Hands down, one of the most asked questions I’ve received since I announced my pregnancy last March is whether we will raise our daughter a vegan. It’s something that Eric and I discussed long before getting pregnant, but we revisited the topic again when I did get pregnant. I’ve been clear in the past that our household is not a vegan household – Eric doesn’t follow a vegan diet, although a lot of his meals are vegan because he loves the food that I make (yup, tooting my own horn! hah). He now enjoys hundreds of foods he wouldn’t even touch when we first started dating and it’s been incredible to see his diet transform over the years from deep fried fast food to vibrant veggie-filled home-cooked meals. From eating a huge bowl of frosted flakes cereal to a huge green smoothie every morning, the change has been huge. So even though he’s become more conscious about selecting organic meat from local farms whenever possible and eschewing a large amount of dairy from his diet, he has no plans of going vegan. I support him completely; after all, he was never vegan before we met and he is happy and healthy which is what matters.
Many people have assumed that we would raise Adriana on a vegan diet, but we’ve actually decided not to label her diet in any shape or form. This is for a couple reasons. First, I want her to be able to try any food that she wants to, including the food her dad and family members eat in front of her. Second, I want her to decide for herself when she is older whether she will attach any sort of label to her diet. I have personally experienced benefits and drawbacks to labeling my own diet, and I don’t want to put my beliefs on her or assume that my diet is the best diet for her. That being said, we eat so many plant-based meals in this house I have no doubt that her diet will be filled with vegetables, fruit, legumes, beans, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and healthy fats! We are very grateful for the food we have access to and above all, I’d like to instill this sense of gratitude in her and also an excitement for healthy food, understanding its impact on our energy, etc. We are incredibly lucky that we even have the privilege of discussing this topic. But would we stop her from enjoying some of her dad’s chicken or a birthday cake at a friend’s party or a home-cooked meal at Mimi’s or Babcia’s house? No we won’t (assuming she doesn’t have an allergy down the road, of course).
I know that deciding what to feed one’s family is a very personal topic, but I want to be open about it as I have with my own dietary changes in the past. Obviously, there is no right or wrong answer to this question. Vegan households can work really well if that is the goal (and I know many friends who are currently rocking it!), but this is what we’ve decided is right for us.
I’d love to hear from you about this topic. Have you ever struggled with the decision as to whether to label your child’s diet? Do you live in a household with different diets or allergies? How do you find a balance?
PS – Adriana turned 6 months on Saturday! We celebrated by giving her her first solid food – avocado. I haven’t laughed so much in a long time. It was seriously awesome. I also re-read her birth story and cried a little. More on this feeding thing later.
xo
Comments are now closed – May 20/15
Thank you for sharing and being so honest with your readers. I’ve been a vegetarian for about 25 years, but my husband is an omnivore. I don’t ever prepare meat. I also don’t cook with eggs or cow’s milk products at home. So, I eat vegan 90% of the time and vegetarian 100%. My kids will sometimes try meat that my husband prepares, or order it in a restaurant. They have changed their attitudes over the years. My 9 year old loves pigs, so will turn down any pepperoni pizza offered at parties. My 12 year old goes back and forth. But their diets are mostly vegetarian. The most important thing is that we love each other and I support each family member’s choices, just as they support mine.
Oh, I wanted to add that we did decide to wait until the kids were old enough to understand what exactly their food was before introducing any kind of animal products. I remember feeling horrified as a child when I learned where a hamburger came from. I was so sad and wished someone had warned me before I ate it. So, we waited until they were around 3 and we’re sure to let them know that daddy was eating a chicken, just like the kid on the farm. So, they could make a more informed choice.
I’m vegetarian, and although we eat completely vegetarian at home, my husband still eats meat every so often when we go out. We talk all the time about what we’d do if we have kids, and although I feel strongly that I’ll probably always be vegetarian that’s not something I would want to push on my children. Of course, I’ll expose them to a large array of healthy vegetarian food but ultimately I think it’s their decision, their body, their choice. I think it’s critical to education kids about nutrition, but like you said, there’s no such thing as a one diet fits all. What is good for one body could be detrimental to another. You sound like a great mother and great call on the avocado, I couldn’t imagine a better first food!
I am a vegetarian moving toward vegan, mostly for ethical reasons. Having said that though, like you, my husband eats meat and animal products – and so does my son. We made this decision for many of the same reasons as you. When he is old enough, I am sure I will explain why I eat the way I do, and I will be leaving it up to him to decide what he would like to do also. Thanks you for being transparent and letting us peak into your life and lifestyle!
As a vegan physician, I can tell you that I consider giving children meat on par with letting them smoke cigarettes or other behaviors that jeopardize their health and their lives.
If it were just a matter of “choice” it would be just dandy (except for the animals- you might want to ask them).
But the risk of colon cancer is much higher in meat eaters than vegans. The risk of pancreatic cancer is much higher. Not to mention the virtual absence of heart disease among vegans compared to the fact that heart disease is the #1 killer of people who do eat meat.
I could go on.. alzheimers disease, bone loss, obesity.
I have seen 2 of my patients watch their young adult children suffer and die of colon cancer in the last year. Heartbreaking.
So I do not support giving children a choice. We as educated adults are responsible for demonstrating healthy habits and, while we do have control over what our children do, not offering them food or other substances that potentially harm them.
