Get Your Kids to Eat Their Veggies: The Flip Side

A number of years ago, there were a lot of parents who were chagrined to discover that their tykes would no longer eat their morning bacon after seeing the film Babe. So what do you do when one member of a meat loving family opts out? Well, you take them seriously. They may change their mind when they discover that more is required than eating peanut butter sandwiches, but they may not.

Lots of kids flirt with vegetarianism at a young age, and even more are becoming committed to the lifestyle as teenagers and young adults. I often ask people how long they have eschewed meat and quite a lot of them say since childhood. There are plenty of ecological, moral, and ethical issues involved, and children feel these things keenly. As they grow older, political and health issues come into play. We know that no or even less meat in your diet is better both for you and the health of the planet.Many families find it disruptive, however, and it may become an area of contention. Some people simply don't know what to serve and it becomes an additional mealtime stress. Make the effort to meet your child halfway.

1. Start serving a meat free meal once or twice a week regularly. Add more meals as the rest of the family feels more comfortable with it.

2. Make meat the least important item on the plate. Add more vegetables and legumes.

3. Make dishes where the meat is cooked separately from the sauce so it can be added to plates individually at serving time.

4. Always ensure that there is another source of protein for your vegetarian diner, such as legumes, tofu, and nuts, and make enough for everyone to try.

5. Adapt some of your family favorites, such as chili or pasta sauces, to be meat-free.

In the end, you should just relax. There is a wealth of cookbooks containing recipes that should make everyone in the family happy. And you can go to a restaurant together and be certain that your child is going to be offered more than a green salad as the vegetarian option.

Attitudes about vegetarianism have changed dramatically over the years. When my husband announced at the age of 16 that he was vegetarian, his mother served him soggy frozen fish sticks until he capitulated. (Of course, now fish is no longer considered vegetarian).

When our son announced at the age of 19 that he was vegetarian, his mother served him more legumes. So look at this as a great opportunity to improve your family's diet. Maybe you'll get them to eat tofu.

Difficulty level: Easy