meat is tasty tasty murder

Emmzi

George,

<rant>well, pasty me *is* offended by your post, no matter how sorry you may be!! It *isn't* 'just the way things are, it's how we choose to make things. I'm not a veggie on ethical or moral grounds but I disagree with your opening statements as inaccurate.</rant>

Anyway - to get back tothe question - I think the key things are
1. to be factual but not graphic!
2. To start giving kids reasonable choices when they are able (ie not expecting you to let kid decide on wiseness of vodka just now, but chickpeas vs chicken is ok!)
3. Not to make a big deal out of it - no point encourging stubbornness and pointing out areas where it's possible to be difficult and get lots of daddy's attention!

I'd set guidelines about eating enough *protein* and let child choose what sort - chicken vs chickpeas vs quorn fillet, for example - and keep the rest of the meal the same. You're talking opening a packet or tin and a 2 minute zap in the microwave... not too difficult! - and one way or another it'll all work out.

ben500

Curious_George wrote: »

can anyone help me with what to say to my DD (very nearly 7) about meat,

she has decided she doesnt want to eat the lovely fluffy animals and will tell anyone that will listen that she doesnt like any kind of meat and yet she eats it more times a week than she realises,
so its not that she doesnt actually like it.... its more like she hates knowing where it comes from (which i understand, she is a caring soul and loves animals)
but what do you think is the best way to explain to her that this is just the way things are... animals are bred for meat and eating it keeps us strong?

have any of you had this problem with your children??

im sorry if this offends any vegetarians but im not happy about my child turning into a pasty non meat eater! and i am definitely not interested in cooking a different meal every night just for her that she will eat all of two bites of (cos lets not forget, she is only 6 and they rarely clear their plates!)

please help!

I found honesty the best policy, tell her straight, "It's not meat its chicken, beef, pork, sausages etc";)

Spendless

Curious_George wrote: »

she has decided she doesnt want to eat the lovely fluffy animals and will tell anyone that will listen that she doesnt like any kind of meat and yet she eats it more times a week than she realises,
so its not that she doesnt actually like it.... its more like she hates knowing where it comes from

Since my 4yo daughter recently put my 40yo SIL :rolleyes: off her ham sandwich by announcing she was eating piggy, I'm guessing this is not uncommon.
Do you mean if it's spag bol, burgers, sausages she's not associating it as being meat?

laura_24601

Emmzi wrote: »

George,

<rant>well, pasty me *is* offended by your post, no matter how sorry you may be!! It *isn't* 'just the way things are, it's how we choose to make things. I'm not a veggie on ethical or moral grounds but I disagree with your opening statements as inaccurate.</rant>

Anyway - to get back tothe question - I think the key things are
1. to be factual but not graphic!
2. To start giving kids reasonable choices when they are able (ie not expecting you to let kid decide on wiseness of vodka just now, but chickpeas vs chicken is ok!)
3. Not to make a big deal out of it - no point encourging stubbornness and pointing out areas where it's possible to be difficult and get lots of daddy's attention!

I'd set guidelines about eating enough *protein* and let child choose what sort - chicken vs chickpeas vs quorn fillet, for example - and keep the rest of the meal the same. You're talking opening a packet or tin and a 2 minute zap in the microwave... not too difficult! - and one way or another it'll all work out.

:T I totally agree with you Emmzi. I've been a vegetarian since I was 12 (im now 19) and was soooo glad when my parents supported me in my decision and didnt try to put me off.

Curious_George_2

gingercordial - it hasnt really turned into a battle ground issue, i would never stand over her demanding that she eat, but i would rather she *try* her roast dinner instead of turning her nose up when she is perfectly happy to eat the leftovers in a shepherds pie the next day.