Deborah Wilson MD
I noted that you did not post my comment. Can you tell me why?
Hi Deborah,
Due to our spam filters, whenever someone comments for the first time it goes into moderation. It is posted now.
Bonjour Angela !!
You are pretty smart not labeling your daughter . My children ate meat , and one day they decided on their own, that they wanted to be vegetarians, 7-8 years later they taught me the benefits of better eating ! And I found your cookbook and gave it to my eldest to enjoy !!
I think as parents we show them what we know and as they grow older they like to show us what they have learned. I am soo glad that I did not label them tht they had to be “meat eaters”.
With love from Québec, Montréal Canada
BRIGITTE ESTELLE
I am probably older than most of your readers. I have 8 children and have survived cancer. I changed my way of eating before my cancer diagnosis 3 years ago to a plant based, whole food, whole grain way. My family (3 still at home and 1 in college) have learned from me why I eat what I eat and their habits have been evolving. My husband, as well. They do however eat meat and some pastries, etc.
I do not want to be labeled by my “diet”. I have chosen a healthy lifestyle and it has benefitted me greatly and my family has benefitted from it as well. I believe it was to the credit of my way of eating that my body was able to heal as it did after cancer treatment.
When I came across your recipes, I was overjoyed! I almost exclusively use your cookbooks and blog for my recipes. You have an amazing story and your love for others is evident by what you do. Thank you!
Blessings!
You are a wonderful mama, Angela :) Adriana is a very lucky lady to have landed in your arms and I feel you’ve made a wonderful decision in raising her that will lead to a very healthy and respectful attitude towards food and her body. Thank you for all that you do!
This post reminds me how lucky I am that my husband transitioned to veganism at the same time I did. What if he hadn’t watched Forks Over Knives, or Gary Yourofsky’s ADAPTT lecture? I’ve been vegan for almost a year and a half, and it brings me peace to know that my home is a peaceful place where we don’t eat things that caused harm to animals. It’s easier to deal with the fact that extended family hasn’t made the same choices we have. It’d be heart-breaking if my spouse was in the same category. To look at someone I love that deeply and know they’ve faced the facts and are willing to make animals suffer at the cost of their health and the environment because of convenience and tradition would be incredibly hard. Especially since I am willing to do all the work to research and cook healthy, delicious, (Oh She Glows!) vegan meals. I am so grateful that my husband watched the same documentaries that I did with an open mind, and has embraced the change. It enables us to raise our children with healthy, peaceful food – and no awkward conversations about why Dad made a different choice.
Hi Angela,
I admire your courage for posting this, knowing that there would be inevitable backlash. You’ve clearly put a lot of thought into these decisions and how you choose to raise your family is a very personal decision.
My husband and I are lacto-vegetarians (that means we don’t eat dairy but do eat eggs, right??). I have been a vegetarian for nearly 20 years. I also suffered from an extreme eating disorder for over 10 years. That’s the primary reason that we have chosen to raise our daughter without labels or restrictions. She eats a plant-based, healthy and balanced diet and generally makes similar choices for herself. However, I never want her to feel that we would judge her or that she would be “bad” for eating a cheeseburger or an ice cream cone. I know from personal experience that that can lead down a bad path that I hope she will never have to travel.
Angela,
Your blog is beautiful. Your writing is beautiful. Your family is beautiful. And 99.99999% of the people who visit this site and follow you believe that.
I find it interesting that all of the “true vegans” who advocate kind and respectful treatment of animals can be so hurtful and disrespectful to a fellow human. Here’s a definition for them:
Hypocrite hyp·o·crite \ˈhi-pə-ˌkrit\ A person who claims or pretends to have certain beliefs about what is right but who behaves in a way that disagrees with those beliefs.
My thoughts exactly! So much anger and criticism, and a lot of hypocrites posting on here. I understand and respect that people will have different opinions, but for those people who are so incredibly disrespectful toward Angela’s decision, how many of you are second or even third generation vegans (not vegetarians)? You all made a decision at some point in your life to “go vegan”, what is so wrong about Angela raising her daughter on a plant based diet but not being so restrictive if her daughter chooses to try something outside of the vegan only diet? You say that a baby cannot comprehend what they are doing so you must teach them and control what they are exposed to. But how exactly do you keep a child from trying something at daycare or school, or at a friends house, or what about when they become teenagers! No parent is going to be around a child 100 percent of the time, until they reach adulthood, to snatch a non-vegan food item away and admonish them about how it was once an animal. What if you raise your kid to be vegan and they make the decision to go omnivore or ovo-lacto vegetarian? What exactly are you supposed to do if your kid has some serious allergies that would make a vegan diet impossible? How about some vegans who are well known who have recognized that the vegan lifestyle was making their children or themselves very sick and it wasn’t until they began adding in certain animal products that they began to see a massive improvement in their wellness? I think raising a child in a home where both parents are not vegan does pose some unique challenges. I think it is sensible to raise a child with a healthy relationship with food and teach them how to have compassion for animals, rather than making eating anything from (or produced by) animals a sick, disgusting, cruel, and just a plain totally wrong thing. How in the world do you not confuse a child if a spouse is not also vegan! How do you teach a child that being omnivore is not okay when mommy or daddy is omnivore – how unfair is it to say to a child “do what I say, not as I do”?
