Parents that Feed their Children Vegetarian Diets

angellepen

Me and my boyfriend are vegetarians and we have a 2 year old daughter. I don't eliminate meat from her diet. If she wants chicken I make her chicken. But she doesn't eat meat everyday. I want to give her a healthy life style but also did not want to make her choices. she has choices but from the variety of healthy foods.

sweetpea129

I have just recently stopped eating meat after reading some books. My (almost) 2 and 3 yr olds have never been a fan of meat. My 2 yr old would never touch it, my 3 yr old maybe will eat it once a month. I try to replace with grains, cheese, yogurt, peanut butter. They also dont need cows milk, they are just fine with almond milk. I'm going to follow this thread for more ideas.

LoseYouself

I am currently trying to educate myself further and I feel like going vegetarian is going to be the best course of action for myself.

I am Mama to a 15-month old and while I understand that children and adults have very different nutritional needs, I am curious to see if there is anyone who feeds their child(ren) a vegetarian diet and just exactly how you go about doing so in a very meat-driven world.

Right now, she eats like us: a mostly vegetable-based diet, with some poultry, seafood and minimal red meat in the mix.

Also curious to hear from those who have eliminated cow's milk and how you properly provide for yourself and your child.

I am aware that I should not make any drastic changes to our diets, hers especially, without medical consultation. This discussion isn't to replace that, just to supplement and get some ideas brewing/clarified.

Thanks for the input!

I'm actually quite interested to hear the answers about milk... because children ARE meant to drink some form of milk even if adults aren't (evolutionarily speaking). How would you replace what's lost by eliminating milk for children? Soy and other veggie varieties simply don't have the same nutritional profile. As a veggie fan myself, I'm legitimately curious.

If you breastfeed the child on demand until their permanent teeth start to grow (age 5.5 - 6 yrs) then you don't need to give the child dairy. That's what our evolutionary ancestors did prior to the development of dairy farming. That's what modern hunter-gatherers do. And when I said "on demand" I mean on demand, not on a schedule, i.e. feed the child every time they want to feed (their body knows what they need).

Seriously children NEED milk in their diet. For the first year of life, it has to be human milk or a formula that's specifically designed for infant feeding (plain cows milk is not enough) - then from age one they need milk, and by that I mean animal milk, not a substitute, unless it's a substitute that's medically suitable for kids who are allergic to animal milks.

I do not agree with replacing animal milks with plant based milks for children under the age of 6. After the age of 6, they don't need dairy, and hunter-gatherers don't typically breastfeed their kids past this age, and they have no kind of milk in their diet at all other than breast milk up to age 6. Kids are not growing so fast by then and their nutritional needs are closer to that of an adult's.

Bear in mind that even giving kids cows (or any animal's) milk and dairy products is actually a substitute for human milk. So giving plant milk instead of animal milk to kids under six is a substitute for a substitute. If you really object that much to your 15 month old baby having animal milks, give her human milk instead. You can re-lactate if you have already quit breastfeeding (La Leche League has information on how to do that). If you don't want to breastfeed her, then give her animal milk. Let her decide for herself when she's older if she wants to be vegan or not.

What can a child get from animal milk that isn't also present in plant milks? Both are fortified. Besides, the American Dietetic Association states that vegetarian AND vegan diets are appropriate for ALL ages, from infancy to adulthood when properly planned. Properly planned is the key phrase there.. but that applies to ANY diet. A whole foods plant based diet is more beneficial to a child than a child living off of chicken nuggets and chocolate milk.. yet the parent giving the plant based diet would be the one criticized.

shanteel612

May people do not have the enzymes to digest cows milk. That is because cows milk is made perfectly for cow babies.
If you do research you will see lots of folks saying there are few to know benefits of drinking cows milk. Plus, if you read about what is incows milk you will not want it anymore.

CoachReddy

I am currently trying to educate myself further and I feel like going vegetarian is going to be the best course of action for myself.

I am Mama to a 15-month old and while I understand that children and adults have very different nutritional needs, I am curious to see if there is anyone who feeds their child(ren) a vegetarian diet and just exactly how you go about doing so in a very meat-driven world.

