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Vegetarian Babies?

mallgrovemallgrove member
in November 2013 Moms
Is anyone out there choosing to raise their baby as a vegetarian? I really haven't given LO meat yet and I am beginning to wonder if I really want to at all. I have been doing some research, but I'm just looking for any advice or experiences that can be shared.

I'm understand some people may disagree with this decision (which I haven't officially made yet), I'm not looking for an argument or debate just some advice from other moms who have chosen to raise vegetarian children.
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Re: Vegetarian Babies?

  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] member
    We haven't made a choice to make DD a vegetarian- but she really doesn't eat meat.  It's her choice to an extent.  (she's three) She is a wonderful eater and we ask her to at least try everything that is prepared but if she doesn't want to eat it after trying it, that's fine.  She's perfectly healthy. 

    I would talk to your ped about ways to make sure your LO is getting what he/she needs.  At this stage, however, I don't think any foods "need" to be given. 

    Good luck
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  • mallgrovemallgrove member
    edited June 2014
    My reason for this choice is mostly due to my fear of a lot of the meats available today. I feel like there have been so many recalls lately it makes me nervous to feed meat to LO. I try to buy higher quality meats without hormones or antibiotics and even grass fed whenever possible, but even those have been included in the mass recalls. I just feel like there is so much wrong with the meat industry it makes it difficult to know where the meat is coming from and what you are really getting. I just want to give LO the very best as we all do, I'm just nervous.

    Like I said an official decision has not been made, I am just waiting to introduce or not introduce meat until I have done all of my research.

    ETA missing a word
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  • mallgrovemallgrove member
    @braasche1‌ We belong to a veggie CSA, but not one for meat. I would be open to the idea of joining one for meat, but as you said space and funds make it difficult.

    @SV917‌ I don't think we would go entirely vegan with LO at this point but I know you have a vegan home so I understand your choice. I have read that a vegetarian diet can be okay for babies if there are still eggs and dairy in the diet, but I know with proper education and planning vegan is possible. I would like to see a nutritionist myself to find out how to do this in a healthy manner. I have been both vegetarian and vegan in the past but my lack of research and variety in my diet got me into trouble. I want to make the most informed and educated decision as possible.

    At this point when LO is still more dependent on nursing and just trying food for fun I am taking my time and will discuss with her pedi at the next visit. I just get a pit in my stomach when I think about giving her meat. I think it's because I have my own issues with eating meat. I have a hard time feeding her something I'm not sure I'm willing to eat myself.
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  • cagoldicagoldi member
    2013JEM said:

    I'm confused-- my ped said to wait until nine months to introduce meat. Am I the only one still doing fruits, veggies, oatmeal and yogurt?!?

    Our pedi gave us the green light at his 6 month appointment. She said over the next couple months she wanted to make sure we did meat, fish, and wheat.
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  • SV917SV917 member
    estreyas said:
    SV917 said:
    My twins will be vegan until they are old enough to make the decision on their own. I've done a lot of research and plan to meet with a nutritionist before they turn one to make sure they get what they need as toddlers.
    Strike 'plan to' and write 'will'. Long- term vegans can have a variety of nutritional issues if they do not have supplements, as there are some vitamins which you can only get from animal products unless you use external supplementation. This can also be an issue with vegetarianism.




    On our end... A gets meat in ground form (keema), or in pieces (chicken, crab). We haven't touched the purees, but we're following BLW and she's getting a small variety.
    I've been vegan for years, so I'm well aware of what vitamins are an issue, but thanks for your "concern." 
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  • mallgrovemallgrove member
    FTR @SV917‌ I really admire and give you credit for becoming and staying vegan. It's honestly something I would like to strive towards for myself, but will do in gradual steps. I wish DH was on board with it, but he "needs" meat. As I said before I want to be well informed and prepared before I make any major lifestyle choices. Last time I tried to be vegan it was for all the wrong reasons and I was not healthy as a result.
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  • mallgrovemallgrove member
    My LO is fairly picky at this point @TJHine‌, we have had plenty of failures with solids! They'll all get there though, vegetarian or not they can't live on a liquid diet forever!
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  • SV917SV917 member
    mallgrove said:

    FTR @SV917‌ I really admire and give you credit for becoming and staying vegan. It's honestly something I would like to strive towards for myself, but will do in gradual steps. I wish DH was on board with it, but he "needs" meat. As I said before I want to be well informed and prepared before I make any major lifestyle choices. Last time I tried to be vegan it was for all the wrong reasons and I was not healthy as a result.

    It was a gradual process for me. I went vegetarian 17 years ago and it took me about 10 years before I started really looking at the dairy industry. I was vegan at home for about three years (because there is no way I could live without cheese!) until I finally made the decision to go fully vegan almost 4 years ago. I can honestly say that I don't miss cheese now.

