avoiding confusion in kids

[petey44]

Hi- I have a question about the names you use for fake meat products. I'm talking about the obvious things, like veggie hot dogs, but also about the less obvious things, like the homemade casserole, whatever.
DH and I are both veg, and are raising dd veg. So I had never really given it much thought until I was talking to a veg friend of mine whose DH is a carnivore. Her DD knows the difference between real meat and fake meat. I suddenly realized that if we keep referring to "fake" products by their "real" names, my DD would eventually find herself in a situation where someone says, "oh we're having cheesesteaks for dinner- you want one?" and she'll say, "sure, i love cheesesteaks!" not realizing that ours are made with seitan and daiya cheese.
what do you do to make sure that your kid knows the difference??

[bandgeek]

I'm not as concerned about it because DS eats meat all the time at his dad's. He does argue with me about my veg*nism though if he sees me eating something he thinks is meat. So I started differentiating. When I serve him something that could be mistaken for meat, I call it vegetarian or fake. "Vegetarian corn dogs" or "fake turkey lunch meat". I've only been veg*n a while but he was quick to pick up the difference.

[vegemamato]

We don't really have alternative names for fake meat products, other than 'meak' for deli meat, but I do discuss veganism with my kids on a regular basis. We also make sure that they know what questions to ask when they are offered ANY food (other than fresh veggies/fruit), such as allergy stuff and whether or not the food is free of animal products.

The only time we've had a problem is when my oldest was 'tricked' into eating sausage at a school camping trip and eating cheese in her sfterschool care (the staff claimed that both were vegan even though they were so very NOT).

For us, awareness is the biggest thing when it comes to food names. Knowing what meats/dairy products are called, and understanding that our family eats vegan versions has worked well.

[mumkimum]

Here, we do refer to stuff separately. So there are meat dogs and veggie dogs, meat sausage and veggie sausage, sloppy veggie and sloppy joe with meat etc. (since dh eats meat there pretty often literally are both things half the time). Dd1 (almost 4) has become pretty aware that certain things are made with meat or not and if we or someone else doesn't distinguish something she'll ask if it's meat or veggie.

I make the bigger point to distinguish stuff as made with meat when it isn't particularly obvious - like 'oh, that yogurt is made with some meat in it - we'll get the other kind dd', just so there's a bit of awareness there.

**just to clarify - I mean yogurt that has gelatin in it, I will refer to that way. I realize there's not a lot of, say, bacon-flavored yogurt out there (that I know of)**

[wake_up]

Originally Posted by mumkimum

I make the bigger point to distinguish stuff as made with meat when it isn't particularly obvious - like 'oh, that yogurt is made with some meat in it - we'll get the other kind dd', just so there's a bit of awareness there.

You tell her yogurt has meat in it? Ewww. Why not say it's made from cow's milk? Just curious.

[mumkimum]

We eat dairy - I refer to the kinds with gelatin in it as being made 'with meat'.

I'll add that, yeah, I point out it's the gelatin but that's still a little abstract for her so I simplify it that way. I do the same for candies, dips, etc. that may or may not have gelatin (or something else, bacon, stock, etc) upon checking the label.

[vegemamato]

Originally Posted by mumkimum

'oh, that yogurt is made with some meat in it - we'll get the other kind dd'

is there really yogurt with meat in it?

[Sayward]

Originally Posted by vegemamato

is there really yogurt with meat in it?

gelatin

[mumkimum]

Originally Posted by vegemamato

is there really yogurt with meat in it?

Clarified my other post there too, I realize it's a little vague. (it's a little simpler than having to explain what gelatin is a million times to a 3 y/o).

[vegemamato]

ahhh, I get it..

I constantly forget about dairy yogurt since we don't buy it... with gelatin, I tell the kids that it comes from bones and skin- they always look disgusted