What are your thoughts on Vegitarians not giving/giving their children meat?

I personally like my children to try everything (not a veggo here), but I guess if it's not in the house you can't give it to them. I think it's their own choice what they feed their kids.

Well, just like everything else with parenting, it's a choice that every parent has a right to make, based on their personal beliefs. I equate it with parents who choose to allow their kids to have coke or not, watch only certain shows or cartoons, etc... it's all based on personal beliefs about how our kids should be raised. I am FAR from a veggie, so I don't know much about the nutritional aspect, but as long as the child is taking vitamins (As I think all kids should!) and being given a variety of foods, I think it's fine if that's what the parent chooses. The only time I'd ever view it as bad is if the child is suffering with anemia or other issues related to not receiving proper foods and nutrition.

I like what Dennis Leary said

"eating meat is an instinct, not eating meat is a choice"

So should we give our children meat and let them choose or not give it to them and let them choose later?

i agree, i think you should let them try all sorts of foods despite yer personal preference and once they get old enough to decide if they want to eat meat or not, it will be their decision. even though they are children, they are still their own person and should be allowed to make some decisions.
there are lots of things i don't like to eat, but i will still expose my unborn son to different types of food and let him be the judge.

I think its great. Its a lifestyle choice. Just like there are a lot of parenting choices that some people don't like, but doesn't necessarily make them bad. Some people swear up and down that vegetarianism is bad for children, yet there are thousands of children that are raised veggie and are perfectly healthy adults now. Its just a parenting choice. Being veggie is perfectly healthy for a child if done the right way. Just like its perfectly healthy for an adult. Just like some parents choose to spank and others don't. Or some parents choose to homeschool and others don't, etc. And like with religion, many will raise their children by THEIR religion, and when the kid is old enough, they can choose for themselves. I see vegetarianism the same way. If I have kids, I WILL raise them Vegan. If they want to eat meat later in life when they are old enough, that will be their choice.

i dont see anything wrong with it just i hope thy give thier kids the supplement to take place of what they are supposed to get from the meat

I don't really care as long as they're getting balanced nutrition. That's easy to do, even without eating meat. I was a vegetarian for years, it was the healthiest I've ever been in my life.

I think its a choice that the parents make.

Just like everything else in a childs life.. it is the parents that have to decide what is best for their child.

I don't really care as long as they're getting balanced nutrition. That's easy to do, even without eating meat. I was a vegetarian for years, it was the healthiest I've ever been in my life.

I agree, I was a vegetarian for over four years, and I've never been so healthy. And you'd be surprised the amount of nutrition you can get from veggies and other supplements. You really DON'T need meat. In fact, the ONLY contributor to high cholesterol is meat or other products from animals. Nothing else. Thats enough reason right there for me not to give my kids meat. As it is, I really try to eat mainly chicken or fish. The less red meat, the better.

I'm seriously considering going back to veg. :yes I really sucked at getting enough protein in my diet though.

I'm seriously considering going back to veg. :yes I really sucked at getting enough protein in my diet though.


Yeah, and my hubby would prolly have a shit fit if I tried to feed him ONLY veggies. I've just gotten him to START eating veggies AT ALL!!!

I think it makes sense that vegetarians wouldn't give their kids meat, because whats the point of making meat for a child if the rest of the family isn't going to eat it...kwim?? But that would only make sense if both parents were vegetarians...

Other than that, I had friends (twins) that were raised vegetarian... When they got old enough that they could make the decision, one of them decided she LOVES meat, the other is a vegetarian... So, there's nothing wrong with having the kids make the decision later on in life....

Well it is their home if they want to only make one meal and everyone eats it so what. It is no one else's business if they provide healthy meals with meat or healthy meals without meat. I mean veg's don't go around saying "how do you feel about people who eat meat making their children eat meat too?" Because it is ridiculous to say something like that.

You can get protein and everything else without meat it is possible to be healthy and a vegetarian.

Well it is their home if they want to only make one meal and everyone eats it so what. It is no one else's business if they provide healthy meals with meat or healthy meals without meat. I mean veg's don't go around saying "how do you feel about people who eat meat making their children eat meat too?" Because it is ridiculous to say something like that.
You can get protein and everything else without meat it is possible to be healthy and a vegetarian.

