Digest Number 379

[Guest guest]

Hi! I have some responses re: raising babies and kids vegan, Chuck E.

Cheese parties, and converting older kids to vegetarians.

 

Sonia, I would recommend Dr. Michael Klaper's book " Pregnancy, Children, and

the Vegan Diet " . I believe that he does address the best kind of formula to

use when breastfeeding is not an option (as in your case) and some good

foods to feed babies and kids. Also, check into the Physicians Committee

for Responsible Medicine website (www.pcrm.org) for more dietary

information. Avocados are always a good choice for adding calories, fat,

and lots of vitamins and minerals. My kids also liked raw tofu (which can

be crumbled into small pieces). When they got older, they liked to dip it

into nutritional yeast.

 

Re: Chuck E. Cheese type parties: We have a place called Bullwinkle's which

is pretty much the same thing. Whenever my girls' friends have parties

there, we always feed them before they go. Then if the pizza is cheese

pizza, I pull off the cheese and they can munch on the crust. If it's meat,

they don't touch it but they don't complain because they know the reasons

and they think it's disgusting (they're 3 and 5). When they were too young

to understand, I'd either bring something different for them to eat, or pick

them up and take them to look at something while the other kids are eating.

As far as the treats go, I sometimes make vegan cupcakes and then freeze

them so I can pull a couple out for the occasional party where nothing is

vegan. In a pinch, I stop at the health food store and grab a vegan donut

or vegan ice cream sandwich and they're overjoyed at the treat. They really

don't care if it's different than what other people are eating, maybe

because the vegan food usually looks much more delicious

 

As far as converting older kids to vegetarianism, you might have an easier

time if you focus on the animal cruelty issues, which are much closer to

children's hearts, instead of only on the health issues. I would also try

a lot of vegetarian substitutes for some of the foods they usually eat. I

know some non-vegetarian kids in my neighborhood really like Boca Burgers

(one girl cooks herself one for an after school snack Also, Yves

vegetarian pepperoni can be added to a pizza and there are some good

" chicken-like " nuggets, and veggie " meatballs " available at most health-food

stores. Sometimes we use seitan (you can buy it prepared, though it's more

expensive, or buy the mix) as a subsitute for beef in stir fry, soup, etc.

 

I hope this helped a little,

 

Andrea

 

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> Digest Number 379

>27 Mar 2002 08:49:55 -0000

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>For more information about vegetarianism, please visit the VRG website at

>http://www.vrg.org and for materials especially useful for families go to

>http://www.vrg.org/family.

>

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[Guest guest]

> Sonia, I would recommend Dr. Michael Klaper's book " Pregnancy, Children,

and

> the Vegan Diet " .

 

I no longer recommend this book, since I read it and was disturbed by

incorrect information about breastfeeding. I can't tell you what it was,

though, since I chucked it in the trash. IMO, if he can't be bothered to do

research about that to get correct information, I can't trust anything else

he says.

 

> If it's meat,

> they don't touch it but they don't complain because they know the reasons

> and they think it's disgusting (they're 3 and 5).

 

Cool. My three year old is still vaguely clueless. She knows the dogs eat

meat, she knows we don't (though sometimes she insists she does, though she

never has) and that's about it. She doesn't understand death, so I can't

explain that meat is dead animals. And if I asks if she eats dogs and cats,

she says yes, too... says she eats her brother... so I don't think she has

much of a clue.

 

> They really

> don't care if it's different than what other people are eating, maybe

> because the vegan food usually looks much more delicious

 

I don't agree... but I don't think that's the point, either.

Sandra

[Guest guest]

> I no longer recommend this book, since I read it and was disturbed by

> incorrect information about breastfeeding. I can't tell you what it was,

> though, since I chucked it in the trash. IMO, if he can't be bothered to

> do

> research about that to get correct information, I can't trust anything else

> he says.

 

I'm curious what bothered you about this book. I know Dr. Klapper personally,

and find he is compassionate and very careful about his facts. His is

responsive to letters and phone calls on his radio show.

I would not dismiss him as readily as you have in this letter.

Peace,

Laura