Angela, I find it very interesting to read in the comments that you’ve sent out an email asking for people’s support – don’t know who’s on your list, but honestly…. you’re a grown woman on a public site that serves to promote your books and the sale of your teas. You have made it your mission on this blog to promote the joys of a plant based diet, what it has done for your health, etc. That’s great. But to call upon people to post their support and defend you, that smacks of high school level tactics. Pull up your big-girl pants, and realize that you’ve opened yourself up to criticism because many people don’t take kindly to what appears to be a dishonest representation of what you stand for.
A lot of vegans, myself included, were very saddened to see this particular post. We feel duped, had, betrayed. We thought you were who you said you were, a proud vegan woman, and as such would be raising her child to be vegan. But you’re not, and we’re understandably, upset.
Take a cue from T.Colin Campbell, author of The China Study and Whole, who only refers to himself as plant based. He doesn’t follow a complete vegan lifestyle, and he doesn’t support the vegan movement. And that’s okay, that’s who he is. If that’s what you believe, so be it. That’s your choice. Own it. I’d respect you for that.
If you are referring to Laetitia Lehman-Pearsall’s comment above, nowhere is it mentioned that Angela asked Laetitia to post a comment here to show support. You are reading way too much into this.
Before making this sort of assumption and accusation, you should have solid proof.
Maybe it’s the lack of air from standing up high in your ivory tower that is affecting your judgment.
Oh, hers wasn’t the only comment… but I was wrong about emails as there’s a new post from Angela that is really quite amazing and powerful. It looks like there are people who are on an email list and it was the new post called Food For Thought where she discussed the response to this blog post.
She’s been wearing her big girl pants all along, and I stand corrected and I apologize for my assumption.
As far as being high up in an ivory tower, it’s actually a tofu tower. Vegans wouldn’t be associated with ivory.
OSG recipes and book are qualified as vegan, but I don’t recall Angela ever stating that she was vegan herself. She also calls her diet vegan and plant-based but the word “vegan” is never applied to her.
Do you have proof of the contrary?
Here’s my proof to the contrary Nadine. Aside from having a Vegan 101 button on this site, here are samples of Angela calling herself a vegan, or speaking about the animals from a vegan point of view:
From her first cook book:
After learning about the horrors of meat and dairy factory farming, I had to ask myself some hard questions. How could I, the lifelong animal lover, continue to support a system that brought so much pain and suffering to so many animals each year? The complete dichotomy of the food on my plate and my passion for animal welfare was, quite frankly, hard to digest.
One of the most requested topics in my Vegan How To series is about eating out at restaurants as a vegan. I can totally relate to your struggles with eating out. Even to this day, I find restaurant experiences as a vegan can be very hit or miss depending on the restaurant/chef.
Read more: http://ohsheglows.com/2013/02/06/10-tips-for-eating-out-as-a-vegan/#ixzz3WC8rYKtW
As the year draws to a close, I’ve been thinking a lot about this space and what I can do in the new year to challenge myself (and hopefully you) in new ways. It probably doesn’t come across this way on the blog, but I often struggle with questions like – What am I doing to make a difference? What can I do to help people and animals? Am I growing on a personal level?
Read more: http://ohsheglows.com/2012/12/31/vegan-how-to-series-introduction-why-this-series/#ixzz3WC9VrRM2
My Vegan Pantry
It’s All About The Crunch
Our grocery shop this week was high in veggies and fruit! Meat was no where to be found much to Eric’s chagrin. The new rules are if he wants meat he has to cook it. And since he is lazy in the kitchen, he has simply stopped buying it. lol.
Read more: http://ohsheglows.com/2009/08/26/its-all-about-the-crunch/#ixzz3WCBFnSZP
I was recently asked in an interview how veganism has changed my life. Normally, questions like this bring out the best (worst?) of my indecisive nature, but this answer came to me quite easily. Veganism has changed my life in countless ways, but the one that stands out is how my love for animals has grown over the years. I’ve always been an animal lover as far back as I can remember, so looking back it’s not a big surprise that I eventually became a vegan.
Read more: http://ohsheglows.com/2013/09/17/lightened-up-raw-pecan-pumpkin-butter/#ixzz3WCCxllwL
You say “Vegans wouldn’t be associated with ivory”. Newsflash: human teeth consist of ivory!
The word “ivory” in this expression refers to the colour white, which is the symbol of purity.
It was a bit of humor Nadine, nothing more than that.
Although when it comes to ivory, there is a difference between animal ivory and human ivory.
“They are similar but not exact. The structure of ivory is produced differently from elephants, walruses, and hippos than human teeth. Both are bone but one is human bone and the other is animal bone; thus, the DNA contained in the cellular makeup is different.”
And yes, you’re right ivory tower refers to the color white, symbol of purity.
I sure did a get a good laugh trying to imagine someone up on a tofu tower! You have to admit, that is hilarious!!
All jokes aside, I am still trying to figure out if Angela has ever attached the word “vegan” to describe herself? Any thoughts on the matter?
On a side note, I am on your side. I have been plant-based for three years now, first for health reasons and then for ethical and environmental reasons.
