If you are a practicing vegetarian or vegan and your child wanted to eat meat?

Question

Would you buy, and prepare meals to support their decision?

Would you respect your child's' wishes to eat meat even though you don't? AND, would you buy and prepare food for them to have the diet that they want?

Answer 1

yes you shouldnt push your beliefs in to his unless he wants too

and always remember to practice abstinence

Answer 2

I agree with the first guy, they need meat let them be vegetarian as their decision

Answer 3

HIDE IT!

Answer 4

Well if I was a vegan I'd say no, because I'd feel very strongly that everyone around me have the same opinion as myself.

Answer 5

Then I would let the child eat meat.

I am a vegetarian, but to me that is my business and my lifestyle. Just like I don't want to hear your religion, I don't want to hear about your lifestyle and what you choose to eat.

I have allowed my children to eat meat. I just can't stand the smell of hamburgers from a fast food place so if we "have" to stop by (once or twice a year max) then they get nuggets. Usually at a restaurant I pile the veggies on and my son eats a lot of food, he's a growing active teenanger. (6 foot 215lbs football player vs his mom me.. 100lbs 5 foot)

If it isn't going to hurt them (and no meat won't hurt them) let them experience it for themselves. Isn't growing up a part of decision making. When are you going to step back and realize your child is not you? When they turn 18 and it's to late?

Answer 6

Humans have been eating meat for ages, let your kid experience a barbecue with hot dogs and hamburgers!

Answer 7

Why not, unless it's them wanting to be a vegetarian, let them eat meat... they need it to grow properly.

Answer 8

i would let them eat and support whatever decision they wanted

Answer 9

when they're old enough to cook their own meals i would, otherwise i wouldn't bother making 2 different meals it's not a restaurant

Answer 10

Is this meant to be a stupid question? You should never not let your children do something simply because you do not do it. Let them eat meat and stop being selfish.

Answer 11

Respect your childs decision!! Just because you are a veggie does not mean they have to be..

Answer 12

make your children eat cigarettes and popcicles for breakfast lunch and dinner

lol

Answer 13

they need meat to grow properly. if we were not suppose to eat meat it would not be here.

Answer 14

of, course you should let him eat meat! this is 2008! thats like not exepting the fact he might marry into a different race.

Answer 15

Mannnnn i love chicken!

BUT if my child would want to eat meat i would let them, but i wouldn't prepare it for them.

Answer 16

I would be okay with them eating it at school, at other people's houses (including family), and perhaps restaurants, but I wouldn't buy it or prepare it myself. If they're older and willing to buy and make their own food, that's one thing, but I refuse to let my money go to an industry of torture and slaughter.

...and this is why I don't want children. :)

Answer 17

h**l YES. Meat is vital in your diet. You may not agree with me, but don't make them suffer. If they respect your vegan diet, respect there regular diet. You're a true vegan/vegetarian if you can see meat and not even want it or care who eats it. You do it for yourself.

Answer 18

Find a healthy balance. The healthy part of vegetarianism is that you almost have to eat a ton of fruits and vegetables. You should encourage him to eat lots of fruits and vegetables but still allow him to have some meat. If he's getting his fruits and vegetables then there's nothing wrong with having some chicken or ham. It'll help them grow anyways.

Answer 19

yes; i would buy and prepare meals to support their decision.

You have the right to make up your own mind about what you choose to eat & in the same way that you would like to be respected for being a vegetarian or vegan, they should be respected for choosing to eat meat. it's a personal choice and if you can bear it, it would be nice for you to make them meals.

may allah be w/you my child.

Answer 20

I'd try to raise my daughter right according to my moral beliefs, and considering that I'm intelligent and responsible enough to assure that my child will eat a perfectly balanced vegetarian diet, there'd be no reason for her to want meat.

However, sometimes children rebel or rebuke their parent's belief system. I am no longer the religion my parents raised me in, for instance, and though they tried their hardest to instill their belief system on me, I could not adopt it in the end to be my own. However, as long as I lived in their household I lived by their rules, and I still had to go to church and pray nightly.