Right now, she eats like us: a mostly vegetable-based diet, with some poultry, seafood and minimal red meat in the mix.

Also curious to hear from those who have eliminated cow's milk and how you properly provide for yourself and your child.

I am aware that I should not make any drastic changes to our diets, hers especially, without medical consultation. This discussion isn't to replace that, just to supplement and get some ideas brewing/clarified.

Thanks for the input!

I'm actually quite interested to hear the answers about milk... because children ARE meant to drink some form of milk even if adults aren't (evolutionarily speaking). How would you replace what's lost by eliminating milk for children? Soy and other veggie varieties simply don't have the same nutritional profile. As a veggie fan myself, I'm legitimately curious.

If you breastfeed the child on demand until their permanent teeth start to grow (age 5.5 - 6 yrs) then you don't need to give the child dairy. That's what our evolutionary ancestors did prior to the development of dairy farming. That's what modern hunter-gatherers do. And when I said "on demand" I mean on demand, not on a schedule, i.e. feed the child every time they want to feed (their body knows what they need).

Seriously children NEED milk in their diet. For the first year of life, it has to be human milk or a formula that's specifically designed for infant feeding (plain cows milk is not enough) - then from age one they need milk, and by that I mean animal milk, not a substitute, unless it's a substitute that's medically suitable for kids who are allergic to animal milks.

I do not agree with replacing animal milks with plant based milks for children under the age of 6. After the age of 6, they don't need dairy, and hunter-gatherers don't typically breastfeed their kids past this age, and they have no kind of milk in their diet at all other than breast milk up to age 6. Kids are not growing so fast by then and their nutritional needs are closer to that of an adult's.

Bear in mind that even giving kids cows (or any animal's) milk and dairy products is actually a substitute for human milk. So giving plant milk instead of animal milk to kids under six is a substitute for a substitute. If you really object that much to your 15 month old baby having animal milks, give her human milk instead. You can re-lactate if you have already quit breastfeeding (La Leche League has information on how to do that). If you don't want to breastfeed her, then give her animal milk. Let her decide for herself when she's older if she wants to be vegan or not.

What can a child get from animal milk that isn't also present in plant milks? Both are fortified. Besides, the American Dietetic Association states that vegetarian AND vegan diets are appropriate for ALL ages, from infancy to adulthood when properly planned. Properly planned is the key phrase there.. but that applies to ANY diet. A whole foods plant based diet is more beneficial to a child than a child living off of chicken nuggets and chocolate milk.. yet the parent giving the plant based diet would be the one criticized.

well... to be honest, you're right in that most children aren't getting much benefit from milk because it's been processed so heavily. Skim milk is damn near useless besides the calcium.

in actuality kids should be drinking raw, unpasteurized milk, but that stuff's expensive as hell.

neandermagnon

I am currently trying to educate myself further and I feel like going vegetarian is going to be the best course of action for myself.

I am Mama to a 15-month old and while I understand that children and adults have very different nutritional needs, I am curious to see if there is anyone who feeds their child(ren) a vegetarian diet and just exactly how you go about doing so in a very meat-driven world.

Right now, she eats like us: a mostly vegetable-based diet, with some poultry, seafood and minimal red meat in the mix.

Also curious to hear from those who have eliminated cow's milk and how you properly provide for yourself and your child.

I am aware that I should not make any drastic changes to our diets, hers especially, without medical consultation. This discussion isn't to replace that, just to supplement and get some ideas brewing/clarified.

Thanks for the input!

I'm actually quite interested to hear the answers about milk... because children ARE meant to drink some form of milk even if adults aren't (evolutionarily speaking). How would you replace what's lost by eliminating milk for children? Soy and other veggie varieties simply don't have the same nutritional profile. As a veggie fan myself, I'm legitimately curious.

If you breastfeed the child on demand until their permanent teeth start to grow (age 5.5 - 6 yrs) then you don't need to give the child dairy. That's what our evolutionary ancestors did prior to the development of dairy farming. That's what modern hunter-gatherers do. And when I said "on demand" I mean on demand, not on a schedule, i.e. feed the child every time they want to feed (their body knows what they need).

