Vegetarian meals for kids, any ideas?!
My sons not favouring our transition to vegetarian food, i have been veggy for over a year now and can't stand the thought of meat in the house.
Anyone have any ideas to tempt my 7 yr olds tastebuds?
Answers: Hi,
My sons not favouring our transition to vegetarian food, i have been veggy for over a year now and can't stand the thought of meat in the house.
Anyone have any ideas to tempt my 7 yr olds tastebuds?
It always fascinates me when these questions come up and you get all the poorly educated people coming out of the woodwork trying to profess that they know better than the experts. The fact is that the BDA (British Dietetic Association) and other dietetic organisations around the world have established that a vegetarian diet can be just as if not more healthy than a meat inclusive one, particularly when you consider the rubbish that many meat eaters will happily consume. Why is that people who have no training in the subject, think they know better than people who have studied nutrition for years, some up to PhD level?
I have two vegetarian children and they eat similar meals to other kids except I'd make it with quorn or soya mince. Quorn is very good - even my meat eater husband is happy to eat that as it's (apparently) a convincing substitute for meat. I use soya mince in casseroles, with couscous, in mixed veggie rice and to make things like veggie burgers. You can use these substitutes to make most meals that would normally be made with meat. Pizzas are very good for kids and can be very healthy.
There is a good book called Veggie Food For Kids by Sara Lewis which has loads of recipes which are suitable for children and for family meals.
let him make his own mind up!!!!!
good idea for vegetairian kids
how about some vegitarian burgers or nuggets? or something like spaghetti or maybe a pub meal out
Pasta , Jacket potato watch big cook little cook lol
Let him choose. Why should his diet suffer just because you don't want to eat meat.
Well idk but here are some suggestions
1 its not gonna be easy hes 7year old and he does need his proteins from the meat he supposed to eat
2. dont even bother giving him anything with vegtables he end up throwing it away
3.as he gets older it will be easier
veggy bacon, veggy nuggets(chicken) and V8 the veggy drink,it tastes oh so good and it is oh so healthy!
spinach artichoke and there are nuggets made of soy in the store.
vegetarian chilli or enchiladas, also quorn meat is really nice so try making a quorn shepards pie or something that he like usually like quorn sausage and mash.
good luck with everything
nicole
xx
Don't force them. just ask them them ONCE not more than once. They will surely tell no. You make their choices but you yourself eat veggies and set an example. Continue this process daily and one day you will suceed.
may he is not ment to be a vegetarian, and should jus let him decide
My mom tricked my little brother with these chicken strip things that were made totaly from vegetables and he didn't know the difference. We aren't vegitarians but he is such a picky eater that tricking him is the only way.
I dunno. Can you really force your kids to have the same views and life decisions as you? This means even if they grow up and want to eat meat, they're bodies won't be able to handle it.
Try something sweet.
Honey Glazed Carrots.
(By Dune 19/2/08)
1 lb. carrots, peeled and diagonally sliced, 12mm thick
3 tbsp. honey.
Cook carrots in small amount of water until barely tender. Drain carrots and drizzle with honey. Cook over low heat for about 1 minute until carrots are glazed and hot. Serves 6.
I would suggest that you do not try to inflict vegitarianism onto your poor son. He has the right to eat a healthy balanced diet. Just because you want stop eating the most delisious part of your meals, it doesn't mean your son should. Allow him to eat meat, and you'll be ok. Even better, stop this stupid idea of becoming a vegeterian and get stuck into a nice jucy veal chop! (English Pink Veal of course)
Do you know how unhealthy it is for a GROWING kid NOT to eat MEAT ???
YOU WILL STUNT HIS GROWTH..... And give him long term health problems....
He needs everything at his age...
For the sake of your kid " GROW UP ".
I grew up on peanut butter and jelly, but it wasn't because my parents were depriving me of meat.
You don't say why you are eliminating meat from your child's diet, only that you can't stand the thought of it. You may wish to consider the health of your children over your own personal tastes.
