Digest Number 611

[Guest guest]

Hi, folks,

With respect to What to Expect When You're Expecting, I personally thought it

was a pretty useful book compared to what's published in mainstream parenting

today. I just so appreciated the monthly look at the growth of the baby and

pregnancy progression. But it's not designed as a diet guide for expectant

vegetarians.

The What to Eat When You're Expecting book is not designed for vegetarians

either, but it sure emphasizes whole foods! I have to admit that even though I'm

a vegetarian, I found it too restrictive for me to follow while pregnant! Even

if I hadn't been pregnant as a grad student with a 3-hour commute, I probably

wouldn't have had time to buy my own grains and juice my own organic veggies.

And I'd like to add my $0.02 that my 6-y.o. son's school in MA has terrible

choices for healthy lunches. It's very typical...ham and cheese one day,

meatloaf the next. I have a 50-50 shared custody situation, so my son is

omnivorous (his father and the girlfriend are NOT vegetarian). They pack him

meat-and-cheese sandwiches on white bread, and sometimes a Twinky-like desert (I

cringe! I HATE this, but all I can do is encourage my son to ask for healthy

choices when they grocery shop). When my son is with me, I cook only vegetarian.

When we go out, he can choose lean meat like fish or chicken if he really wants

to, but he rarely does. He chooses pizza or salad. He loves to make his own

salad at the salad bar in the supermarket.

We eat cheese, but even the cheese sandwich at school is on white bread! (Ugh!

WHY DO THEY DO THIS!!??) So for school lunches, I make him a peanut butter

sandwich on whole grain, or an avocado sandwich with sprouts and cheese. I

usually include carrots, raw broccoli, cauliflower, or celery in a snack bag,

plus fruit ,like an apple, grapes, strawberries, or packaged mandarin orange or

pineapple fruit cup. He'll eat a yogurt too, and maybe some pretzels, nuts, or

crackers as a snack. He loves cold whole wheat pasta leftovers in his lunch!

Take THAT, Katie Couric!

When my son started 1st grade, other kids made a fuss about my son eating " green

stuff " in his sandwich--another boy leaned in too close, making faces and

taunting him. My son pushed the sandwich in his face in jest ( " Want some? " he

asked) and accidentally got avocado on the boy's cheek. The boy's mom was the

lunch attendant, and she was very upset! I got a call from the teacher about

this " behavior. " I had to have a talk with my son about restraint, but it's too

bad that avocado would cause such a fuss! It's my cross to bear that I am not in

the mainstream in New England. But how many omnivorous 6-year-olds eat brocolli,

snow-peas, asparagus, cauliflower, spinach, and bok choy (among other things)?

Mine does!

Thanks for letting me share (only in THIS group do I dare)!

Veggie Val

PS. How about a thread on unhealthy hospital food?? Hospitals must be to blame

for early deaths with the junk they feed you. Expectant vegetarians who may

choose (or end up) in the hospital for your birth should make arrangements for

your first meal as a mom ahead of time! Scope out nearby restaurants and their

hours of operations! My only vegetarian options in the hospital were applesauce,

iceberg lettuce, mashed potatoes, and mashed sweet potatoes. Completely

inadequate after 12+ hours of hard labor (and they won't let you eat during that

time)! If there is a next time, it will be a home birth for me!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

After reading the comments below about the hospital experience, I'd just

like to remind us all that we do have choices (usually). Not only for a

midwife or physician, but for your hospital too. Not all hospitals will

keep you from eating during labor, and not all are so completely clueless

about vegetarian meals. It's hard if you live in a really remote area, but

in most cities there are usually choices about these things and from my

recent experience I'd say things have gotten a lot better than they were

10-15 years ago. I called around and interviewed to find the midwife/ob

practice that I wanted and checked out the hospital they delivered at. Take

control, check out your options, all practices should have a policy of

letting you in the door to interview them at minimal or no charge, and if

they don't then keep looking. Same policy applies to all medical providers

in my book.

 

My 2 cents.

 

- jeanne

-

" StarryValentine " <starryv2003

 

Monday, March 10, 2003 12:19 PM

Re: Digest Number 611

 

 

> PS. How about a thread on unhealthy hospital food?? Hospitals must be to

blame for early deaths with the junk they feed you. Expectant vegetarians

who may choose (or end up) in the hospital for your birth should make

arrangements for your first meal as a mom ahead of time! Scope out nearby

restaurants and their hours of operations! My only vegetarian options in the

hospital were applesauce, iceberg lettuce, mashed potatoes, and mashed sweet

potatoes. Completely inadequate after 12+ hours of hard labor (and they

won't let you eat during that time)! If there is a next time, it will be a

home birth for me!

[Guest guest]

Sissy,

 

The dhal that is sold in Indian and MidEast stores is usually split mung beans

with the husk removed. Dhal does refer to legumes like lentils and beans and

peas but peas are not generally used.

 

GB

 

dal vs yellow split peas

 

I bought yellow split peas in the grocery store and they looked like

the same shape as split green peas. When I bought a package of dal

from the middle eastern store I noticed their dal looked almost like

the yellow split seas but more of a darkish mustard yellow color and

I didn't think they tasted quite the same when cooked. I always add

so much spice that it doesn't make a difference with me.

Sissy

 

 

 

 

 

 

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