Seriously children NEED milk in their diet. For the first year of life, it has to be human milk or a formula that's specifically designed for infant feeding (plain cows milk is not enough) - then from age one they need milk, and by that I mean animal milk, not a substitute, unless it's a substitute that's medically suitable for kids who are allergic to animal milks.

I do not agree with replacing animal milks with plant based milks for children under the age of 6. After the age of 6, they don't need dairy, and hunter-gatherers don't typically breastfeed their kids past this age, and they have no kind of milk in their diet at all other than breast milk up to age 6. Kids are not growing so fast by then and their nutritional needs are closer to that of an adult's.

Bear in mind that even giving kids cows (or any animal's) milk and dairy products is actually a substitute for human milk. So giving plant milk instead of animal milk to kids under six is a substitute for a substitute. If you really object that much to your 15 month old baby having animal milks, give her human milk instead. You can re-lactate if you have already quit breastfeeding (La Leche League has information on how to do that). If you don't want to breastfeed her, then give her animal milk. Let her decide for herself when she's older if she wants to be vegan or not.

What can a child get from animal milk that isn't also present in plant milks? Both are fortified. Besides, the American Dietetic Association states that vegetarian AND vegan diets are appropriate for ALL ages, from infancy to adulthood when properly planned. Properly planned is the key phrase there.. but that applies to ANY diet. A whole foods plant based diet is more beneficial to a child than a child living off of chicken nuggets and chocolate milk.. yet the parent giving the plant based diet would be the one criticized.

Why not breastfeed your child until they're 6 then? Why give them a substitute for a substitute?

The most natural thing, what our evolutionary ancestors did, was to breastfeed children until age 6. There are proven benefits of breastfeeding up to age two, which is why the world health organisation recommend breastfeeding until age 2. That's comparing breast milk to animal milk formulas, which are fortified. Breast milk is better even than fortified animal milk.

Animal milk, the result of millions of years of mammalian evolution, is far more nutritious than plant milk. Plant milks are man made substitutes that don't come close to replicating animal milks. Fortified plant milks are based on the nutritional needs of adults, not the nutritional needs of small children. Adults and children over six don't need any kind of milk. However baby mammals, which include humans, need milk. Human milk of course is the best, but after age 2 animal milk seems to be just as good. Plant milk? Even fortified they are not going to be replacing all the nutrition that's in milk. You animal rights people love animals, but would you feed a baby chimpanzee on plant milk? Or would you feed it on chimpanzee milk? If there was no chimpanzee milk available, would animal milk or plant milk be better for the baby chimpanzee? Humans are baby mammals. Humans have an extended childhood, so a young human needs milk until age 6, rather than a few months or a couple of years like most mammals, but they still need milk. And seriously, you really think that fortified man made plant milk can replace what's taken millions of years to evolve?

Infant formulas that are not based on animal milks are only available on prescription in the UK, because doctors don't want vegans or other dairy haters giving them to healthy kids who are capable of digesting animal milk formulas, because they are nutritionally inferior. They are only for babies who can't have cows milk for medical reasons and also can't be breastfed. And they are a substitute for a substitute.

I think parents who feed their kids nothing but chicken nuggets and chocolate milk are criticised, especially on forums like this. Start a thread "is it okay to feed my kids on chicken nuggets and chocolate milk?" and see what response you get.

But most of all, if you want your child to never have dairy products, why not breastfeed them until they're six? That would be the most healthy, nutritious and natural alternative to giving your child dairy. Honestly, I have so much admiration for mothers who breastfeed their kids full term. Mine were breastfed until age 2 and 2.5, and have had cows milk dairy (locally farmed) since then. But the best solution for vegan kids surely is full term breastfeeding?

neandermagnon

well... to be honest, you're right in that most children aren't getting much benefit from milk because it's been processed so heavily. Skim milk is damn near useless besides the calcium.

in actuality kids should be drinking raw, unpasteurized milk, but that stuff's expensive as hell.

raw unpasteurised human milk is free if you're the mother of the child (99% of the time), and it's adapted for the specific needs of human babies and human small children, which cows milk isn't. 99% of mothers are able to breastfeed, with the right support. La Leche League have a lot of good information, including how to re-lactate, and they're supportive of vegan diets for mothers, so I'm sure they'll have information about how a vegan mother can ensure she gets enough nutrition to make milk for her child for 6 years.

