Eco-Friendly Family
One Vegetarian Parent, the Other not. What's LO?
Hi,
Not sure which board to post this on, so thought I'd try here first. Does anyone have experience with one parent being a vegetarian and the other not. How did you raise your LO?
I am a vegetarian, my DH is not. Of course we will allow LO to make this decision once he is old enough, but until then, we each want to raise our LO with our preferred diet.
Just curious if anyone has faced this before and how you proceeded? Thanks!
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Re: One Vegetarian Parent, the Other not. What's LO?
My Chart My Nest Bio
I'm vegetarian (raised that way) and my dh is not. He eats meat if we are at someone else's home, out at a restaurant, or if he wants to cook something outside on the bbq. I don't know how to cook meat, or have any desire to, and dh doesn't either unless it's bbq (and he honestly prefers fish to chicken or turkey, and he doesn't like beef or pork). Our ds is only 2.5 months, but once he starts solids he'll be a vegetarian until he decides to try meat, if he wants to. I'm not going to tell him he isn't allowed to eat it, especially since dh eats it. But I'd prefer if he ate quality meat, and not the crappy stuff from the regular grocery store....Dh doesn't really care one way or the other, especially since he's been an almost-vegetarian for years now, knows that it's a healthy diet/lifestyle, and actually feels great not eating meat regularly.
My sister on the other hand is a single mum, her son is now 8 and he eats meat because he loooves it. My sister buys him organic free range turkey sausages, etc. and she has learned how to cook it because her son likes it so much. I think our mom introduced him to meat when he was around 1 or 2.
If you're really concerned about your lo eating meat before he is old enough to choose, you might want to do some research to show your dh about how much protein babies/toddlers need, etc. and how breastmilk or formula should provide the bulk of baby's calories/ nutrition for at least the first year of life.
our compromise for right now is that meals together (i.e. dinner/weekends) are vegetarian...lunches during the week you are on your own..the only meat dh really eats is turkey cold cuts and fish (and admittedly I am not 100% vegetarian b/c I do eat fish 1-2 times/month)...dh does also eat meat at my parents when we go for dinner (usually once a month)...and my girls may or may not meat or fish then...
during the week my girls eat whatever the school serves for breakfast and snacks...and since I am usually the one who sends lunch that is usually veg, except for the occassional turkey sandwich.
I thought we were going to have the same dilemma, but hubby decided to turn veg just before we got pregnant. Now we are planning on raising the kid veg. Neither of our families are veg but my family does not eat beef. We are going to ask them to respect our wishes but wonder if they will have the kid try meat when babysitting.
I'd suggest you and DH come to an agreement such as starting veg for the first two years then, if hubby still wishes to have the kid try meat, introduce healthier meats on occasion. That way the first two year base is veg based which should have a good influence on LO making healthier choices.
BFP#3 9-4-13 Benjamin Lee born 4-28-14
DH and I were raised as vetarians. He is no longer one. He eats chicken and I will buy and cook it for him a few nights a week. (I learned to cook it last year) Prior to that we have been living together since 2008 and he just would eat veggie style.
We discussed how we want our kids to be raised (food wise) before we even got married. LO will be vegetarian until he (LO) decides he wants to try or eat meat. LO can make the decision for himself.
My husband and I are both vegeterians, but we decided not to raise our child as a strict vegeterian - although she will eat mostly veggie. When she is old enough to decide she can.
The reasons: I think kids are picky eaters and I'm worried about adding restrictions to her diet that could result in poor nutrition. I also think being a vegetarian is a lifestyle choice and I don't think I should make that choice for my child.
For baby food, I want to make most of it homemade - so that will be veggie. I may buy some baby food that has chicken or something in it. When she is old enough, she can order what she wants in restaurants.
I would say for your situation, it will depend on who is making the meals.
Why? You can not introduce it and let him decide. I don't get this, but I'm also vegetarian-ish (I eat fish occasionally). I was diagnosed with a milk protein allergy at 2, and my mom had to go vegan for medical reasons a year later. She did all the cooking, so I was raised vegan. My dad ate meat if we went out, but ate veggie at home. When I was old enough to choose, I ate whatever I wanted. I second PP who recommended Forks Over Knives. There's absolutely no nutritional benefit to eating meat, so I wouldn't stress. And being an omnivore is a lifestyle choice as well. You're not depriving your child by not feeding them meat at a young age.