really bad. I just ignore her and eat the veggies on my plate and leave the meat. I've been a vegetarian for a little more than a year. If I were you, I would teach my kids to be vegetarian, but it's completely up to give your kids meat or not to give them meat. All I know is that being a vegetarian has only effected me in a good way, and I never needed meat. There are many things that take the place of meat's nutritional value, and with effort, it can be easy to get. I'm just telling you based on my personal health, and I wish you and your kids the best of luck! ~Green Tea

You think a vegetarian/vegan diet is unhealthy for growing children?

If anything a high supply, and diet rich in vegetables, and fruits, and nuts, grains would be best for a child. Rather than the processed crap and food the rest of the population feeds their children.

Unless a parent has their own chicken farm, or animal farm - and kill and chop the meat themselves - No meat is good.

Meat sold in stores is full of hormones, and pesticides, and crap that was force feed to the animals --- how can that be healthy for anyone?

If someone is Vegan/Vegetarian, they are for certain reasons, whether heath reasons or concerned about the treatment of animals... whatever the reason, being vegan/vegetarian is a lifestyle, if a parent doesn't like meat (or view it as unhealthy) why would they feed it to their children?? What sense would that make?

People think of vegan/vegetarians as something odd and crazy. As if it's wrong for a Veg*n parent to raise their children as veg*n

Do religious people let their children pick their own religion or have lack of religion as (children)? Of course NOT. They pass their values onto their children, and hope they adapt them as adults.

Same with Vegan/Vegetarians -- we have values, and ideas about what foods are best. We want to pass that on to our children -- but ultimately once they become old enough they will have to choose the lifestyles they want.

But to answer the question: NO, it isn't unhealthy. You can find many, many vegan/vegetarians families with healthy child -- just like any other meat-eating family

Raising a child on a vegan or vegetarian diet can absolutely be very healthy, as long as the parent does their research. People assume growing kids need milk to grow strong bones - I only recently learned this is a total myth. Study after study links eating animal protein with bone loss and osteoporosis. Places where calcium intake is much lower than in the US, but animal protein is also lower, have much better bone health. Other than that, meat really just provides B12, iron, and protein. Protein is easy to get; you're not more likely be iron deficient on a veg*n diet, and B12 you can take a supplement for.

I plan to raise my kids vegan. My boyfriend is omnivorous but eats meat fairly rarely (maybe once or twice a week). We plan to let our kids eat meat or dairy if they request to; that just won't be in most of the meals I prepare for them. I think this can be very, very healthy if you know what you're doing. I wish I had been raised vegan!

I've always thought that when I do have kids, I would probably feed them a vegetarian diet (as I have been vegetarian since I was 4, and I would be a little worried about cooking meat to a edible standard!) - I believe it is healthy. However, once they were old enough to decide for themselves - if they wanted to eat meat at school or at friend's houses, then I would allow them too. I wouldn't push my views on anyone else, or make them follow them.

Well I'm fifteen and have been veggie for eight years (tipping over onto the vegan side now!)

When I was seven my Mum told me she was going vegetarian, asked if I wanted to. I agreed, and she never ever pressured me into staying vegetarian, my little brother went veggie, then went back onto meat and veggie again. She never got mad or anything with him, because its all about self choice.

If you order for the vegetarian starter kit *(I know your already veggie but I found it interesting!) it takes about four weeks to come but there's an article in there about a lady that raised her kids vegan, and they're really really healthy!

I think when I have kids then I'll start vegetarian, but then if they ever want to eat meat I'll let them, just free range =D

EDIT: about feeding them, there is loads and loads of vegan foods! Freefrom section in Sainsbury's, my friend says most of that is vegan, margarine or oil instead of butter, etc. etc. =]

Sorry that's so long! =]

Like all parents, veg*n parents feed their children as they see fit. For some, that will mean feeding them a veg*n diet until they are old enough to make such decisions for themselves; no parent allows a 2 year old to make nutrition decisions.

Your friend may not have your support, but the American Dietetic Association, the world's largest group of nutrition professionals, their Canadian counterpart, Dieticians of Canada, and the American Acedemy of Pediatrics disagrees with you when they state that a properly planned vegan diet is appropriate for all life stages. Unless you know better than a phalanx of nutritional and medical professionals, please don't hassle your friend for making a decision that she's got every right to make for her child.

Vegan Mothers usually breastfeed their children just like other mothers. After that the child will often be fed the same things as the mother but with perhaps more of a kid's touch. Kids usually need things that are calorie and nutrient-rich so things like bean burritos and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are quick, easy, and filling. Some care should be taken to make sure they are getting enough calcium (some good sources are soymilk and almonds), iron (in beans/legumes, spinach and other leafy greens), vitamin D (from sunlight or fortified products), and vitamin B12 (found in nutritional yeast, fortified products, and in pill form).

I'm not a parent myself but I own "Vegan Lunch Box" by Jennifer McCann that has some great tips and insights on vegan children. Also my good friend is raising her two-year-old on a vegetarian diet.

The way you direct your question it is a little one-sided. But for your answer, if I had children and my wife was a total vegan I would not let her only feed our kids her diet, because at such a young age you can kill a baby/child with a diet like that, its a risky move. I say parents shouldn't even force any type of eating habit onto their children. If I had a child that was a vegetarian I would be fine with that, a vegan though, no. lol. but at infancy a child needs large portions of protein and other vitamins only meat can give (and types of vitamins and multigrains). Watch out though, tell your friend of the dangers of a child starting their life on a diet like that. Especially when it is a vegan diet. A woman acually starved her child to death trying to force soy milk and tofu on it. It is acually quite common for that to happen in vegan families. Tell her not to do it. "Stay Omnivore!"

milk