do i have the right to sneak meat into my kid's food? - Page 3

[Aura_Kitten]

if he's already getting a supplement then i really wouldn't worry about the circles, but if you're still concerned you might ask a nutritionist.

[moonshine]

Originally Posted by klothos

if he's already getting a supplement then i really wouldn't worry about the circles, but if you're still concerned you might ask a nutritionist.

Not sure that I agree with that. I take the dark circles to mean that he might have a food allergy, and giving him a vitamin that he may or may not be fully digesting will not fix the "problem." For my DD with the dark circles, I am going to attempt to cut the grains, as it seems like the most likely source of a problem. Easier said than done, as she tells me that pasta is her favorite food. : (also a former vegan child, now eating eggs and some dairy, not meat yet)

[tboroson]

Lisa, I get a lot of broth into my girls by using it to cook rice or pasta (rice pasta in our case). A meal they *love* is when I boil carrots, turnips, celery, peas, any other veggies I have on hand, in the broth and then add enough rice pasta that it absorbs all or most of the broth. They scarf that down. You could also use it to make miso soup, which is something I would guess your son is already familiar with? You could use homemade bonito (fish) stock or chicken stock for that.

You want to make sure that the broth is homemade (either by you or someone else you know) bone stock, not just grocery store broth. Real stock gels, which makes it inconvenient in canned soups and things. The componants that make it gel, the collagen specifically, are in the skin and bones, which is where all the important nutrients come from. I recall that you're in north-central PA? You should be able to find an Amish farm nearby where you could buy it, if you don't want to make it yourself. If you do want to make it and don't have use for all the meat from buying entire chickens, go to a farmer's market or straight to the farm and ask for bags of chicken parts (backs, necks, feet, even heads) and use them. Or you could get a few soup bones from a beef farmer.

[talk de jour]

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[Britishmum]

My children are vegetarian by choice, and I wouldnt dream of sneaking meat into their diet. For me, it's a trust issue. Plus I know how upset and angry they would be if they knew I'd done that.

If I really felt that they needed to eat meat (which I don't), I would discuss it with them and try to find a an agreement about a way of adapting their diet to meet their needs.

I'm not a nutritionist, so that's my only input here.

[Gale Force]

Originally Posted by talk de jour

How about looking up the best veggie combinations that will still give him complete proteins (i.e. -- combine legumes and soy?) I think that might be more comfortable than sneaking/fibbing to him.

It's usually not a protein issue that makes people go from veg*n to omni. He may need more B12 than he's getting, more zinc, more retinol. Who knows.

What I didn't appreciate in the OPs initial post is that this is a former vegan family who has begun to incorporate meat into the diet. Everyone in the family who has done so appears to be healthier. The six-year-old recalcitrant was taught to eat a vegan diet and his parents have now changed their minds and have seen health benefits as a result. Since he is six and not sixteen, OP needs to take over parental responsibility to ensure his health.

OP could have him tested for allergies, she could have a mineral panel, a fatty acid panel, a B vitamin panel. She could consult a nutritionist who could offer little but the lab work. She would be at least $1,000 out on that and she still may not have answers. Go to the Healing the Gut tribe to see how much moms struggle for answers even with a lot of lab work. The fact is, even something as seemingly simple as a mineral panel, it is not so simple.

These are all options for OP and if she or anyone would like suggestions on lab work, I can make suggestions on all but the allergies. I don't have a lot of experience there.

OP has found that the rest of the family has started to do better on meat. Six year old would benefit from meat as well, it would appear. If I were in such a position, I would feel bad about it, but I would make sure he had what he needed to be healthy.

This is also a good lesson in talking to children. Around here, why we eat something is "because it is healthy." End of story. If something previously considered healthy ends up in the dog house, so be it, we'll discuss why.

Good luck MomiEilis.

Amanda

[Lisa Lubner]

thankyou amanda, i really appreciate the advice.

i've considered going to a nutritionist (among other things)... we're just between health insurances at the moment, and i sure as heck can't afford lab fees for now.

i definately think he would benefit from some additional variety in his diet... but i'm not feeling the *sneaking* thing. i appreciate everyone's input, which is why i asked. and again, i don't need advice on food combining. it's more of a moral issue (the sneaking part) than anything else.

[Bia]

Soy is as common an allergen as dairy... maybe he loves tofu so much because he is craving it, as people often crave foods they are allergic/reactive to. (?)