CoachReddy

well... to be honest, you're right in that most children aren't getting much benefit from milk because it's been processed so heavily. Skim milk is damn near useless besides the calcium.

in actuality kids should be drinking raw, unpasteurized milk, but that stuff's expensive as hell.

raw unpasteurised human milk is free if you're the mother of the child (99% of the time), and it's adapted for the specific needs of human babies and human small children, which cows milk isn't. 99% of mothers are able to breastfeed, with the right support. La Leche League have a lot of good information, including how to re-lactate, and they're supportive of vegan diets for mothers, so I'm sure they'll have information about how a vegan mother can ensure she gets enough nutrition to make milk for her child for 6 years.

i agree with you in theory... societal norms, however, make this tough...

neandermagnon

well... to be honest, you're right in that most children aren't getting much benefit from milk because it's been processed so heavily. Skim milk is damn near useless besides the calcium.

in actuality kids should be drinking raw, unpasteurized milk, but that stuff's expensive as hell.

raw unpasteurised human milk is free if you're the mother of the child (99% of the time), and it's adapted for the specific needs of human babies and human small children, which cows milk isn't. 99% of mothers are able to breastfeed, with the right support. La Leche League have a lot of good information, including how to re-lactate, and they're supportive of vegan diets for mothers, so I'm sure they'll have information about how a vegan mother can ensure she gets enough nutrition to make milk for her child for 6 years.

i agree with you in theory... societal norms, however, make this tough...

IMO that's a seriously bad problem in the west today. Society's norms are seriously messed up when the most natural way to feed kids is seen as freaky and weird. And the women who are trying to reverse these norms by promoting full term breastfeeding and trying to enable mothers to be able to publicly breastfeed their babies and small children are portrayed as freaky weirdos or even exhibitionists. All these mothers want to do is feed their kids in the most natural way, and not be seen as a weirdo for doing that. I know how hard it can be, I've been there myself. And I only breastfed mine until they were two (eldest) and two and a half (2nd child). If either of them had been unable to digest dairy for whatever reason, I would have attempted the full six years (albeit probably expressing it and giving it to them in cups when they got a bit older... but that would have only been as a result of social pressure and wanting them to not be different to other kids).....

leahwonderful

My children have both been vegan since birth. I breastfed one until 3.5 years and one until around a year - both weaned themselves. They drink soy milk currently.

Both kids are incredibly happy and healthy. They are appropriate weights and heights for their age/genetics. Their physician confirms this.

They eat a wide variety of food (lots of fruits and vegetables) and are more willing to try new foods than a lot of their friends. This might not be so much a product of veganism but probably comes from the type of food we make around the house. We try to eat healthy food most of the time, but we do eat vegan junk food from time to time as well.

They have never complained about being vegan. We usually bring along food/treats to birthday parties and things like that. We also don't get too wound up if they happen to eat something that isn't completely vegan when we are at someone else's house. We definitely subscribe to the "do the best that you can with the situation that you are in" philosophy. For us, not being militant about it makes it a part of our life, but not run our life as a family.

LoseYouself

I am currently trying to educate myself further and I feel like going vegetarian is going to be the best course of action for myself.

I am Mama to a 15-month old and while I understand that children and adults have very different nutritional needs, I am curious to see if there is anyone who feeds their child(ren) a vegetarian diet and just exactly how you go about doing so in a very meat-driven world.

Right now, she eats like us: a mostly vegetable-based diet, with some poultry, seafood and minimal red meat in the mix.

Also curious to hear from those who have eliminated cow's milk and how you properly provide for yourself and your child.