However, what is beyond my comprehension is why people would discredit Angela publicly when she is helping the vegan cause immensely. If you make abstraction of all labels, Angela _is_ greatly contributing to the vegan cause by getting thousands of people to cook everyday without using any animal products. And at the end of the day, isn’t that what matters? Shouldn’t we rally behind her instead of shooting her down?
Maybe I am an idealist but shouldn’t we tear down all barriers between plant-based dieters and vegans?
“From ‘junk food vegans’ to raw food vegans, and everything in between, there’s a version of veganism to suit everyone. Yet one thing we all have in common is a plant-based diet avoiding all animal foods such as meat, dairy, eggs and honey – as well as products like leather and any tested on animals.” – http://www.vegansociety.com/try-vegan/definition-veganism
I sure did a get a good laugh trying to imagine someone up on a tofu tower! You have to admit, that is hilarious!!
All jokes aside, I am still trying to figure out if Angela has ever attached the word “vegan” to describe herself? Any thoughts on the matter?
On a side note, I am on your side. I have been plant-based for three years now, first for health reasons and then for ethical and environmental reasons.
However, what is beyond my comprehension is why people would discredit Angela publicly when she is helping the vegan cause immensely. If you make abstraction of all labels, Angela _is_ greatly contributing to the vegan cause by getting thousands of people to cook everyday without using any animal products. And at the end of the day, isn’t that what matters? Shouldn’t we rally behind her instead of shooting her down?
Shouldn’t we tear down all barriers between plant-based dieters and vegans?
“From ‘junk food vegans’ to raw food vegans, and everything in between, there’s a version of veganism to suit everyone. Yet one thing we all have in common is a plant-based diet avoiding all animal foods such as meat, dairy, eggs and honey – as well as products like leather and any tested on animals.” – http://www.vegansociety.com/try-vegan/definition-veganism
Hi Nadine, I am so glad I came back to check out the site because I didn’t receive a notice of a follow-up comment to yours.
I absolutely 100% agree about tearing down barriers between vegans and plant-based eaters when it comes to dietary approaches. I have mentioned in previous postings T. Colin Campbell, the author of The China Study, who refers to himself as plant-based and refuses to call himself vegan. He recognizes that the vegan label is strongly associated with the political/ethical movement of animal rights and environmentalism. I respect him for that, and I think that’s why vegans will happily talk about Campbell’s work on nutrition and health and the impact it’s had on encouraging more people to eat plant-based. He’s a public figure and he has made it clear who he is and who he isn’t. Up until this post, I had no reason to think that Angela was anything but vegan in her outlook on the world.
I still love her recipes, and I absolutely adore her for helping omnivores eat more plant based meals. That is fantastic. But she is a public figure due to her blog and her cookbook. If she is calling herself vegan, but is allowing her baby to eat chicken, etc., then that is confusing to the public and of course vegans who follow her blog are going to question it.
I realize there’s been some strongly worded posts, and I saw that Angela felt threatened by them. Of course, she’s human, I am sure like Angela most of us would be upset and feel threatened by the anger that has been expressed here. I think, though, that most vegans are just trying to hold onto what being vegan is.
Vegans are so often demonized in public – called all sorts of names, etc. When I looked at posts in the follow up blog “Food for Thought”, vegans were being called jerks, told to f*ck off, and accused of being nasty and narrow minded. I don’t believe any of the upset vegans ever told Angela to f*ck off. The worst was that they either chose to stop following her, or were going to return her cookbook. Oh, and yes, there were posts saying that eating animals is murder; or posts substituting the words eating animals with racism/homophobia. But I think those posts were to help people understand how wrong eating animals is.
With all of that said, I reach out to you, Nadine, and to all who are either 100% plant-based, 100% vegan, or all the omnivores who are working towards eating more plant-based meals: let’s all move forward. It’s never going to be perfect, but if we can speak to each other with love and respect, allow each other to have a voice and not be bullied or shut down, then I think we will be stronger for it.
Love your outlook Angela and it’s one I hope to implement with my kids in the future! I will educate them of why I eat a particular way but they are not obliged to eat the same way. There was a time in my life where I thrived off a meat-heavy diet and other times (i.e. now) where plants are my jams! We are constantly evolving and need to find a way of eating that suits us at that given moment!
Hi Angela, I really enjoy reading your blog and it was one of the first that I discovered a number of years ago. My husband and I also had a similar discussion when I was pregnant with our first. I’m not a vegan but I don’t eat red meat and my husband does. I felt that my kids should be able to make that decision on their own when they are older as I was able to. I can only hope that they will develop a love for the healthful unprocessed foods that we eat at home. I don’t want to forbid any foods or have them feel left out at birthday parties etc. when there is bound to be some pretty scary foods!
Frankly, I’m disgusted. You make your choices, and I make mine – to not send people to your website anymore. Call yourself plant-based if you like, but not vegan.
No, I wouldn’t.I cannot be 100% sure there will be no deficiencies, I am just not willing to risk it. Yeah, I’ve read about B12 in some seaweed and stuff, but is it really true? And who knows about life-long repercussions.. I cannot ask my child to be ethical, I want him to be healthy. Vegan sources for DHA/EPA ?! (not expecting anyone to be answering this, I’ve done my research. There is no valid data, sorry).
