Home > Feeding Frenzy > Archives > 2008 > February > 20 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USAre your kids ready to go meatless?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
After reading the responses to Meatless Monday, I realized how many valid points were raised. Although this specific campaign is “health-oriented” rather than based on ethical and environmental concerns, it’s obviously hard to divorce the issues.
It is interesting to note that embracing a meatless day was not as much of a stretch as one might have thought. As Debbie says below, she did it yesterday without even realizing it. Others commented that they have easily adopted its principles several days of the week due to lifestyle or religious reasons.
For those with children, I wonder what they thought of the idea. When I brought it up with my kids, ironically, my older son, the pickier of the two, was all for it, especially since a lot of his friends at school are experimenting with going vegetarian. My sports guy, Jack, was concerned though, saying he needed meat “to keep his strength up.” I told him, we had vegetarian meals all the time, without broadcasting them as such, and PB&J frequently found its way into his lunchbox.
From years of dealing with picky eaters, I do have some concerns about kids doing the vegetarian, or especially the vegan thing, when the whole family isn’t into it. When a special, separate meal is being prepared to accommodate a single person, because of time constraints, sometimes not as much thought goes into making sure it’s balanced. As John Kessler brought up, it can easily turn into just a big cheesy goo-fest.
Let me know what your kids think about it. Are any of your kids going vegetarian or vegan even though you’re not? If part of your family is doing it, do you make separate meals, one meatless, one with?
Comments
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By mamacook
February 20, 2008 2:27 PM | Link to this
I have a son who is a vegan! But not for any philosophical reason … he just hates meat. He gets his nutition from peanut butter and bananas.
Another child never noticed the difference between soy burgers and regulat burgers so what was that.
And my youngest wouldn’t one bit — she’d eat oranges, raisin-bran crunch and cheerios for every meal.
And let’s not forget pizza. (my vegan child picks off the cheese.)
I think it’s much easier for kids to give up meat than adults. Kids are more flexible about everything.
By mamacook
February 20, 2008 2:27 PM | Link to this
I have a son who is a vegan! But not for any philosophical reason … he just hates meat. He gets his nutition from peanut butter and bananas.
Another child never noticed the difference between soy burgers and regulat burgers so what was that.
And my youngest wouldn’t mind one bit — she’d eat oranges, raisin-bran crunch and cheerios for every meal.
And let’s not forget pizza. (my vegan child picks off the cheese.)
I think it’s much easier for kids to give up meat than adults. Kids are more flexible about everything.
By jennifer
February 20, 2008 2:34 PM | Link to this
I worry about my kids not getting enough protein without meat.
By deidre_NC
February 23, 2008 4:43 PM | Link to this
my daughter doesnt like meat too well so meatless wouldnt be hard to do. vegan would be hard (maybe impossible) cause we love cheese. i like meat sometimes but i do a lot of meatless days, dont really do it on purpose it just happens. we have actually discused becoming vegetarians but we do still eat meat sometimes-maybe 1-2 times a week-usually chicken or fish
By lee
March 4, 2008 5:13 PM | Link to this
I would return inferior groceries, in fact I do it often. My health, and the health of my family is too important to serve out-of-date, or otherwise inferior groceries. I acknowledge that grocers have only a certain amount of control over the products they offer but that does not excuse the fact that they will and do pawn off products that should have been tossed or returned to their distributor. If everyone would be responsible and hold others to a high standard we would live in a better world.