I am aware that I should not make any drastic changes to our diets, hers especially, without medical consultation. This discussion isn't to replace that, just to supplement and get some ideas brewing/clarified.

Thanks for the input!

I'm actually quite interested to hear the answers about milk... because children ARE meant to drink some form of milk even if adults aren't (evolutionarily speaking). How would you replace what's lost by eliminating milk for children? Soy and other veggie varieties simply don't have the same nutritional profile. As a veggie fan myself, I'm legitimately curious.

If you breastfeed the child on demand until their permanent teeth start to grow (age 5.5 - 6 yrs) then you don't need to give the child dairy. That's what our evolutionary ancestors did prior to the development of dairy farming. That's what modern hunter-gatherers do. And when I said "on demand" I mean on demand, not on a schedule, i.e. feed the child every time they want to feed (their body knows what they need).

Seriously children NEED milk in their diet. For the first year of life, it has to be human milk or a formula that's specifically designed for infant feeding (plain cows milk is not enough) - then from age one they need milk, and by that I mean animal milk, not a substitute, unless it's a substitute that's medically suitable for kids who are allergic to animal milks.

I do not agree with replacing animal milks with plant based milks for children under the age of 6. After the age of 6, they don't need dairy, and hunter-gatherers don't typically breastfeed their kids past this age, and they have no kind of milk in their diet at all other than breast milk up to age 6. Kids are not growing so fast by then and their nutritional needs are closer to that of an adult's.

Bear in mind that even giving kids cows (or any animal's) milk and dairy products is actually a substitute for human milk. So giving plant milk instead of animal milk to kids under six is a substitute for a substitute. If you really object that much to your 15 month old baby having animal milks, give her human milk instead. You can re-lactate if you have already quit breastfeeding (La Leche League has information on how to do that). If you don't want to breastfeed her, then give her animal milk. Let her decide for herself when she's older if she wants to be vegan or not.

What can a child get from animal milk that isn't also present in plant milks? Both are fortified. Besides, the American Dietetic Association states that vegetarian AND vegan diets are appropriate for ALL ages, from infancy to adulthood when properly planned. Properly planned is the key phrase there.. but that applies to ANY diet. A whole foods plant based diet is more beneficial to a child than a child living off of chicken nuggets and chocolate milk.. yet the parent giving the plant based diet would be the one criticized.

Why not breastfeed your child until they're 6 then? Why give them a substitute for a substitute?

The most natural thing, what our evolutionary ancestors did, was to breastfeed children until age 6. There are proven benefits of breastfeeding up to age two, which is why the world health organisation recommend breastfeeding until age 2. That's comparing breast milk to animal milk formulas, which are fortified. Breast milk is better even than fortified animal milk.

Animal milk, the result of millions of years of mammalian evolution, is far more nutritious than plant milk. Plant milks are man made substitutes that don't come close to replicating animal milks. Fortified plant milks are based on the nutritional needs of adults, not the nutritional needs of small children. Adults and children over six don't need any kind of milk. However baby mammals, which include humans, need milk. Human milk of course is the best, but after age 2 animal milk seems to be just as good. Plant milk? Even fortified they are not going to be replacing all the nutrition that's in milk. You animal rights people love animals, but would you feed a baby chimpanzee on plant milk? Or would you feed it on chimpanzee milk? If there was no chimpanzee milk available, would animal milk or plant milk be better for the baby chimpanzee? Humans are baby mammals. Humans have an extended childhood, so a young human needs milk until age 6, rather than a few months or a couple of years like most mammals, but they still need milk. And seriously, you really think that fortified man made plant milk can replace what's taken millions of years to evolve?

Infant formulas that are not based on animal milks are only available on prescription in the UK, because doctors don't want vegans or other dairy haters giving them to healthy kids who are capable of digesting animal milk formulas, because they are nutritionally inferior. They are only for babies who can't have cows milk for medical reasons and also can't be breastfed. And they are a substitute for a substitute.

I think parents who feed their kids nothing but chicken nuggets and chocolate milk are criticised, especially on forums like this. Start a thread "is it okay to feed my kids on chicken nuggets and chocolate milk?" and see what response you get.