I am curious mostly to how veg parents decide. I was watching an episode of house and the parents were like complete vegatarians (no meat, eggs, cheese milk ect) and had their child on the same diet.

I know that there are other ways to get protein, again I was curous.

And I am sure some veg parents do question why non veg parents give their children meat

As long as the kids are getting the right nutrition through other sources I don't see any problem with it. :thumbsup I see so many parents that allow their kids to have so much terrible crap in their diets, that I can't imagine not having meat could be worse, and I'm willing to bet that vegetarian families are far more conscious of nutrition than most.

My parents raised myself, my sister and my brother as vegetarians. I did not eat meat for the first time until I was 23. I eat chicken, turkey and fish but I have never eaten red meat. My sister and brother now eat all forms of meat and my parents are still vegetarians.

In terms of health, my parents did give us vitamins but they probably could have done more to make sure we had a more balanced diet. There were many nights I ate bagels for dinner. But, no one in my immediate family is or has been overweight. Non-vegetarian extended family members have been quite overweight.

DH does eat red meat. We haven't decided what we will do when we have kids, but since DH is the primary chef in our house, they will probably at least be exposed to it. DH cooks only foods I eat at home (which happen to be healthier for him anyways, definitely an added bonus.) We go out to eat fairly frequently and he will usually choose red meat when we are out.

Well I was eating no meat when I had Darian there was nothing to decide I didn't eat meat, so I didn't BUY anything that had animal in it. I was a single mom at the time and I just bought what i needed. That was my point if you are a veg there is nothing to decide just like if you eat meat. My other friend both her and her husband are veg and it wasn't even something they thought about they don't buy it so naturally all three of their kids don't eat it either.

When I got married it was harder and I kind of just gave up on ever getting my DH to adopt a veg lifestyle even though I know it would help him out maybe with the cholesterol and maybe he would not have to take meds to control it.

as long as they're making sure their children get enough protein from another food source, and the kid's not going hungry, i don't care what they feed them!

As long as the children are healthy I see no problem. But I think the child should have a choice in eating meat or not.

I personally think it's a choice that the parents should make. I think that they should give the children meat.

I personally think it's a choice that the parents should make. I think that they should give the children meat.


Why? You can be perfectly healthy without eating meat, people all over the world are doing it. Also, many people refrain from eating meat for religious reasons.

Why? You can be perfectly healthy without eating meat, people all over the world are doing it. Also, many people refrain from eating meat for religious reasons.

yeah but meat is delicious....:yum...seriously, i wouldn't care. I know my son likes tomatoes but the smell and taste make me want to vomit so i don't buy them. i am sure vegans would feel the same.

I like what Dennis Leary said

"eating meat is an instinct, not eating meat is a choice"

So should we give our children meat and let them choose or not give it to them and let them choose later?

Being Christian is a choice, so should parents also wait until a child is able to choose his or her own religion? Parents are there to make choices for their children. Being vegetarian is part of my belief system. And even though eating meat is 'instinct,' I don't believe it is the best choice for my family.


As a vegetarian, I will try to raise my child vegetarian too, and I will always make sure his or her diet is nutritionally balanced first and foremost.

I am actually a former Vegan and so is DS. ;) We can't even call ourselves vegetarians anymore however. We eat chicken at least once or twice a week, we also consume dairy although we do still buy soy often.

Since childhood, I've always thought beef or well, anything red with blood, was absolutely disgusting. I have never wanted to be the kind of parent that forced anything on my child so since infancy DS has had meat put on his plate when we have it. We will never force the issue. Not often will he eat it and that is fine. Red meat he doesn't eat PERIOD and I completely understand. So long as children are healthy and getting the proper amount of vitamins daily, who cares?

I'm a vegetarian but my kids and my hubby aren't.

I have only been one for a little over 2 years and by the time Idecided I would make a go for it my DD was 5. She had consumed lots of meat by that point and she loved it. I didn't feel right taking it away from her. She and my hubby eat the most meat since she buys the school lunches and my hubby will eat at the galley with his division or go get something.

While my boys aren't vegetarians they don't eat a lot of meat. I would say my youngest eats meat 1-2 times a week. And though I will give my oldest son meat there are many times he either doesn't touch it or will take a couple bites and is done. He is more apt to eat the fruit and veggies and on his plate.

I used to have their iron tested when we went to WIC (just found out last week we no longer qualify so no more iron tests there I guess) and they always came back just fine. It was never low.