Yeah...don't force your absurd eating habits on him...let him decide what he wants to eat...afterall a teenager/kid needs real food....not what food eats!
Edit: You said it it's a LIFE CHOICE...the key being choice!!! You aren't proposing giving your child a choice, you are forcing him to eat a particular menu based on YOUR CHOICE not to eat meat. And yes there is some protein available that doesn't come from meat...however meat is by FAR the best source for protein...nothing comes even close to replacing it. BTW: Wife doesn't eat meat, yet doesn't care that I do, because as you mention it's a choice!
well vegeterian meals that are Freakin good would be of course a fruit salad consisting of pineapple, grapes, strawberries, kiwis and bananas and peaches too.. mmmmm. plus don't use spaghetti, try making something they like maybe even pizza with no meat what so ever. lol or how about cheese lasagna. you know what just go ahead and make them some nice vegetable stirfry on a wok if you have one with a big bowl of udon noodles or ramen noodles. it's all good. ^_^
Vegetarian sausages you can get them from most supermarkets, do them with beans and chips and he'll hardly notice the difference. Also, pizza is great for veggies as you can stick loads of vegetables on, eg. sweetcorn, pepper, tomato. However if it is not his choice to be vegetarian think carefully about introducing this change to his diet, he is still young and his system may not cope with the change very well.
You can make a really good shepherds pie, lasagne, etc with the meat substitute Quorn. My kids love it, and have no idea that it isn't meat.
Bean and cheese burritos, macaroni and cheese, tacos with Boca Crumbles instead of beef, salad, potatoes, fruit, etc. That's all I can think of off the top of my head in the ten seconds I have to answer (got to go).
I really think you should talk to your pediatrician.....children really need to be getting the correct amount of iron and protein in their diets for their bodies and brains to grow correctly....I think you really should allow your son to eat meat and if and when he is ready to become a veggie that should be the time you can make diet changes.
Recipe for Kids' Favorite Granola
Guest Author - Jennifer Wolf
In addition to being an excellent portable snack, granola tastes wonderful with yogurt and fresh fruit! Just make sure you add the chocolate chips after the mixture is cooled.
Ingredients:
2 ? Cups old fashioned rolled oats
? Cup sunflower seeds
? Cup wheat germ
? Cup sliced almonds (optional)
? Cup Canola oil
? Cup honey
1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
? Cup raisins
? Cup chocolate chips
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 325° F.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the rolled oats, sunflower seeds, wheat germ, and sliced almonds.
3. In a second mixing bowl, combine the honey, Canola oil, and vanilla extract. Pour this mixture over the dry ingredients and stir until combined.
4. Pour the mixture onto two baking sheets and spread evenly.
5. Bake at 325 F for 25 minutes, or until the granola mixture begins to brown.
6. Hint: Stir the mixture every ten minutes while it is baking!
7. Remove from the oven and let cool for ten minutes.
8. While the mixture is still warm, sprinkle the raisins on top and stir.
9. Allow to cool for twenty more minutes.
10. Add the chocolate chips.
11. Store in an airtight container for up to one week. Or, if you prefer, you may freeze the mixture for up to four months.
Home Style Macaroni and Cheese
INGREDIENTS
* 7 ounces macaroni
* 1/4 cup butter
* 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 2 cups milk
* 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
* 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
* 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
*
* 1 cup dry bread crumbs
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
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DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add macaroni pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
3. In a 3 quart saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and stir in flour. Cook for about 1 minute, until smooth and bubbly; stirring occasionally. Mix in milk, cream cheese, salt, pepper, and Dijon mustard. Continue cooking until sauce is thickened. Add cooked macaroni and Cheddar cheese.
4. Pour into 2 quart casserole dish. In small bowl mix together bread crumbs, butter and parsley; spread over macaroni and cheese. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown and heated through.