But most of all, if you want your child to never have dairy products, why not breastfeed them until they're six? That would be the most healthy, nutritious and natural alternative to giving your child dairy. Honestly, I have so much admiration for mothers who breastfeed their kids full term. Mine were breastfed until age 2 and 2.5, and have had cows milk dairy (locally farmed) since then. But the best solution for vegan kids surely is full term breastfeeding?

We'll have to agree to disagree.

Besides saying it's nutritious, you did not state which benefits there are to animal milk that you cannot get from plant milk. Animal milk is fortified. It's is not a substitute for a substitute. Both are equal substitutes. A baby will die if only fed cow's milk, yet thrives on breast milk. They are so vastly different. Obviously breast feeding is ideal, but it's not realistic to breast feed for 6 years. Many children are raised without consuming dairy, or are raised vegan and are happy, healthy. So saying it's needed is a false statement. Children who are lactose intolerant (therefore not consuming dairy after ending breast feeding) also develop normal and healthy. It CAN be consumed based on individual choice, but isn't essential in any way.

dillydally123

I was a vegetarian from age seven or eight and before that we ate meat maybe twice a week. My mother is an awesome cook and was well educated about or nutritional needs. Lots of seeds, nuts, beans and pulses. We never ate more than two eggs a week but regularly had cheese and yoghurt . I'm a carnivore now but I think I was a super healthy child.

neandermagnon

I am currently trying to educate myself further and I feel like going vegetarian is going to be the best course of action for myself.

I am Mama to a 15-month old and while I understand that children and adults have very different nutritional needs, I am curious to see if there is anyone who feeds their child(ren) a vegetarian diet and just exactly how you go about doing so in a very meat-driven world.

Right now, she eats like us: a mostly vegetable-based diet, with some poultry, seafood and minimal red meat in the mix.

Also curious to hear from those who have eliminated cow's milk and how you properly provide for yourself and your child.

I am aware that I should not make any drastic changes to our diets, hers especially, without medical consultation. This discussion isn't to replace that, just to supplement and get some ideas brewing/clarified.

Thanks for the input!

I'm actually quite interested to hear the answers about milk... because children ARE meant to drink some form of milk even if adults aren't (evolutionarily speaking). How would you replace what's lost by eliminating milk for children? Soy and other veggie varieties simply don't have the same nutritional profile. As a veggie fan myself, I'm legitimately curious.

If you breastfeed the child on demand until their permanent teeth start to grow (age 5.5 - 6 yrs) then you don't need to give the child dairy. That's what our evolutionary ancestors did prior to the development of dairy farming. That's what modern hunter-gatherers do. And when I said "on demand" I mean on demand, not on a schedule, i.e. feed the child every time they want to feed (their body knows what they need).

Seriously children NEED milk in their diet. For the first year of life, it has to be human milk or a formula that's specifically designed for infant feeding (plain cows milk is not enough) - then from age one they need milk, and by that I mean animal milk, not a substitute, unless it's a substitute that's medically suitable for kids who are allergic to animal milks.

I do not agree with replacing animal milks with plant based milks for children under the age of 6. After the age of 6, they don't need dairy, and hunter-gatherers don't typically breastfeed their kids past this age, and they have no kind of milk in their diet at all other than breast milk up to age 6. Kids are not growing so fast by then and their nutritional needs are closer to that of an adult's.

Bear in mind that even giving kids cows (or any animal's) milk and dairy products is actually a substitute for human milk. So giving plant milk instead of animal milk to kids under six is a substitute for a substitute. If you really object that much to your 15 month old baby having animal milks, give her human milk instead. You can re-lactate if you have already quit breastfeeding (La Leche League has information on how to do that). If you don't want to breastfeed her, then give her animal milk. Let her decide for herself when she's older if she wants to be vegan or not.

