11 year old vegan

[Anonymous]

DD has asked to go vegan. She's been vegetarian for a while, and this seems like the logical next step to her.

I know that going vegetarian or vegan can be an early sign of eating disorder in some kids, particularly girls this age, and we will watch carefully for that, but I'm not as worried as I might be because she's an active kid with a big appetite, who eats a wide variety, and because it's consistent with her love of animals, and her advocacy for the environment.

My questions are twofold.

1) What nutrients should I be most concerned about, and make a plan for? Protein, Iron, B12, what else?

2) It's important to me that we continue to eat mostly the same food, together as a family. I'd love suggestions for both easy vegan meals that the whole family might enjoy, or meals with a vegan and non vegan option (e.g. spaghetti with two types of meatballs has been a hit).

3) What other things should I be thinking about.

[Anonymous]

Consult with a registered dietitian.

[Anonymous]

I feel like you could find most of this info from a google search.
We are not vegan but eat a lot of vegan foods.
If youre making meatballs, I would just make the vegan ones and have everyone eat the same thing.
easy to use non dairy milk in place of cows milk. Almond milk has more calcium that cows milk.
Does she like nuts and nut butters?

[Anonymous]

Agree with 11:19 and 11:57. You don't need us.

[Anonymous]

1. B12. A must-have. Get the weekly sublingual ones. Needs saliva to work best. Nutritional yeast and miso are used in many recipes and healthy.
2. Try not to do vegan junk food, opt for whole proteins like tofu soybeans tempeh and look at forks over knives, happy herbivore, for good recipes. Del sroufe has good videos on cooking how to.
3. Congrats to her for choosing healthy diet!
Enjoy the adventure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1. B12. A must-have. Get the weekly sublingual ones. Needs saliva to work best. Nutritional yeast and miso are used in many recipes and healthy.
2. Try not to do vegan junk food, opt for whole proteins like tofu soybeans tempeh and look at forks over knives, happy herbivore, for good recipes. Del sroufe has good videos on cooking how to.
3. Congrats to her for choosing healthy diet!
Enjoy the adventure.

Thanks, we already use nutritional yeast and yeast a fair amount, and our plan is to try a few types of fortified plant milks to find something she likes.

Is that enough B12, or would you add some kind of supplement?

[Anonymous]

Vegan recipe bloggers:

Nora Cooks https://www.noracooks.com/

Post-Punk Kitchen / Isa Chandra Moskowitz https://www.theppk.com/

Vegan Richa https://www.veganricha.com/

NYT https://cooking.nytimes.com/topics/vegan-recipes

Alisa in Alaska http://alisainalaska.blogspot.com/

[Anonymous]

Cooking is so much work. I would teach her some easy vegan things she can make on her own. I wouldn’t be adding a whole second dinner I have to make. I’m happy to do it if there is an actual medical reason why one of the kids can’t eat something but not for a special diet they decided they wanted to have at 11.

[Anonymous]

B12 and D, otherwise its fine.

[Anonymous]

I once dated a guy who was vegan. I found a terrific recipe on Epicurious for curried spinach, potato and garbanzo bean (chickpea) stew. He has gone but I still make this dish and have shared the recipe.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Cooking is so much work. I would teach her some easy vegan things she can make on her own. I wouldn’t be adding a whole second dinner I have to make. I’m happy to do it if there is an actual medical reason why one of the kids can’t eat something but not for a special diet they decided they wanted to have at 11.

One vegan meal for all works

[Anonymous]

Don't let your child do this to her.

She is entering puberty and will be starting her period soon.

She needs a healthy diet with proper nutrients, including animal based foods. It would be irrespinsible for you to allow her to start a dangerous fad diet like veganism.

Get her off social media and make her eat properly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Cooking is so much work. I would teach her some easy vegan things she can make on her own. I wouldn’t be adding a whole second dinner I have to make. I’m happy to do it if there is an actual medical reason why one of the kids can’t eat something but not for a special diet they decided they wanted to have at 11.

In our family, we take turns cooking meals that work for everyone. So, she'll prepare vegan food for the whole family once or twice a week. On the other days, when her siblings or a parents prepare a meal, they'll either make it so that the meat/dairy/eggs can be left off. So, for example, tonight I'm going to try this:

https://www.the-independent.com/life-style/food-and-drink/leek-lentils-halloumi-dinner-recipe-b1933934.html

with vegetable stock, and just leave the cheese off hers.

But I need more recipes that work. I need more ideas for recipes, as well as some guidance and how to judge that she's getting enough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't let your child do this to her.

She is entering puberty and will be starting her period soon.

She needs a healthy diet with proper nutrients, including animal based foods. It would be irrespinsible for you to allow her to start a dangerous fad diet like veganism.

Get her off social media and make her eat properly.

Force her to eat factory farmed animals treated cruelly when she doesn’t want to?
Why?
I’m not a vegan but have the utmost respect for those that are. I’m close but not quite there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cooking is so much work. I would teach her some easy vegan things she can make on her own. I wouldn’t be adding a whole second dinner I have to make. I’m happy to do it if there is an actual medical reason why one of the kids can’t eat something but not for a special diet they decided they wanted to have at 11.

In our family, we take turns cooking meals that work for everyone. So, she'll prepare vegan food for the whole family once or twice a week. On the other days, when her siblings or a parents prepare a meal, they'll either make it so that the meat/dairy/eggs can be left off. So, for example, tonight I'm going to try this:

https://www.the-independent.com/life-style/food-and-drink/leek-lentils-halloumi-dinner-recipe-b1933934.html

with vegetable stock, and just leave the cheese off hers.

But I need more recipes that work. I need more ideas for recipes, as well as some guidance and how to judge that she's getting enough.

Consult a dietician, like PP said. How would a rando on this board who has never met your daughter be able to give you guidance on whether she's getting enough???