Cooking meat for my children? I don't want to??!
Answers: I have recently decided to quit eating red meat (beef, pork, etc...). It has been 2 weeks now and not a bite of it. I am however still eating chicken (boneless, skinless). I think I am going to quit eating that as well. I am slowly trying to stop eating all meat. I have bought different 'meatless' products like ground meal starter (instead of hamburger). I have let my children try and they actually like it! My question is that I don't want to eat meat (except chicken for now) and I don't want to cook it either, but one of my children still wants meat (hamburger mostly)...but I really don't want to cook it or touch it or smell it...What can I do? I am so repulsed by it that I don't think I can cook it or buy it or anything with it...What to do? By the way...I am single mother with 2 children, there is NO ONE else to cook for them.
You can buy the prepared hamburger patties, to avoid having to pat them out and handle them much. But, there really is no way around cooking it. If they want it, and you want to give it to them, you will have to cook it. Otherwise, you'll just have to get Boca Burgers... and they're not very good.
Turkey bacon and ground turkey really are good, you should just try it.
What about some of the micro products out there-and what about turkey burgers? I love them and so do my kids. We eat chicken, tuna, salmon and turkey and red meat occasionally-this seems to work well. Perhaps you should show them the films of the sick cows being pushed and prodded and then killed in the slautherhouse ourt here in Chino CA-them sold in school programs mostly by threats to the illegal immigrant employees they hired-that will turn their views! Not to be mean-but to explain your own views...
Since your children are already accustomed to eating meat and they enjoy it, it's not fair to expect them to abandon it(it doesn't sound like that's what you're doing)......I would suggest having them learn to cook it but if it's ground beef, there will be a lot of hot fat to deal with and that's not safe for a young child. Could you cook a bunch at a time, freeze some and let them divy it out for themselves so you're not preparing it often?
Well I don't necessarly agree with you but this is your choice. Just assure your children a properly nurished, which I'm sure you are. No offense meant.
All I can say is more tasty steak for me.
here is what you do:-
Explain to them that your and their health is the most important thing for you as their mom
1) explain to your children that you do not want to eat meat, - because of , . Health, compassion, and your other reasons
2) tell your children, you would like their support in this decision
3) explain to them that you would like to support their choices too. - so if they want to eat meat, - you can order meat lovers pizza, or go out for a burger once in a while.
4) tell them this is hard, but like most things in life, its going to take time and love for everyone to be happy
Now you as their mother have to set a really good example. You need to eat healthy, exercise, be happy, be the best that you can. - basically you can't be a fat lardy @ss, and then talk about health.
When they see you being happy and healthy, they will be more open mind and supportive and even give up meat themselves.
But you need to be the best example!
Remember, you started it! Children are creatures of habit and will learn the habits that you teach them. Depending on the age of your children forcing veg on them can be detrimental in the long run (not health wise- but it could turn them against vegatarians), especially if you raised them from the beginning as meat eaters.
What happens when you see a video of bambi coming through a windshield and killing a child? Does that mean you will force your children to watch it, then change your perspective and go back to eating meat because of a video?
What would that teach your children?
Think about what you are doing then go forward with a slow and effective plan. Make sure to answer ALL the questions your kids have concerning this matter. But, do not cut them off cold turkey or you will regret it.
Hats off to you being a single mother of two children. I wish you the best of luck.
ADD- Bravo Kimberley
Please DON'T show your children that
film about the sick Cows going to slaughter.
What a sick suggestion. :-O
You have small children,
and that might give them nightmares.
Do you have a friend who can cook the
meats for you?
Checking the school lunch menu can help.
They can have it for lunch.
Remember, your children are people
with their own taste for things.
So let them.
I was lucky, my Mother did that.
You can try a product called Boca Burgers. They're made from soy I believe and from what I've been told they taste normal. They are pre-made frozen patties. Maybe your son wont notice! You could always try to get him to eat the "fake" stuff at home but allow him to order burgers and such when you all go out to dinner or something. Boca Burgers are a lot healthier in that they have lots of vitamins and such too. I think Boca company might make other products as well? You should try them!
Good luck!
Beef is "Addictive" that is probably why the child still craves it. The feeling we get with Chocolate is also attributed to Beef.
As for sugesstions you got plenty of decent ones. My daughter made her children very aware of why, what & how of where flesh products they ate came from at a pretty young age also.
Consider Quorm products or Boca Chicken Products instead of real chicken for your self. I think you'll be pleased with the tastes & texture.
PS Hi Foxhunter ;-}
Hi...many children have been raised vegetarian.Just do your research mom,and you and your children will be fine(better off actually)there is nothing wrong in showing them the truth about meat production.We have all been brainwashed and the meat industry has candy coated the truth for too long.Follow your instinct,it will never lead you astray....Good Luck!
P.S.Please dismiss the haters,they are lacking vegetables!
I'm not sure of your circumstances, but I would say that if you are not comfortable with cooking and handling meat, then just don't cook it for your children. If one of your kids wants to eat it occasionally, let him do so at his friends' houses or have him cook it himself. If it really is important to him, then he'll find a way to get it.
Good luck!
There are things that parents do just because they are parents. Distasteful or not.
edit I guess that the thumbs down person either has no children or just doesn't love them.