What can a child get from animal milk that isn't also present in plant milks? Both are fortified. Besides, the American Dietetic Association states that vegetarian AND vegan diets are appropriate for ALL ages, from infancy to adulthood when properly planned. Properly planned is the key phrase there.. but that applies to ANY diet. A whole foods plant based diet is more beneficial to a child than a child living off of chicken nuggets and chocolate milk.. yet the parent giving the plant based diet would be the one criticized.

Why not breastfeed your child until they're 6 then? Why give them a substitute for a substitute?

The most natural thing, what our evolutionary ancestors did, was to breastfeed children until age 6. There are proven benefits of breastfeeding up to age two, which is why the world health organisation recommend breastfeeding until age 2. That's comparing breast milk to animal milk formulas, which are fortified. Breast milk is better even than fortified animal milk.

Animal milk, the result of millions of years of mammalian evolution, is far more nutritious than plant milk. Plant milks are man made substitutes that don't come close to replicating animal milks. Fortified plant milks are based on the nutritional needs of adults, not the nutritional needs of small children. Adults and children over six don't need any kind of milk. However baby mammals, which include humans, need milk. Human milk of course is the best, but after age 2 animal milk seems to be just as good. Plant milk? Even fortified they are not going to be replacing all the nutrition that's in milk. You animal rights people love animals, but would you feed a baby chimpanzee on plant milk? Or would you feed it on chimpanzee milk? If there was no chimpanzee milk available, would animal milk or plant milk be better for the baby chimpanzee? Humans are baby mammals. Humans have an extended childhood, so a young human needs milk until age 6, rather than a few months or a couple of years like most mammals, but they still need milk. And seriously, you really think that fortified man made plant milk can replace what's taken millions of years to evolve?

Infant formulas that are not based on animal milks are only available on prescription in the UK, because doctors don't want vegans or other dairy haters giving them to healthy kids who are capable of digesting animal milk formulas, because they are nutritionally inferior. They are only for babies who can't have cows milk for medical reasons and also can't be breastfed. And they are a substitute for a substitute.

I think parents who feed their kids nothing but chicken nuggets and chocolate milk are criticised, especially on forums like this. Start a thread "is it okay to feed my kids on chicken nuggets and chocolate milk?" and see what response you get.

But most of all, if you want your child to never have dairy products, why not breastfeed them until they're six? That would be the most healthy, nutritious and natural alternative to giving your child dairy. Honestly, I have so much admiration for mothers who breastfeed their kids full term. Mine were breastfed until age 2 and 2.5, and have had cows milk dairy (locally farmed) since then. But the best solution for vegan kids surely is full term breastfeeding?

We'll have to agree to disagree.

Besides saying it's nutritious, you did not state which benefits there are to animal milk that you cannot get from plant milk. Animal milk is fortified. It's is not a substitute for a substitute. Both are equal substitutes. A baby will die if only fed cow's milk, yet thrives on breast milk. They are so vastly different. Obviously breast feeding is ideal, but it's not realistic to breast feed for 6 years. Many children are raised without consuming dairy, or are raised vegan and are happy, healthy. So saying it's needed is a false statement. Children who are lactose intolerant (therefore not consuming dairy after ending breast feeding) also develop normal and healthy. It CAN be consumed based on individual choice, but isn't essential in any way.

Are you making this choice because it's the only alternative for the child, or because of your personal beliefs about dairy and animal products? Children who *can't* have animal milks, well they have to have substitutes, and in the UK this is only done under a doctor's prescription and supervision. Children who can eat animal milks, but are given non-dairy substitutes without a doctors prescription... well honestly, is that's what's best for the child? Seriously? Again, are you doing this because it's the only choice you have, or because you're pushing your beliefs on your child?

Many children are indeed raised without eating dairy in many cultures around the world, they are also breastfed until they are around age six. Prior to the invention of dairy farming, all kids were breastfed until this age.

And you're missing the point if you're saying "what nutrient" - I could get all my nutrition from protein powder and vitamin pills, but are you seriously suggesting that's just as good as eating real food? Are you seriously suggesting that giving your child a substitute for what they evolved to eat is just as good? It is a substitute for a substitute. Animal milks are a substitute for breast milk, and plant milks are a substitute for animal milks. And each one is less nutritious than the one they're being a substitute for. Animal milks are not adapted not adapted to the specific needs of baby humans, but at least they're adapted for baby mammals, which is something. Plant milks did not evolve to feed any kind of baby mammal, they're man made. Fortifying them does not replace millions of years of evolution.