My child comes first! :)
PS: I respect your decision. I think we all do our best when it comes to the choices we make.
PPS: Angela is asking what you would do, rather than what you think of her choice. There’s quite a difference. And if some of you are disappointed, I guess that is you choose.
Hi Angela
My husband is recently vegan, and I’ve just started trying (seeing as we are gluten free already it is a bit tricky, at least to start it feels that way).
So as relative outsiders to this world, and from the UK where I’ve never heard anyone make a distinction between plant based and vegan, I wanted to say thanks for the great ideas on your blog. They are making it easier for us to eat less and less animal products.
I find the whole debate and criticism very odd as I would have thought that as vegans who clearly feel incredibly passionately about animal welfare, anyone who encouraged people to eat more veg less meat with delicious vegan recipes would be rewarded.
When I tell people I’ve started being vegan, they ask why (invariably!) but then respect that D have made a choice not to eat any animal products. They don’t comment on my shoes that are leather (but bought pre-vegan and second hand at that) or otherwise have any views on the vegan lifestyle- largely they are impressed that I am doing something dramatic to reduce animal products in my life.
It struck me reading the comments that most of the people trying to defend “the correct” definition of being vegan, were seeking to preserve some kind of status rather than being able to step back and assess the impact of the label. I hope they don’t put people off. I will continue to call myself vegan because I want to, and I respect your decision to not call your diet, or your daughter’s diet anything at all.
Parent how you want!
P.S. the first recipe i made was your thai sweet potato burgers with peanut sauce- when i ate it I felt like veganism wouldn’t be so hard after all
Angela – Your recipes have inspired me to COOK!!!! And in the process I and my loved ones eat a healthier, largely plant based diet. Even my meat and potatoes Mom is impressed with your Buddha Bowl. My three year old niece loves your cookies and my boyfriend CRAVES your lentil soup. I admire your balanced view of food and life and am inspired by your story. I also love your willingness to share yourself with your fans. When I google “vegan” recipes, I’m looking for recipes with no meat, seafood, or dairy. That’s what your recipes are. Judgmental militant vegans – do your thing and leave the rest of us to our own devices, please.
I understand and respect everyone who truly believes in their hearts and minds that animal cruelty in any form is wrong. I fully support the choice of belief system you live by and I commend you for being willing to forgo things in life that others choose to include in theirs. However, I cannot even remotely tolerate any human being treating another with so little respect for their own choices. I personally do not eat meat because I feel better eating plant protein. But understand this: I have the right to consume any animal product I choose to, whether anyone else likes it or not. This is a freedom each and everyone of us, children included, have. I understand those of you who feel choosing to eat animal products should not be a freedom because the animals do not get a choice. You are right–the animals do not enjoy the same freedoms we have. Because they are ANIMALS. It may be unfortunate, but an animal will never be capable of the same sorts of thought processes and emotions that humans are because their brains are not wired to. As others have said, it is the circle of life. I do find it sad that an animal has to die for even organic meat. But as an intelligent, educated person who was raised to be respectful of others, I recognize that these feelings belong to me. I can share them and hope for the best but I have no right to insist my way is the only way anymore than any of you. I love animals, have pets and do not think choosing to eat animal products is wrong. I am sorry to those I offend but I do not see the death of an animal as cold-blooded murder and to equate a person who does eat animal products with a rapist or murderer is simply ignorant whether you wish to believe it or not. And yes, I’d like to know if all of you being so very critical are pro-life as well because if I was faced with the choice to save my unborn child or stop an animal from being killed for food, you can damn well rest assured my child would win. I’d also like to know if you own a a car or have ever owned a car with leather interior. Please hear me: I respect all of you for your commitment to your choices but don’t lose site of the fact that they are choices, and all of us have them. No one is more entitled to them than the next.
Also, I believe Angela allows all these comments because she is obviously an open-minded, compassionate and tolerant person with enough strenght of character, not to mention intelligence, to understand that this isn’t about right and wrong. It’s about choice and by allowing all comments she is clearly showing that. Good for you, Angela! I am so impressed with all the comments from people who get what the purpose of your blog is and so disappointed in those who are just looking for a fight.
Thank you for taking the time to be so honest about something so personal. In life we have our choices to make for ourselves based on our own beliefs and values. There is absolutely no right for one human to judge another and put themselves above your own personal decisions in your family. I have struggled with the thought of what we will do when we have children. I live in Mexico, however, I am Canadian and my man is Mexican. He comes from a very meatcentric upbringing and probably never give up on eating meat. I am extremely lucky, as you, that he eats everything I make. love it even, and has been making healthier plant based choices since we started dating. This has filled my heart with much warmth coming home to his own freshly made plant based meals was something I didn’t think would ever happen. But as you have said we have discussed the topic of our kids, when we decide to have them, and I believe that we will adopt a similar philosophy. In the house will always be plant based but at family members and outings if they choose they will have the opportunity to try. Of course in a plant based house children are generally raised with an education of where meat comes from and I have a few friends, meat eaters, who’s kids asked these very questions and gave up meat on their own. It was their choice they just didn’t see the need of eating their animal friends. Thank you for standing up for yourself and know that you are awesome, making changes and inspiring so many others. There will always be haters but this when you know you are really doing something great!!!! Keep moving forward and never stop believe you have an army behind you :) xo
On a side note…. when did one calling themselves VEGAN become such a religious like cult movement. I feel the judgements are coming close to those that are from one Christian sect and defending their views to another. We are all human and imperfect. If someone calls themselves vegan and eats a loaf of bread that was made with eggs ….. oh the horror’s. Isn’t this a journey and shouldn’t we all be encourging each other instead of finding reasons to discredit one another for perhaps not being what we are, simply a human??
