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Hi Ale, I have two boys 4 (in feb.) and 7 1/2. They were brought up vegan but not raw. i went raw last spring, and for most of summer my boys ate about 75% raw. Now they are eating more cooked food. I have been asking them to pick one raw dish each they like and one cooked mealeach a week then I filll in the rest – I don’t work on Mondays & Fridays so I usually do raw on those days at least for evening meal and then on weekend I prepare mostly raw for them. In the beginning I think I was pushing it too much- but now relax about it. When I eat my raw lunch many times they end up picking at it. And green smoothies that I make for me end up being fought over by them. They both have differnt tastes so that sometimes makes it hard- the older one will eat lettus salads and the younger one will eat kale avacado salad. Sometimes I make semi raw meals for them like spring rolls (rice) with raw filling (cabbage kale carrot & dressing) they will eat most things if they are wrapped in Nori (but its roasted- the raw is so expensive)
I would love to hear your ideas as well.
Petrea
Actually, my son will be 4 on february 23rd. Thank you for sharing your story!
Thats pretty cool that your family is vegan. Can I ask the burning question, do you supplement B12?
Hugs,
Ale
Hi! I’ve been vegan (and occasionally vegetarian) my intire adult life. My two daughters (13 and 11), have been vegan/vdgetarian for the last year. I have been “going” raw for the last year. As we speak I am in the process of helping my girls become 85% raw with one cooked vegan meal in the evenings. It is difficult, especially since they both go to school. My youngest really loves junk food. Vegetarian pizzza and “chicken” nuggets. She is a carb addict (well so am I) really we all are. We have to be very aware of what we are eating, when cravings come up. They do love my green smoothies. I am having a bit of trouble coming up with lunches for them to take to school! Any suggestions would be appreciated!
I always read these kid-oriented posts… not sure why because I don’t have young kids… LOL. Anyway, Alicia and Ale, I have been trying for some time to come up with a veggie sandwich that travels well for lunches and outings. I think I finally cracked the code! I make the Better Than Onion Bread recipe on this site using apple instead of zucchini and spreading the dough over two dehydrator trays. Then I make a veggie sandwich with 2 slices of bread, avocado mayonnaise on both slices (or whatever type of mayo you like), avocado slices, cucumber, tomato, onion, jalapeno, carrots, sprouts, basil or cilantro and whatever type of “cheese” I have on hand. This sandwich can be wrapped in plastic wrap and it does not get soggy; in fact, the bread softens nicely when it sits for awhile. This is my new favorite lunch meal as vegan wraps were a diet mainstay when I was cooked and I was missing them.
The avo mayo is made with an avo, 1/2 lemon juiced, 1/4 cup of olive oil, and salt whipped in a high speed blender. This mayo will stay fresh for about 6 days and does not discolor.
This is just one idea, but I really like the onion bread and you can change it up with different fillings, i.e. mock tuna, burgers, meatloaf, etc.
Hey Hollie! I like having this sandwich as a staple because I can easily use all of the other ingredients. The bread is super versatile, as mentioned. But so are the other ingredients. For example, the “cheese” can be used for tacos, lasagne, dip, crackers, salad dressing, or dehydrated into crackers if I really don’t know what to do with it. The avocado mayo is great for nori and lettuce wraps, tacos, spanish rice or mix it with carrot pulp for mock tuna. Everything else in the veggie sandwich is just salad ingredients that I always have on hand. Since I usually am only doing raw for one, this works really well and I can pretty much get through the week this way. And if I need a portable meal, the sandwich really works. I also think that this idea would work for families too, though.
Pam, What an excellent idea! I have two children 6 and 4, and i am just starting to try raw. I love the idea behind living food. Kinda of like “duh” living food for a living body. “why didn’t I think of that?”
I love the sandwhich idea, I am really stuggleing with what should be the staples. I have ordered some books, and if i find anything helpful with my kids as we go through this raw journey, I will post. My idea is though, is to find out what they love about a certin cooked dish and trying to duplicate that for them.One thing i like to do when i introduce a new food is say “it doesn’t tast bad, just different” I make sure they expect a new flavor, then evaluate whether or not they like the new flavor. It really helps my six year old!
not sure what happend, i tired deleting and resubmitting, but it’s till messed up: (
Hello Mamas!
I have two kids 4 and 5. I am vegan but my children and my ex are not. I found that a totally relaxed attitude works best for me (especially since I have no control over what they eat at thier dads house). I also find that having lots of their favorites around makes it easier, they love to nibble on sugar and snow peas, carrots, nuts, fruits of course green “milkshakes” made with frozen bananas. I let them eat these convience foods all they want and then when they ask for cooked food (vegan at my house) they are usually full from snacking on raw goodness all day and dont really eat the cooked food. Then in about a half hour after dinner they are back to raw snacking monsters! Good luck, have fun and relax they will see what great benefits you get from it and when they are older will WANT to do it themselves!
Blessings
I am raw and my kids ages 2-1/2 and 9 months are vegan but not totally raw yet. They love: pates, soups, almost anything I eat. There is a section for kids and I will be posting recipes there soon. I just started doing raw in October and I have been vegan for 14 years. Raw was the natural progression and I just love what it has done for my body and mind.
Great post! This is one of my biggest struggles. Ambikalee- I have the same issue with my son going to his dad’s. He’s finally given in and now gives our son almond milk and no meat. It’s a step.
As far as a daily diet (my children are 10 & 2), they have green smoothies for breakfast. Mine are greens & pineapple, but for theirs I add bananas, flax seed, hemp seed, honey.
I pack their lunches, actually, my daughter packs her own and she is allowed to pack whatever strikes her. I even let my son tell me what he wants in his lunch, this way they feel they have control and I know they’ll eat it. I only keep the ‘good stuff’ in our house, so there’s no issue on processed foods.
My two year old son most days will have baby carrots, figs (dried, unless fresh are in season), whatever fruits we have like kiwi, strawberries, grapes, cut apples. A banana, and he loves avocado, so usually a half of one chopped. If I’ve made some kind of raw cracker he’ll have a few of those too. And granola.
When the kids get out of school it’s always a fruit smoothie with a little greens in it.
For dinner we’re all over the place. It just depends on my time. I’m not big on preparing the more fancy meals, but sometimes I have to to make them happy. They both love to look through my library of un-cook books and my daughter will pick recipes. So, I’ll try one or two a week.
We always start with a simple salad, usually just a mix of all types of greens and a dressing. I found the trick for my son eating salad is to cut it very very small and he likes a ginger dressing. If he just won’t eat a salad, then it’s another green smoothie. Then we’ll do a raw pasta, or our favorite, Ani’s Sun Burgers. Wraps are always good, and lots of raw tacos. It’s pleasing the little one that’s most tough, because my daughter and i can eat simply most of the time.
With children I really think the key is allowing them to make choices and flexibility. If they’re not used to eating ‘raw’, then be prepared for a little struggle and giving in to them every now and then. And no matter their age, if they feel like they can choose, then they aren’t being ‘controlled’. Just give them lots of great choices! Hope this gives you some ideas!