    My main motivation for being vegan is animal rights. The best thing for animals is for me to stay vegan and that's only going to happen if I'm healthy. I read vegan nutrition blogs and books and consistently take my B12 vitamins. The book Vegan for Life is a great resource. The authors both have blogs - Vegan RD and Jack Norris RD.
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  • DebateThisDebateThis member
    mallgrove said:
    My reason for this choice is mostly due to my fear of a lot of the meats available today. I feel like there have been so many recalls lately it makes me nervous to feed meat to LO. I try to buy higher quality meats without hormones or antibiotics and even grass fed whenever possible, but even those have been included in the mass recalls. I just feel like there is so much wrong with the meat industry it makes it difficult to know where the meat is coming from and what you are really getting. I just want to give LO the very best as we all do, I'm just nervous. Like I said an official decision has not been made, I am just waiting to introduce or not introduce meat until I have done all of my research. ETA missing a word
    Recalls are done for safety reasons all the time and they're proof that our system is (mostly) safe - stuff gets caught before it gets to the mass public far more often than something actually makes someone ill.

    If you are still nervous, check out LocalHarvest.org and find a farmer. If you can't be secure in purchasing your meat straight from the farm, then, well, nothing is going to help you.
    Six years of infertility and loss, four IUIs, one IVF and one very awesome little boy born via med-free birth 10.24.13.
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  • mallgrovemallgrove member
    DebateThis said:


    mallgrove said:

    My reason for this choice is mostly due to my fear of a lot of the meats available today. I feel like there have been so many recalls lately it makes me nervous to feed meat to LO. I try to buy higher quality meats without hormones or antibiotics and even grass fed whenever possible, but even those have been included in the mass recalls. I just feel like there is so much wrong with the meat industry it makes it difficult to know where the meat is coming from and what you are really getting. I just want to give LO the very best as we all do, I'm just nervous.

    Like I said an official decision has not been made, I am just waiting to introduce or not introduce meat until I have done all of my research.

    ETA missing a word

    Recalls are done for safety reasons all the time and they're proof that our system is (mostly) safe - stuff gets caught before it gets to the mass public far more often than something actually makes someone ill.

    If you are still nervous, check out LocalHarvest.org and find a farmer. If you can't be secure in purchasing your meat straight from the farm, then, well, nothing is going to help you.


    That's a good point about recalls, but it still doesn't remedy the deplorable conditions at factory farms. I am just fearful of something being missed, it's impossible to avoid disease in those places because of how closely the animals are caged, it's sad really. I also can't say I don't feel sorry for the animals as well, I wouldn't want to be raised just to become dinner, so I struggle with that aspect as well.

    As far at "nothing is going to help me" I wish I was able to afford to buy directly from a farm (that truly is the best option if meat is being consumed in my mind) but as I stated before my financial situation will not allow for that at this time. I am a SAHM and thankful to be one, but that means living off of one income. I had to stop and ask myself if I don't feel comfortable with the meat at the grocery store what other feasible option do I have? That's when I began looking into vegetarianism, I am in no way trying to bash or judge anyone else's choices on how they feed their families. I was just looking for advice from other parents who may have chosen the vegetarian route for their babies and/or children. LO just turned 7 months so I am working things out while she is still little. I am just trying to do the best for her like everyone else is for their LO. Clearly I still have a lot to think about.
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  • barista411barista411 member
    BrittAnnie19 said:

    I'm not a vegetarian, but I find most meat gross and eat very little. I didn't offer any meat to DD1 until she was about 1.5 yo. She was perfectly healthy and the pediatrician was not the least bit concerned. She now eats some salmon and chicken. I plan to do the same with DD2.

    Same here. I rarely eat meat and DD tried chicken once at about a year and wanted nothing to do with it. We waited until she was about 2 to introduce it again. She will now eat some chicken but absolutely refuses red meat. I made sure she ate she a balanced diet and she is now a happy healthy kid.

    I have not decided what I will do with DS. We offered him chicken a while back and he devoured it so I am leaning towards letting him eat chicken but making sure we are careful where we get it from.
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  • mallgrovemallgrove member
    braasche1 said:


    LJGS1010 said:


    braasche1 said:


    LJGS1010 said:

    Serious question -- are you equally as concerned about the produce you eat?

    Because, most of the recent recalls I can remember had to do with spinach, mellon, tomato, etc......

    I was a vegetarian for over two decades, so I have nothing against vegetarianism, but unless the angle is animal cruelty it seems short sighted to me to be overly concerned about meat but not at all concerned about produce.

