Mom of Vegan teen...Hello everyone.

[Guest guest]

I am glad I found this group! My name is Heidi and I live in Connecticut. I am

married and

have two daughters, 19yr and 14 yrs old.

My 19yr old started as a vegetarian 3 years ago and she has been a vegan for 2

yrs. The rest

of us are meat eaters.

When she decided to not eat meat I did not have a HUGE problem with it. I knew I

needed to

learn but I adapted. Being a vegan really scared me..at first. How was I going

to cook her

anything? What about baking? I was a mess.

We bought two cookbooks, Veganomicon and Vegan with a vengeance, and I learned

and

experimented.

Now it is second nature to read packages at the store, feeding her healthy food

so she does

not lose nutrition, and teaching her how to feed herself. I am fortunate to have

a health food

store not far from my house so that I can purchase ingredients for meals and

this time of

year we have the farmer`s markets that sell organic produce.

 

I am glad I found you all so that I can get some tips, learn some recipes, and

have other

parents like me to talk to. Eventually she will be leaving the nest but she will

always want to

come home and eat *Mom`s home cooking*.

[Guest guest]

Hi Heidi! What an awesome, supportive mom you are!!! I have been

struggling to go vegan, living with a meat loving husband and six kids,

including one who eats almost no meat (my choice--she's not quite 2

yet), and one who has just decided to be vegan (most of the time--he

gave in on pizza . He's 10).

 

Just wanted to say welcome! Marilyn

[Guest guest]

Wow my first thought was that at 19 this daughter could probably do this

research on her own and fend for herself. . . but you have really gone out of

your way for her and I hope she will always be grateful for that! As you will

hear from many people on this list, most of us did not get that kind of support

from parents or other family members (at least not at first). I want to applaud

you and cheer you on! Sounds like you have a smart daughter there too.

 

:-)

 

Dee

 

-

Heidi

Tuesday, August 19, 2008 6:41 AM

Mom of Vegan teen...Hello everyone.

 

 

I am glad I found this group! My name is Heidi and I live in Connecticut. I am

married and

have two daughters, 19yr and 14 yrs old.

My 19yr old started as a vegetarian 3 years ago and she has been a vegan for 2

yrs. The rest

of us are meat eaters.

When she decided to not eat meat I did not have a HUGE problem with it. I knew

I needed to

learn but I adapted. Being a vegan really scared me..at first. How was I going

to cook her

anything? What about baking? I was a mess.

We bought two cookbooks, Veganomicon and Vegan with a vengeance, and I learned

and

experimented.

Now it is second nature to read packages at the store, feeding her healthy

food so she does

not lose nutrition, and teaching her how to feed herself. I am fortunate to

have a health food

store not far from my house so that I can purchase ingredients for meals and

this time of

year we have the farmer`s markets that sell organic produce.

 

I am glad I found you all so that I can get some tips, learn some recipes, and

have other

parents like me to talk to. Eventually she will be leaving the nest but she

will always want to

come home and eat *Mom`s home cooking*.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

, " Dianna Lu " <diannalu wrote:

>

> Wow my first thought was that at 19 this daughter could probably do this

research on

her own and fend for herself. . . but you have really gone out of your way for

her and I

hope she will always be grateful for that! As you will hear from many people on

this list,

most of us did not get that kind of support from parents or other family members

(at least

not at first). I want to applaud you and cheer you on! Sounds like you have a

smart

daughter there too.

>

> :-)

>

> Dee

>

>Thanks.

 

Yes, she did do most of the research and told me about the books to get. I could

have had

her fend for herself but she would have starved. LOL She has learned alot of

recipes to

cook for herself now so I do not have to do it all. In the beginning it was I

who would cook

with her watching. Then after a few times she got it.

I basically bake all vegan now and you cannot tell the difference. I am a big

baker and that

was what worried me the most. A lil tofu goes a long way..LOL

Believe me..at first when she said the word vegan..I said NO wait to you move

out so you

can do it yourself!

I think that is why so many people do not like it. It is the unknown. After many

trials and

errors I have learned you can veganize just about any recipe.

And you can take a vegan recipe and adapt it so that everyone in the house can

eat..not

having to cook two meals at dinner.

I was brought up in a *clean your plate* household so I think that is why I

didnt struggle

with this too long.

My 14 yr old hates veggies so it will take her awhile to learn to enjoy them. My

husband

and I will probably always eat meat but I have lowered our cholesterol, gotten

rid of really

fattening convenience foods, and Chelsea (the vegan) is happier.

Last thanksgiving we did a small hotel turkey breast and right along side of it

was a

Tofurkey.

 

I am glad I found you all so that I can get some more ideas on what to make.