Fran - sometimes she knows, sometimes she asks, and sometimes its really obvious.... it seems to be if she can see its "meat" like a roast, or chops etc then she gets all sensitive about the animals, but if its sausages or burgers then its gone before you can say 'nut cutlet'

the devil made me do it - well actually i would worry what was up if she went off sweets, but i dont see your point, how can you compare a good nutritious meal to a packet of sugar and empty calories??

thanks ringo, but im not sure *I* want to know which sweets have animal bits in them! dont ruin my guilty pleasures! LOL

ben - tried that! it worked for a while, but shes a bit older now!

spendless - yes thats pretty much the case, if its 'hidden' like, spag bol or processed crap like chicken nuggets then its not a problem, it only seems to be when we have a proper with gravy dinner that she starts

and finally.....Emmzi,
I knew i would weedle out one of you!! sorry hun but that *IS* the way it is, animals are mostly bred for meat and it doesnt matter how much you disagree with it you can not call me saying that inaccurate!
1, i have tried to be factual not graphic, she doesnt need to know the ins and outs of the meat industry but she is fully aware of what her dinner is made out of.
2, i would not have the first idea what to do with a chick pea
3, we are also not making a big deal, this is not a nightly debate around the dinner table, its just happened a few times now and the most recent being last night... so i thought id ask.
and lastly im not "talking opening a packet or tin and a 2 minute zap in the microwave" im talking about preparing real food for my children
im fully aware that its "not difficult" to cook that way, but that is hardly what we are talking about,
if everything you eat has to come out of a can and then into the microwave then its no wonder you were so easily offended!!

Gingham_Ribbon

My mum went through this with me when I found out what meat was (at about 6 it twigged.) The truth is that some people are just genuinely not happy about eating animals and that is me - and it might be your daughter. Because we didn't know much about nutrition and my mum thought I wouldn't get the right balance, she told me I'd have to wait until I was 16. But as soon as I could I stopped eating it and that was that. I've been veggie more than half my life and I would have stopped at 6 if I'd been able.

She is unlikely to to suffer from a vitamin point of view but getting the right protein is the issue - which is easy if she likes pulses, nuts, seeds and dairy/eggs. My son is the tallest and strongest boy in his class and he has been vegetarian from birth.

You are in charge and if you don't want to oblige her that is your right. But a compromise might be something that would keep everyone happy. Have a look at my menu planners and see if there's anything in there that would appeal to you as a family and maybe you could eat veggie sometimes. Just as when my son understands where meat comes from, if he wants to eat it I will cook meat occasionally.

Gingham_Ribbon

Veggie meal planner
Another one.

stefejb

My 10yo is veggie and has been for about six months. I'm not sure what put her off really but i did tell her that she would need to eat all the things that she used to pick out - like pulses and veggies and salad - which she has done. We weren't eating a lot of meat in any case so it hasn't made that much difference I suppose. Since she stopped eating meat we've both been eating a lot healthier because I have to give more thought to the veggies and I just make sure that there are quorn fillets in the freezer for her for days that I just want to stick a couple of chops under the grill and boil some spuds - she's far from pasty by the way and I can't think it's a bad thing when kids start to think about what they're eating

Curious_George_2

laura_24601 wrote: »

:T I totally agree with you Emmzi. I've been a vegetarian since I was 12 (im now 19) and was soooo glad when my parents supported me in my decision and didnt try to put me off.

im happy for you, but you were double my girls age and able to make such a big descision for yourself,
i told my mum i was going vegetarian when i was about 12/13 cos one of my friends was a veggie, it lasted all of a week because my mum wouldnt cook me anything seperate to the rest of the family,

sleepymy - we are not lying or falsely feeding her meat, if she asks we tell her what shes eating, shes not silly... she knows sausages are meat but she likes them... so she obviously couldnt give 2 hoots about the little piggys when there is bangers and mash about!

im thinking i should go along with it and she will soon go off the idea when we are eating someting really nice and she has something like tofu on her plate (im sorry... but ive seen it, smelt it and i can only say it looks and i imagine tastes like play doh)
she will be gutted if we get a takeaway and she cant have any, that might put an end to the double standards!

Gingham_Ribbon

Curious_George wrote: »

i
she will be gutted if we get a takeaway and she cant have any, that might put an end to the double standards!

Most take-aways do veggie dishes. (Actually, I can't think of one that doesn't.) Are you writing off veggie food as bland because you've not tried to make any? I don't think my cooking is bland - far from it!