Personal Pizzas
What You'll Need:
* Pizza crust
* Pizza sauce
* Bite-size and shredded toppings
* Round or rectangular pans (optional)
* Pizza stone (optional)
* Divide pizza dough into single-size portions or take a whole pizza crust and designate a section for each kid.
* An efficient way to make a lot of individual pizzas: pat most of the dough into a large rectangle and make a grid pattern with strips of remaining dough. Let kids fill the grids with the toppings of their choice. When the pizza is baked, use a pizza wheel or large knife to cut along the grid lines.
* Explore other pizza shapes. How about hearts, flowers, bears, fish or even kid-shaped pizzas?
* Make individual pizza pockets--or calzones--by spreading half a round of raw pizza dough with sauce and toppings, leaving a 1-inch border. Fold the other half over and seal the edges by pressing the dough together with a fork. Brush with olive oil and bake.
* For a quick and easy pizza night, start with pre-baked pizza crust or make your pizza dough ahead of time.
Vegetable Pizza I
INGREDIENTS
* 2 (8 ounce) packages refrigerated crescent rolls
* 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
* 1 cup mayonnaise
* 1 (1 ounce) package dry Ranch-style dressing mix
* 1 cup fresh broccoli, chopped
* 1 cup chopped tomatoes
* 1 cup chopped green bell pepper
* 1 cup chopped cauliflower
* 1 cup shredded carrots
* 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
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DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Roll out the crescent roll dough onto a 9x13 inch baking sheet, and pinch together edges to form the pizza crust.
3. Bake crust for 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Once finished cooking, remove crust from oven and let cool 15 minutes without removing it from the baking sheet.
4. In a small mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, and dry Ranch dressing. Spread the mixture over the cooled crust. Arrange broccoli, tomato, green bell pepper, cauliflower, shredded carrots, and Cheddar cheese over the cream cheese layer. Chill for one hour, slice and serve.
I am one the luckiest mother because my son ate teriyaki tofu, without forcing him!
I am slowly introducing a vegetarian lifestyle to my children, and when they are ready to see what goes behind slaughter houses, hopefully *crossing fingers* they'll choose a vegetarian lifestyle along with the rest of the family. We are not big meat eaters, at least for red meats but we consume fish, eggs, and dairy.
Here is a link of some vegetarian recipes
http://www.chooseveg.com/vegan-substitut...
http://www.chooseveg.com/vegan-recipes.a...
To cook tasty, you are to add some ginger, cumin seeds, chopped chilly to vegetables and fruits. Even you can try Idli/Vada and Sambher- a south Indian dish.
Good job trying to raise your child vegetarian! I commend you for it. I've always been a vegetarian and I am just fine - I'm tall, healthy, I'm a runner... clearly I am not lacking in any "essential" nutrients that dead animals provide. You can get plenty of protein from legumes, beans, nuts, and soy.
Some suggestions for healthy but kid-friendly foods:
-spaghetti with homemade tomato sauce - throw in lots of vegetables (very tiny so he doesn't notice).
-macaroni and cheese
-pizza with cheese & veggies
-meat substitutes like soy nuggets, soy & veggie burgers, even "fake" corn dogs are fantastic
-Baked sweet potato fries
-Grilled cheese & tomato sandwich
Try a website like vegweb.com which has some great recipes for people of all ages. Good luck!!
potato chips
How about hot dogs?
Ignoring the heath ramifications which I will answer with a big - take a look at the diet of Sikhs in India - Vegetarian.
Its what I had as a whole (we were not practising and so meat was a allowed.)
Also on the protein side - if your kids can eat outside of house, it givesn them that plus the choice thing.
Ps I am an omnivore :-)
But I suggest take a look online at vegetarian meals for most countries.....
Spinach & Chickpeas in a Filo Pastry
Quorn as a meat substitue - ive used it for curries and fajitias
Vege Burger - grilled peppers,courgetters, carrots in a bun
Pizzas
Or a site like this on the BBC where you type in 3 ingredients and it comes up with a recipe.