This is such a well-written and thoughtful post. Thank you for sharing your life like you do and for being so open. It’s encouraged myself and my husband to eat significantly differently. We’re not vegan or vegetarian, but we’ve cut our meat down to once/week (buying locally raised, organic meat) and our baby actually prefers a plant based diet (his favourite food is lentil curry :) ). What I appreciate most about this post is the attitude of thankfulness. Much of the world is not afforded the luxury of deciding how they eat, they are simply lucky if the are able to eat. Clean water, healthy food at our finger tips and resources to go out and purchase it is certainly a lot to be grateful for. Thank you for bringing that point up!! P.S. Your book is beautiful and is my go-to gift for friends and family!!
Angela,
Why not just call yourself a strict vegetarian? We decided that was the best “label” for us. We do eat like vegans, but don’t eschew (used) leather, down, wool etc. because we feel they’re kinder on the environment. We also have carnivores as companion animals. And when people say “oh, you’re a vegan,” we politely correct them and explain that “vegan” is much more than just a diet. We do this because just as it’s incredibly annoying to have someone tell us vegetarians can eat fish and chicken because a customer, or a friend is vegetarian and eats them, we feel it’s unfair to be thought of as vegan when we’re simply strict vegetarians.
I am sorry that you received some negative comments for this decision. What works for one family does not necessarily apply to the next! I believe that many eating disorders are born out of labeling one’s diet (if I am not “allowed” to eat dairy, how about I binge on cheese when no one is looking?).
Your honesty and transparency are always very much appreciated!
I have struggled with this Issue aswell! I am in a similar situation to you , our household is Vegan for the most part. With my husband Eating what I make for him but eats meat and dairy on occasion. I have 2 little ones and im often criticized for “not giving them what they need to grow big and strong” (false!!). I always give my 2 year old the choice of what she is eating, when we eat out at restaurants she is welcome to have the Mac n cheese or chicken fingers if she so pleases but at home we eat vegan. Growing up in the country also doesn’t help because we are surrounded by farmers that almost take offense that I am Vegan even though I do it in a very peaceful and non-invasive way. I think a lot of the Vegans that are criticizing you are more of the extremist type, just ignore them and keep on doing what your doing!
Angela only you and Eric can make the right choices for your daughter and no one opinion on this blog really matters. And as a parent there will always be someone who disagrees with your choices. With that being said, you have made my family of omnivores a little healthier just by offering healthy recipes that I can share with my family and I thank you for that! One problem with veganism in children is that they do not fully understand it. Anyone who has taken a psychology or ethics class will know that children do not have the moral and ethical capacity of an adult. When children go to a friends or families house they simply do not understand why they are not able to have pizza, hamburgers, or ice cream like everyone around them. It breaks your heart telling you children no to such things and having them miss out as well. The only thing that really matters is feeding them healthy foods and teaching them that they have the decision to make for themselves when they are able. A hard part of being a parent is knowing that you cannot make all the ‘right’ decisions for them. All you can hope for is that you teach them well enough to make the right decisions for themselves. If you give them choices in food now, they will not wonder what they are missing out on as much later. I think that you have made a fantastic decision by not labeling your daughters diet and letting her live life and try things out (what infant and toddler years are all about!) A mothers instinct is a very strong and natural thing, much more natural than any diet. Do not let anyone deter you from what you feel is right for you and you beautiful baby girl!
I love you just a little bit more now. You share my belief system. I really believe in allowing people to make their own decisions without judgement. I think by finding something you have embraced and sharing it with people you are encouraging others to try what has worked so well for you. Your website has influenced me a lot and I eat a plant based diet much more often than I used to. I think many people see a vegan diet as one of deprivation and you are changing that. Kudos to you Angela. Not everyone will agree with you but more people do than you even realize
We struggle with this question, too! Our son eats a vegan diet (and is a very big, healthy boy!) but we occasionally let him eat non-vegan foods at social gatherings (like cake at birthday parties or muffins he helped bake at school.) He is only two, so he hasn’t quite realized that other families eat differently than him, but he also understands that he doesn’t eat animals or things from animals. Ultimately, it will be his decision whether or not to stick with a vegan diet. We plan on giving him lots of information (when age appropriate) about where animal products come from, something that I think many kids don’t get, because the information is not pretty. It will be interesting to watch him decide over the years!
