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Mom vs. Dad
When One Is Vegetarian and the Other Is Not
By Johnathon Allen
"Pamela is primarily a vegetarian because she believes it's a healthier diet," David says. "I'm mostly vegetarian for the same reason, but I still like chicken, fish and the occasional hamburger. I come from a family that eats meat at almost every meal, so it doesn't seem like a big deal. In fact, I think it's important for Juniper to eat sources of protein like chicken and eggs while she's growing, and it's hard for Grandma to understand why Juniper can't eat her cooking."
"There is nothing in meat that children can't get from other foods," says Messina. "In order to set everyone's mind at ease, vegetarian families might want to schedule monthly sessions with a dietitian for a while. In addition to evaluating the children's diets, their relative growth and their iron status, a dietitian can help parents plan menus and brainstorm ways to make a vegan diet practical for the entire family."
Obviously, many compromises have to be made in order for everyone in a mixed-diet family to co-ingest peacefully. Even if everyone agrees that they will be healthier as vegetarians, there are a number of social situations that can present challenging issues for parents and children alike.
"Children might be slightly stigmatized, for example, by being singled out at a birthday party as the only kids who can't have ice cream," Messina explains. "As a result, the family may agree that ice cream and cake are OK at a friend's birthday party, or that it is OK for the child to eat non-vegan cupcakes at school festivities.