Frankly I think my parents raised me right - "my house, my rules". My moral beliefs on EVERYTHING will remain, despite how my daughter will question or protest it. A key part of being a parent is having a backbone. So she'll question my ethical viewpoints on meat - should I just cave in? What if she questions my standpoint on underage drinking - should I just start buying her beer? What if she questions my no-dating-until-such-age rules - should I just buy her a pack of condoms and some lube and tell her to deal with it?

In the end, unless my daughter completely became out of control and would refuse to eat ANY vegetarian food (no fruits, veggies, or any plants at all) and would only ravenously chomp on meat, like some freak, would I try to get her help and/or try to meet her halfway.

However, I think serious problems exist in a parent that would rather pile on the ribs on a child's plate just because their kid doesn't want to eat their fruits and vegetables. I know that in my household we eat the finest, organic, high-quality fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, nuts, seeds, etc.

I have yet to have my toddler be like the ones on the playground, turning their nose up on food and throwing their Lunchables everywhere. My daughter gladly eats fresh, homemade, nutritious, delicious food every day and is probably one of the happiest, healthiest toddlers you'll see.

Answer 21

Beat them and send them to their room for not wanting to be vegetarian or vegan... JK!!!!

I personally would not let them eat meat unless they go to the store.. buy it and cook it themselves.

I'm trying to be vegetarian and my mom actually is too.. so it works.

But if I had kids and I WAS vegetarian and they wanted meat, I wouldn't have to "hurt" myself by cooking the meat and give them what they want. Kids shouldn't have EVERYTHING they want.

You make them eat their vegetables.. you can make them eat veggie food! Hehe

Hope that helps!

Answer 22

I believe a child should have the choice, he or she could decide later which they prefer.  I believe it shows how great of a parent you are by considering the child's point of view and not pushing anything on your child.  Hope You have a great evening.  Take care.

Answer 23

well what i would do is buy what they want

get what i want 4 dinner

have somebodyelse prepare the meal 4 u people then u eat what you wnat and ur child is happy to

take addvice from a vegaterian (me)

Answer 24

if i was in the situation i would let the kid choose.

wait till he gets older and then sit him down and explain why you are vegetarian

and let him decide for himself

maybe try letting him eat the same meal as you, who knows he might like it?

Answer 25

If I was a vegetarian or vegan (which I am not),  they follow what I say. It's my house, my rules. I decide what is best for them. And since I am, for the sake of argument, a vegetarian or vegan, then  obviously, that's what I would think is best for my family.

But if I fell that they are responsible enough, old enough or educated enough to make some of their life decisions, then I will support them if they want to try something else.

As  for food preparation, it won't matter.

Answer 26

I would respect my child's decision because everyone should have control over their lives, I would try to prepare meals for them if they aren't mature enough to handle cooking unless I feel  sick from the meat smell or something. If they are old enough to cook I would buy them the food, but let them prepare it.

Answer 27

I would let them. Just because I choose to be unhealthy, doesn't mean I have to make them unhealthy.

It's about responsibility. Let them eat meat.

Answer 28

I'm a vegetarian. If I am still a vegetarian when I become a mother, I would not raise my children to be one. It is a personal decision that should not be forced on anyone, not even my own children or my pets. If, however, my child decided to go veg, I would obviously fully support his decision and help him out. But on the otherhand, my best friend's mother is a vegetarian, but my best friend is not. I like it better that way :) If my friend wanted to go veg, she would be supported. But her mother supports her even though she chooses a meat-eating lifestyle, which is totally acceptable. And since I would raise my kids as meat eaters (even though I'm not) I would still buy and cook meals for them that included meat. I know that sounds crazy to most vegetarians, but like I said it is a personal choice and I'm not ready to push it on anyone, not even my own kids.

Answer 29

I wouldn't support their meat eating nor prepare non-veg meals for them. It's only natural to be curious but if they regularly ate meat despite what I've taught them then I would wonder if there's more going on. Maybe they are acting out? Maybe she's getting harassed by other schoolmates? Depends on their age too.

Answer 30

I would limit one dinner a week with meat in it so that my child could taste the different meats that are available. I would take the child to a restaurant where he/she could order it off the menu. The rest of the week it would be dinner at home without meat being served.