Breastfeeding for 6 years in the west may be difficult, you may be faced with disapproving stares or even outright hostility, but it's still possible if you have the will to do it, unless you're in the 1% of women who cannot breastfeed due to medical issues. (most issues like supply problems can be resolved with the right help and support.... I'll plug La Leche League again, they're fantastic)

Anyway, you've clearly made up your mind already, so no point me keeping on saying the same thing. I don't usually bother to argue about stuff like this on internet forums, but in this case it's not about vegans (or any other restrictive dieters) choosing to not eat whatever they want to not eat, it's about baby mammals being deprived what baby mammals evolved to eat. If you did that to any species other than human, it'd be considered cruel....

agree to disagree is what I'd do if it was just about an adult's choice of what an adult eats. But it's not, it's about growing kids. But I'm not going to reply again, even if you continue to disagree with me....

anaboneana

Yes it is. The OP wants to know what examples of vegetarian food are good for their child and themselves.

Hmm... I guess we have different levels of reading comprehension

Also curious to hear from those who have eliminated cow's milk and how you properly provide for yourself and your child.

sounds like she wants to hear from people who have eliminated it. doesn't sound like you fit the bill.

Sorry about this OP - let's get back on topic.

came into this thread out of interest (my friend is trying to raise her child on a vegetarian diet) and was amused by how much of a **** you seem to be, coach. you get really defensive after someone disagrees with you.. how odd.

anyways.. back to the topic..

FITBY30

...this is why i private messaged you, like i said this types of thread always get nasty. why cant people give advice or opinions without getting nasty or offensive? noone i telling anyone what to eat, just giving an opinion on what they feel is more healthy. i hope you continue to educate yourself and find what i right for you and your child:)

GuybrushThreepw00d

Carry on feeding your child a balanced diet that includes meat. Unless they are allergic, then you should wait until they are old enough to make their own decision.
Whatever your reasons for being a vegetarian, it's not natural (have you not watched the lion king, it's all explained in the first 10 minutes ) - and i wouldn't force that on a child.

foraubs

If you breastfeed the child on demand until their permanent teeth start to grow (age 5.5 - 6 yrs) then you don't need to give the child dairy.

Unfortunately I am/was physically unable to breastfeed.
This is why the topic is so important to be because now that she is over a year old and almost completely done the transition away from formula, I need to focus on what is most important for her.
I understand the benefits of all of the fats in cow's milk for brain development among other things, but isn't it strange that we're the only species that suckles from another species? And let's not forget all of the added hormones that are pumped into cows and the unavoidable trickle-down effect.

foraubs

If you go to PETAs website, they have a very informative section on becoming vegetarian/vegan with a lot of resources, recipes, etc

Thanks for the suggestion!

foraubs

read forks over knives. my son eats alot healthier with us at dinner now.

hey those documentary's worked on my teenager as well, she now pays attention to what she puts in her body.

I'll have a look for that title, thanks guys!

foraubs

Me and my boyfriend are vegetarians and we have a 2 year old daughter. I don't eliminate meat from her diet. If she wants chicken I make her chicken. But she doesn't eat meat everyday. I want to give her a healthy life style but also did not want to make her choices. she has choices but from the variety of healthy foods.

I understand and agree with this.
However, at nearly 15-months, my daughter has a limited vocabulary and hasn't started asking for specific foods (unless she sees someone eating it and wants some.)
I generally give her a variety to choose from. Lunch, for example, I'll place a couple of small pieces of cheese on her plate alongside some grilled chicken, whatever the veggies of the day are and some fruit. I'd say 75-80% of the time the chicken is leftover on her plate and everything else is gone.
When she is old enough to make her choices, I fully intend on letting her do that ... but until then, I'm wondering which avenue to take.