I think your decision’s PERFECT! I know that feeding little Adriana plants galore (especially YOUR recipes) will result in her loving plants and considering mom’s vegan lentil loaf her favorite comfort food that she requests when home from college instead of meatloaf! :-) I’m also in love and living with someone of the opposite diet! [I wrote a whole blog post about that works!!: http://bit.ly/dateoppositediet] While at first I thought that being a “mixed couple” would be problematic, I’ve found that by leading by example, I can inspire him to eat healthier without an ounce of nagging – his love for meat and dairy has virtually vanished over the years (and has been replaced with a love for green smoothies and tempeh!).
xoxoxo
https://www.facebook.com/GrumpyOldVegan/photos/a.621220164656561.1073741828.330189007093013/687642794680964/?type=1
I was raised Vegetarian because my parents were vegetarians and that is what they cooked and what they knew. Once I learned what it meant to be a vegetarian I was thrilled, I loved animals and felt proud knowing I was protecting them. My parents decided to feed me food aligned with their beliefs until I was old enough to decide for myself. They never denied me of any food, and aside from a piece of pepperoni I was inclined to eat (which I couldn’t tell apart from the soy alternative), I was tempted to eat meat. Sure there were pesky kids along the way who just didn’t understand or felt guilty because they too wanted to help animals, but I am so glad my parents raised me with the knowledge and freedom they did. I am 18 now and have been vegan for two years and live at home, I cant tell you the last time I saw milk in the fridge. It is a personal and sensitive topic often grounded in culture, all you can do is be honest about why you choose to eat what you do, and no matter what your child will be grateful. After all, mothers cooking is always the best cooking.
PS. I got my mom your cookbook for mothers day! (It was really a gift for the both of us)
*never tempted to eat meat
We take a very similar attitude with our daughters, me and my husband went vegan a year ago so obviously all we cook and eat at home is vegan (your book has been a godsend in that by the way – so thanks!). However when the girls go to party’s etc they will occasionally have dairy / eggs / non vegan sweets and if they were insistent they wanted to try meat when we were at relatives houses etc I would let them, but I tend to find they prefer to stick to the foods that are more familiar to them anyway.
My eldest at 3 years old is just starting to understand a bit more now and ask if things are vegan etc, and make her own decision on if she wants to eat them or not. We are pretty honest with her in an age appropriate way that meat is made from animals, dairy taken from cows etc. but we think it’s really important to live consensually and never want them to feel restricted by us and rebel, so we are pretty chilled about it when out etc and as they get older I’m sure they’ll do their own experimenting / researching etc and do what think is best for them :)
Good luck with the weaning, this is where the fun / mess really starts :D
I think it’s great that you’re gonna let Adriana choose for herself!. I’m vegetarian transitioning to vegan and have two month old twin boys. I plan on raising them vegan because to me it would be the healthiest thing for them, but if at some point when they’re older they decide to stop, I will support them 100%. Tmi, but I don’t produce enough milk (like maybe an ounce a day) so my babies have to be on formula. I’ve noticed that the formula doesn’t sit very well with their stomach, so I don’t think they tolerate it well (they don’t seem to have a problem with my milk). I guess it’s just another reason for me to raise them vegan.
This is the first comment I have made on anyone’s blog, but I was so impressed by your thoughtful, mature and loving report about your plans for your daughter’s diet that I had to tell you. I am sorry you have experience hateful comments about your decision–what a shame. I commend you for your decision and heartily agree with it.
Let me also tell you that I frequently visit your website, love your food and have purchased your first cookbook for myself and my daughter and am planning on purchasing your second one. Your avocado spaghetti is a much loved staple at my table
After reading everyone’s comments, I would like to offer this response: it is not right to suggest that anyone who does not choose a vegan life for themselves and their family is lacking in compassion towards animals or the earth. It makes it sound like vegans have no empathy for those who choose another way. There are many reasons that people eat as they do. Lead by example not by words.
When you have a child, your priority becomes doing what’s best for the child’s health and that means sometimes letting go of your own choices. Angela, I appreciate your focus on great nutrition and a balanced approach to life and to raising your daughter. And I commend you for putting you and your family’s needs first and not feeling pressured by opinionated people (all kinds). One thing I’e noticed from trying to eat healthier is how defensie people become (i.e your too healthy/you’re not healthy enough/oh your one of those moms…etc…) Just keep doing what you’re doing, because you are doing it fabulously!
New to your website…gotta say this post is actually what made me feel like exploring it further. I have been curious about reducing my meat intake but found the “all or none” approach way too intimidating on many sites.
Your honesty and openness is so refreshing. Having watched my older sister struggle with disordered eating for years, I’m so glad that you’re not going to label your daughter’s diet for her. I cannot stress how inspirational I find your healthy attitude to food (and the journey it took to get you there).
Thank you for encouraging young women everywhere :)
First off, most of the comments here are awesome and encouraging. But wow, there are also a lot of judgy people commenting on this. It’s fantastic to care about animals and how they are treated (we need much more of that in the world), but if you aren’t even kind to other humans, or even likable, then what’s the use? Don’t you think there is bigger tofu to fry? Also, let’s not forget the environmental impact from the cultivation of many plants for food (e.g., water demands for chickpeas, lentils and asparagus, or the whole quinoa debate). Vegans don’t have the monopoly on ethical eating. But I am willing to bet that most people here try their best to eat in ways that are kinder to ourselves, animals and the planet. Can we please celebrate that instead of judging people who don’t live up to our standards?