Have you tried TVP? Texturized vegetable protein looks like hamburger but is made of soy. There are also other healthy tasty options like chick pea burgers. You should be in charge of what your children eat, not your children. In the end it's you, their mother, who should decide what should be eaten. You wouldn't give your children candy for every meal just because they like it. You didn't mention your children's age, but perhaps they can have a hamburger at school. If they aren't in school yet, then perhaps you can occasionally buy them a burger from a fast food place or perhaps you can take them to a restaurant and you can order vegetarian and your child can order a hamburger.
When I became a vegetarian my children were almost teens and it was really hard convincing them to make the switch. They did eventually come around with all the great products on the market these days. I make pizza with veggie pepperoni and even my hard core meat-eating friends couldn't tell the difference. I don't blame you for not wanting to touch or smell it. You could be saving your children's lives by not eating meat. Look at all the recalls recently; especially the beef industry. Hope this helps some.
Try Boca burgers! They are great, I have been a vegetariam for a while now but I just tried boca burgers for the first time last week. Your child might not even be able to tell the difference, and they are made of soy which has protein so that is a plus. They also have boca breakfast wraps with soy sausage in them. I highly recommend these things. Good luck!
Well, let's just say you won't be winning any "Mother of the Year" awards anytime soon because it seems to me, you can serve up things that you like for yourself,but will not serve anything your child wants simply because you find it "yucky"..
I am always an advocate of parents bringing up their kids in the manner they see best. But the reasons you gave here did not say anything about your concern over the child's health. All the issues you have listed are about you and only you and not once for the children. Seems kinda selfish to me.
I suppose you can try those fake meats that look like a burger and "fool" your child that he/she is eating the real thing. problem is what if that doesn't work, what then??Or maybe, you can ask the vegetarians here with all their helpful suggestions to personally come to your aid and help you out?Oh yeah right,they can't. Not one of them will ever be there when you actually have to face the problem. Not a single one of them. As long as they can say "Go Veggie", all is fine in their world.
Why not have your mom (or yourself if you can stand it), teach your twelve year old how to make burgers and then heat up the grill. Your twelve year old can be responsible for the burger getting on the grill and then you just have to flip it with your veggie burger or mushrooms or whatever you are having. (btw- grilled portabello mushrooms are fantastic!). At twelve a child should be able to put things together and cook them. If you try and teach your kids to cook meat for themselves then when they want it they can make it. Or buy a forman grill and allow them to cook their own meat on it. That gives them the choice to follow you into vegetarianism or not without forcing you to cook meat for them.
You are still the parent. So, don't cook it for them.
If they wanted to eat ice cream all day, would you let them?
Cook for them what you approve of and if they won't eat it, then it's their problem.
Tell them that if they want to eat it outside of your house, then it's fine, but you won't be preparing it or buying it for them. And, it cannot be prepared in your house, either.
There are two very simple solutions to this. Either:
-teach your children how to handle and cook the meat themselves
-use metal tongs or other sterile materials when handling the meat so you don't have to touch it, then open the window wide to let the smell out of the kitchen
You're making this WAY more complicated than it needs to be. Either continue to cook the meat in a way that doesn't gross you out, or teach your kids to cook it if they still want to eat it (handling it raw may make them stop eating meat. . . just a thought).
I think I need to add some perspective. I didn't read the answers but it appears as though the consensus is that your kids deserve to eat meat, otherwise you're impinging on their rights. I don't agree. One could argue that encouraging them to eat meat is also doing them harm. I was raised lacto-ovo-vegetarian. I don't feel angry or left out that I wasn't given meat. You did say your son liked the fake meat. Why not make only fake meat at home? They can still eat real meat outside if they want to. My point is that you are well within your rights as a parent and adult to refuse to cook meat at home. If you're willing to compromise a little more, perhaps allowing them to cook it for themselves at home is also OK.
In order for proper neurological development, children need a certain amount of red meat in their diet. There are proteins in red meat critical for development that cannot be supplemented by vegan sources.
Your distain for meat should not jeopardize your childrens' development.
Get over yourself and cook what your kids like. An occasional hamburger or steak isn't going to kill them.
its not fair or your children...they dont expect you to eat meat just cuz they want to...your best bet is microwavable food since u wont have to touch the meat its self...but to say meat is a ground up cadavar is ignorant...wot do u think tomato puree is? its ground up vegetable flesh..its no different..u cant expect ur children to change just because u want them too and to show them videos of slaughterhouses are sick they are young kids and that can be traumatizing...just like u wudnt give a horses head in a box to your kids for christmas..why the hell are you showing them these videos..they ar young and too innocent.
EDIT they are your children u shud not expect them to sacrifice for you, you shud do it for them...and because im being sensible i get thumbs down...shows how retarded u all are...wanting others to change to suit u but u wud never eat meat to suit sum1 else...hurry up and die please...your ignorance will not be missed. Seriously would u support a meat eating mother refusing to cook vegetables for her vegtarian kids...no u wud be horrified..atleast i hope you would.
I wouldnt need to answer like this if u werent so selfish and sick to show ur kids slaughterhouse videos..ur not a fit mother at all if you do that.
BURGER BURGER.
go to Mc.donalds