I make sure that I'm giving them fruit and veggies everyday and they aren't running around eating a bunch of junk food all day.

I do at times make 2 meals, one with and one without meat. Yesterday, I made hoagies. I made veggie ones for me. For everyone else I put on all the veggies I put on mine but I also put on turkey, roast beef, and ham. I also made veggie and cheese herbed rice and corn, black bean, and cheese rice. But I found after the kids were done that they had picked off all the meat and ate the rest.

Being Christian is a choice, so should parents also wait until a child is able to choose his or her own religion? Parents are there to make choices for their children. Being vegetarian is part of my belief system. And even though eating meat is 'instinct,' I don't believe it is the best choice for my family.


As a vegetarian, I will try to raise my child vegetarian too, and I will always make sure his or her diet is nutritionally balanced first and foremost.

Actaully yes! I do think that children should be able to choose their religion. Exposing them to religion until they can make their choice.

Or if you are not religious, not exposing them and letting them choose later.

Actaully yes! I do think that children should be able to choose their religion. Exposing them to religion until they can make their choice.

Or if you are not religious, not exposing them and letting them choose later.

I was just using that as an example. That is a whole different debate, I think. :D I'm just saying that many Christians raise their children Christian because that is what they (the parents) feel is right.

I was raised as a vegetarian and that's how I'll raise my kids. Mainly because I feel it eliminates a lot of junk food options and it can be exceptionally healthy. I know how to eat properly, so I know they'll be healthy.

Besides, personally, since I've never been exposed to it, I find meat absolutely disgusting, and I could not put up with having it in my home and cooking it and... the smell.... But, I wouldn't know how to cook it anyway, so it's a moot point.

If they wanted to eat meat when they were out, I wouldn't be upset or anything. That is their choice once they're old enough. But I wouldn't / won't have it in my house.

BTW, if you don't eat dairy of any kind, you're VEGAN not vegetarian. Vegetarians do not eat meat, but they can eat dairy. A few seemed to be a little confused, so I thought I'd clarify.

BTW, if you don't eat dairy of any kind, you're VEGAN not vegetarian. Vegetarians do not eat meat, but they can eat dairy. A few seemed to be a little confused, so I thought I'd clarify.

Very true. Another misconception is that vegetarians eat seafood. :duh Those are people that "wish" they were vegetarians but are not so commonly known as "pescetarians". lol I knew someone once during the time that I was Vegan that called herself a "hardcore Vegetarian" and then I saw her dig into some chicken. I was like "ummm it counts if it use to be alive". lol She just didn't get it. She swore that chicken and seafood were "okay".

Very true. Another misconception is that vegetarians eat seafood. :duh Those are people that "wish" they were vegetarians but are not so commonly known as "pescetarians". lol I knew someone once during the time that I was Vegan that called herself a "hardcore Vegetarian" and then I saw her dig into some chicken. I was like "ummm it counts if it use to be alive". lol She just didn't get it. She swore that chicken and seafood were "okay".

:yes OMG, that frustrates me so bad. My rm is a pescetarian. Or, as I like to consider her, a flexatarian. She eats fish. It kills me. I was like, I thought you were a freaking vegetarian!? She thinks she is. But, dude, it has eyes, it used to be alive, it's a meat.

But I have a whole tangent about fish 'cos I've been fed it before by places after I've specifically told them I don't eat meat. The response? "It's not meat. It's fish." I had to restrain myself from leaping over the counter and pummeling the person. Luckily, I was weak from wanting to puke over the fish, so I didn't have the fight in me. He would've lost an eye. :vent

As long as the children are healthy, I do not see an issue with it.

I was a vegetarian for a long time, now I only eat chicken breast and fish. If you can give your kids the nutrition they need without feeding them meet, then go ahead. But if you are just going to skip meat, that is a no no to me....

A vegetarian would starve in my house.. Well, maybe not starve, but they'd eat a ton of PB&J..

If a person could afford to supply their family with strictly veggies, that's cool~ good for them! As long as their beebee get protein in other ways that's great. :dunno

Almost every meal I make is vegetarian. When DH is away, the kids are practically vegetarian. So there's you're answer as to how I feel about it. Trust me, they get plenty of nutrients and protein with what I feed them. I'm very conscious about it.

Whatever, is what I say. More venison and beef for my kids :giggle