Team Veggie: Raising Vegetarian Kids

June is National Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Month- as are most months, in our house. I’ve been a Vegetarian for the majority of my life; beginning Thanksgiving Day the year I turned 13. The last meat I ate was chicken in the form of a sandwich from Chick Fil A- so don’t worry, Carnivores, I went out with a bang.

My husband is a Bacon- Loving- Chicken- Tender- Orderer- Who- Eats- His- Weight- In- Chicken- Fried- Steaks- In- Tallahassee- Every- Football- Season. I don’t care. Like, really, not at all. But, being that I’ve spent the last 19 years asking people to leave the bacon off my spinach salad, I don’t have any idea how to cook meat. (Again- Like, really, not at all.) If it can be purchased pre-cooked or frozen, he gets it.

"So what made you decide to be a Vegetarian?"
“So what made you decide to be a Vegetarian?”

If not, he’ll have to order in or wait until we eat out. And he’s fine with that, just like I’m fine with the fact that people don’t cook me an entirely separate meal when I’m invited over for dinner. We’ve chosen our respective sides and have zero interest in trying to convince the other.

But now we have a third party. A one year old who’s entire nutritional landscape is somehow up to us. When babies first start solid foods, fruits and veggies are the norm. Mac started with sweet potatoes and avocado and nobody gave introducing meat- still several months away at that point- a second thought.

At least, Derek and I didn’t. It seemed like everyone else in our lives, on the other hand, could think of nothing else. Every Facebook picture of our cute pumpkin puree covered baby received at least one comment asking if he was going to be a Vegetarian. Every time I responded to a text message inquiring what I was up to with a casual, “Just finished feeding Mac,” it was met with, “So is he going to eat meat?” The truth was, my husband and I just didn’t know.

It would be easier, thought this mama, to try a raise him Team Veggie. Less reading labels, less trying to figure out exactly which of these pre-made beef and chicken concoctions were safest. (“Hi, I’m a Vegetarian. Could you please point me to your Salmonella-Free section? I’m trying not to kill my child.”) Maybe it would even squash the unavoidable Chicken Nugget Phase before it had a chance to begin.

Our initial meat failure. I mean, would you want this for lunch?
Our initial meat failure.
I mean, would you want this for lunch?

I did my research, reading countless articles and books on the subject, learning exactly how much protein the typical vegetarian baby needs and which vitamins and minerals might have to be supplemented if my child was not raised eating meat. I asked questions about the experiences of other Vegetarian parents on social media sites and blogs. I worried about iron deficiency and the inevitable birthday parties and sleepovers. And one day (of many), at Target, I bought a pouch of Happy Family Chick Chick because I liked the name and why the heck not.

Mac hated it. Detested it. My kid who had 4 teeth at 4 months and, up until now, had eaten anything we put in front of him Spit. It. Right. Out.

Instead of being gleeful and smug that this baby of mine had “chosen” his mama’s ways, I found myself feeling weirdly disappointed. Worried that I’d somehow already forced this often difficult choice on him, dooming him to a life of bringing PB&J from home to years of future birthday parties just in case.

I'll tell you one thing, he doesn't smile like that for Beef Pouches!
I’ll tell you one thing, he doesn’t smile like that for Beef Pouches!

So the next time I was in Target, I bought a Plum Organics pouch, this time with chicken and leeks. (And Tarragon. Pinkies up, Babies!) The next time, it was some organic lunchmeat from Trader Joes, then a beef something or other in tomato sauce. We’re still trying; He’s still turning up his nose at almost everything- except for slivers of pulled pork from Lola’s Burrito Joint, or bites of wings from other people’s plates. Still, suddenly, I am resolute: This Kid Will Eat Everything. 

I realized that, like my oh-so-carnivorous Texan parents, it is up to me to feed this little human the best way I can, then let him grow to make his own choices about what is food and what is friend.

And, hope, of course, that he sides with Mom. 

Are you raising your little ones to be Vegetarians or Vegans? What impacted your decision, if so?

Erin
Born in The Great State of Texas, Erin grew up in Jensen Beach, Florida. After graduating from Florida State University (Go, Noles!), she managed to wrangle herself a career in fashion management and HR; one that allowed her to live in her favorite places- Ft. Lauderdale, Los Angeles, Austin, Chicago, Palm Beach, & Newport Beach- before her husband, Derek, caught on to her plan. The couple moved to Jacksonville in 2013 for Derek’s second career in the Navy, where they now live happily as a party of four: their son, Mac, joined them in 2014 and their daughter, Josie, came less than two years later. Erin spends her weekends exploring Jacksonville with the fam, her weekdays learning how to be a Stay At Home Mom who’s never at home, and her nights knee-deep in t-shirt designs for Brindle &The Blonde- with one eye on the video monitor, of course.

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