Parents that Feed their Children Vegetarian Diets

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?

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.

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.

...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:)

I raised both of my children vegetarian (but not vegan) until they were old enough to make an informed choice. Now that they are teenagers, one still is, the other isn't. We followed our pediatrician's recommendations about milk, which I think was whole milk until age 1 or 2 (it's been quite awhile, don't remember for sure), then skim. We didn't eliminate milk from anyone's diet at any point. I would be very concerned about doing that with a growing child unless I knew for certain that they were getting all those nutrients from something else in abundance.

ETA: My kids LOVED silken tofu right out of the box, cut up to gobble as a finger food. They ate a lot of that.

One of the things I learned as a La Leche Leader was to never, ever give a child under the age of one cow's milk. They should only have breast milk or formula. Cow's milk can actually cause diabetes and damage an infant's intestinal tract. I may get some flack for saying that, but it's in my manual that I use for teaching.

Even unpasteurized cow's milk is not designed for the delicate digestive system of an infant. If you can't breastfeed for whatever reason, use formula. Formula, though vastly inferior to breastmilk, is made with the nutritional profile of breastmilk in mind.

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.

Sorry OP. You can eliminate it if you wish. I just wanted to correct Coach's incorrect statement about evolution since he seems to state things as fact that aren't true.
Out of here.

It seems a lot of people struggle with the concept of evolution. It's too bad.