    She said, above, that they are part of a CSA for produce. Based on that, IMO, I would say she is equally concerned, but they could have joined a CSA for any number of reasons... I'm not trying to answer for @mallgrove, just pointing out what has already been said. 

    Yeah, but I can't imagine they get 100% of their produce from CSAs. Depending on the CSA, you could be stuck with a billion pounds of a random veggie one week. Or maybe one week they are harvesting spinach and carrots and cucumbers, but you need a tomato, and also need to buy fruit for company that's coming over.

    We have a ton of CSAs in my town, and I can't remember the last time one of them included cantaloupe.

    Just sayin'.



    It's true, most CSA's will tell you that you may need to buy additional veggies and staple veggies (onions, garlic, etc.) from other sources due to harvest periods, and there's usually not a lot of fruit included in them. With that said, most of the CSA's, in my area, also setup at the local farmer's markets, so even if the CSA membership didn't supply all your fruit/veggie needs for that week, it doesn't mean you would be stuck buying from the store. Obviously there are exceptions, for example I wouldn't go to a farmer's market here in the midwest and expect to buy fresh coconut. You're pretty smart though, so I feel like I'm preaching to the choir... shutting up now :D

    I've been busy today and am now just getting to reply. Yes we do belong to a CSA and aside from a handful of fruits and veggies (which I buy at the farmers market) I don't buy much from the store. I get a pretty good variety from the CSA and plan our meals based on what is coming from the CSA and farmers market.

    There is definitely a cruelty component to my dilemma. I think I mentioned it in a previous post. I just question eating meat myself and if I don't feel comfortable eating it why should I feed it to my child? I want my baby to be as healthy as possible and I think a primarily plant based diet may be the option for us. If we start out vegetarian and she decides later she wants to try something I'm not going to forbid it. I am just thinking of making a shift in my own family away from meat. As a result LO will then be living the same lifestyle. I'm not going to sit here eating lots of meat and not feeding it to my baby, I am going to include her in what we choose for the entire family.




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  • drowe214drowe214 member
    I'm pescatarian and am not giving LO meat but if DH wants to he can, and LO can decide for himself when he is old enough. In the meantime our pedi said a vegetarian diet is fine as long as he is getting the vitamins and minerals he needs. I've been trying to introduce things like quinoa, lentils, black beans, etc.
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  • mallgrovemallgrove member
    edited June 2014
    MotherEFFingKatie said:

    mallgrove said:


    I'm not looking for an argument or debate just some advice from other moms who have chosen to raise vegetarian children.

    Well since I haven't chosen to raise my child vegetarian I must not have anything helpful to add? I have to side eye any post that dictates the answers they want to receive. A little anyway. I may be alone in this.

    image
    I think you may have misinterpreted or maybe I was unclear. I wanted to hear from people who have chosen vegetarian to find out if they found it to work out well or if they determined their child's diet was lacking and needed to add meat in. I am happy to hear other people's opinions on why they didn't choose vegetarianism. I was initially just looking for advice on raising a vegetarian child but if you have something to add, don't let me stop you!

    I'm sorry for any confusion I meant nothing by it, I know I'm not a regular and don't post a ton, but I thought maybe some of you ladies could help. I will work on my posting etiquette.

    ETA because I posted too soon. Also nice Golden Girls gif.

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  • mskatiepmskatiep member
    edited June 2014
    estreyas said:


    mallgrove said:

    I've been vegan for years, so I'm well aware of what vitamins are an issue, but thanks for your "concern." 


    It was less concern, and more pointing out a fact that people tend to gloss over. You never said vegan in your original post - you said vegetarian. And given that this deals specifically with veganism, I wanted to bring them up. A vast majority of people on these lurk with similar interests and they may not be as well-informed as you are. 
    -------
    @estreyas‌ I think you ment to quote @SV917‌ not @mallgrove‌. Mallgrove didn't say vegan.



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  • SV917SV917 member
    estreyas said:
    mallgrove said:
    I've been vegan for years, so I'm well aware of what vitamins are an issue, but thanks for your "concern." 
    It was less concern, and more pointing out a fact that people tend to gloss over. You never said vegan in your original post - you said vegetarian. And given that this deals specifically with veganism, I wanted to bring them up. A vast majority of people on these lurk with similar interests and they may not be as well-informed as you are. 

    I think you're confusing me with the OP. My first post in this thread said my twins would be vegan and I was telling the OP that it's possible to have veg kids, just do your research. So your response that *I* need to do even more research by seeing a nutritionist was kind of obnoxious. (It's a little annoying how everyone becomes a nutrition expert as soon as I tell them I'm vegan).  Regardless, hopefully someone will find your links helpful. They did raise good points. 
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  • mallgrovemallgrove member
    No worries @estreyas‌!

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