I am really disappointed at this post, just because your husband is omni why should that matter? Your husband is a grown adult that know where is meat comes from, even if it’s organic, cage-free or whatever it is, it’s still the dead flesh of another animal who wanted to live. I don’t understand why people say that if you’re a vegan raising your child vegan then you’re imposing your choices on this child, but if you’re an omni everyone just assumes you’re doing the right thing. This is ludicrous! You say you want her to try different foods but she doesn’t have the ability or conscious understanding where her food comes
From and the suffering that it implies, that’s why parents make choices for their children, including diet wise and values, then when they get old and have the full understanding they can choose for themselfs. But to say she needs to try different foods and decide on her own is ridiculous, given her age.
I don’t understand why a vegan would raise a child to eat meat and animals,
Doesn’t make sense.
I do agree, by raising your child to eat omni or meat you are imposing as well and just as much as raising your child vegan. Only way out would be to not feed a child and see what they do to sustain life! lol probably not too ethical hey ;)
Exactly, shes being a horrible mother and person.
This comment thread just goes to show that there is no place on the internet that is safe from angry/crazy people. Extremism is dangerous in all forms.
I love the the new foods I’m introduced to through this blog and I think Angela seems like a wonderful mom. I hope that when I’m a mom some day, that I will have the ability to provide as much lovingly prepared meals as Angela provides her family.
I’ve been a vegetarian for over 10 years and I’m constantly asked whether or not I’ll be raising my two kids that way!
apolloandluna.com
I really, truly, hope all you vegans are pro-life…otherwise you’re the world’s biggest hypocrites. I also find it amazing that you (the holier than thou vgns…not the kind ones) tout compassion when you have none for humans unless they believe just like you. Yes, teach your children to be little jerks who worship animals and hate the murderers who eat them. I’m sure they’ll do a lot of good reaching out to others to save animals.
Angela, I am impressed with your healthy and balanced decision. It’s also a great decision to make in order to be respectful of your husband and not just steamroll him with your beliefs. I was a vgn for year (yes, a real one….PETA and all that jazz). Now I eat mostly veg, love vgn foods, and the only vegetarian in my house is my five year old, who is well on his was to veganism as he is very passionate about animals. I am supportive and standing up for his rights to not eat gelatin or rennet or any other hidden meat crap, but I am also teaching him true compassion. For all life. Not animals as superior. As a christian I do not believe animals are equal to us in anyway…and the nonbeliever who quoted the bible as a means for Christians to be veg needs to study a bit more. That said, abusing animals is wrong. I would just differ with a lot of you on what constitutes as abuse.
Anyway, thanks for being real.
I dont have compassion for humans that think killing animals is ok. Those humans are worse than anything.
Angela, I hope that these comments do not discourage you from continuing your baby shares. I love them and look forward to them and have a daughter a few weeks older than yours. I also appreciate your honesty and feel that it does a lot to make all of us healthier. I am not vegan, but have eaten much more plant-based since following your blog. We all have to live our lives the way we see fit and have no right to ridicule and judge others. You have made a huge, positive difference in MANY people’s lives and that’s what matters!
We are a vegan family. Our children eat vegan. They were breast fed for three years. One is still nursing. The hardest part is my family understanding our plant based diet. They don’t understand we have made a healthier choice for our children. And birthday parties that serve awful pizza and store cake! My child has cried because she feels left out. Only recently have her true friends been kind and considerate enough to buy a vegan cupcake or cookies for her and her brother. She is only seven and has always been vegan. It is also very hard traveling and feeding your children plant based meals. Your decision sounds like a great one based on our experience. I wish you all the best.
I am Vegan mostly because of animal cruelty issues and only somewhat due to health. I personally do not condone taking the life away from an animal big or small and so would not personally feed my child anything but vegan food. However, the bf eats meat and so if he were to cook meals and feed her, I would just ask that the meat/dairy/eggs at least come from “humane” sources. (Quotations around humane because the animal ends up dead in the end which I consider not humane but at least from a source where they were able to live their shortened life not only pain and suffering free but also with joy). I would also expect that other family members respect that and feed the child only vegan or else “humane” meals. I would quite honestly be upset if my child were to start eating meat and give no regard or care as to where the meat came from such as a factory farm.
I read this right when you posted it, and it really got me thinking about WHY we label ourselves. It’s such an odd thing to do, and really unnecessary. You are inspiring people to try new things whether part of a plant based diet or just a supplemental meal, thats amazing and does more for the “vegan movement” then spreading negativity, blame and judgment. Who would want to be a part of that?
Loving your book. Please consult with a doctor, kids need animal fats in some quantity for their brain development. Vegetarians get animal fats, vegan do not and some children have gotten irreparable damage.
Lies. All lies. You clearly know nothing. Animal fats arent needed at all. Just fats are. Avocados are one of many options of HEALTHY fats.
There are plenty of fats in a vegan diet: avocado, nuts, seeds, coconuts and coconut oil, olives and olive oil, and other oils. If you go to:
veganhealth dot org/articles/realveganchildren, you’ll see examples of many children who have been raised vegan since birth and are thriving. There are no problems with brain development in any of these children.
Dr. Richard Oppenlander, author of Comfortably Unaware, has raised his three children as vegan from birth and they are all healthy adults.
If a child is not fed enough calories, whether omnivore or plant based diet, there will be serious health issues.
The only nutrient vegans need to supplement is B12. All other nutrients are found in adequate amounts in a plant based diet.