Strollerderby

Before DH and I started dating, he was a vegan living in CA.  He would come back to NY to visit his family, and stop in at the coffee shop I worked in.  I would always groan about the "annoying vegan from California" because he would ask a ga-jillion questions about how I prepared his damn latte.

Anyway, we're vegetarians (octo-lovo), and during the summer months--when more fresh fruit/veggies are available--we do tend to go more toward the vegan lifestyle.  It's not something I'm willing to drive myself crazy about though.  If something has some dairy, then so be it.

I try to make substitutions whenever possible...mashed bananas instead of eggs in cookie dough, for example.  Jessica Porter (I think) has a book called "The Hip Chicks Guide to Macrobiotics," which is an easy-to-read cookbook-esque book about food choices, and the Vegetarian Times magazine usually has some great vegan menu options.

I am a vegan for health and moral reasons.  I will eat cheese and dairy once in a while ONLY if I know it came from happy, grazing cows, not those poor animals incacerated on a feed lot.  Sickening.  Cheese and eggs are the hardest things to give up but otherwise it was no big deal.  My 5 year old is a vegetarian by choice and the youngest eats poultry,eggs and fish about twice a week.  It is their choice what they eat usually.  I dont need to eat animal meat to stay healthy.  I also lost a ton of weight at first and now have leveled off at a healthy weight for my height.  Read "The China Study" to learn more about he scince behind a vegetable diet.  Astounding.

We are semi-vegetarian. Which means that many of our meals are vegan, because you can eat cheese in everything!  (Well, OK, maybe some people do!)

I'm a restaurant reviewer so I haven't completely given up animal products but for the 5 or so dinners we eat at home (plus all the lunches, breakfasts and snacks) we have eliminated animal flesh.  

I started a blog to talk about becoming vegetarian as a family and to share recipes: vegetarianmoms.wordpress.com

Okay...so obviously I am suffering from Mom-brain (in my defense, I am 9 days over-due with my third).  I meant lacto-ovo--this is what happens when pregnant,  un-caffeinated women try to type while speaking to their kids.

You should try making your chocolate pie with silken tofu. You'd never know the difference...

Everything in moderation. I raise my child with intention, compassion and good will, but we do eat animal products also. I am VERY conscious of the meats that we purchase-- that they come from sustainable sources that treat the animals appropriately (in fact, we are going broke over it!! ha ha). I think organic butter is better than a chemically altered substitute. My child eats plenty of vegetables, whole grains, ect. and we seriously limit his intake of processed foods, refined carbs, sugars, etc. As well, I limit his intake of soy b/c of the estrogen content in that product therefore I don't think it's necessarily a good substitute for meat products. We also have nut and seed allergies so that has to be considered. I know that when he is out in the world he will eat things I'd never feed him at home but as long as the food I provide him at home is healthy and that is where the bulk of his food comes from, I am not going to deny him small pleasures with his friends.

As the snack mom for my son's baseball game last week, I made sure that the food I provided was as healthy as possible. I didn't go for the cheapest bulk food or cookies or crackers; I made homemade burritos with naturally made tortillas (no hydrogentated oils). I provided juice that had no refined sugars, sweeteners or colors added. I could have gotten what was affordable and convenient, but I stand by my beliefs and had the opportunity to give all the kids a good snack, including my own! So I did.

To me, making a fully informed decision is far more important than labelling myself as a vegan, vegetarian or meat eater. I think that to have a bit of everything in your diet, but making sure that the balance leans towards the healthy is the best way to be for us. I have some vegetarian (different levels, lacto, ovo, fish), vegan and meat eating friends. Some of my vegie friends occasionally will TRY meat products and I think that is far more healthy than to never allow it to pass your lips. Open minds are very important.

It's the self-righteous attitude that plenty of vegans share that bother the crap out of me! People have to do what works for THEM and what they believe is right for THEM. There are plenty of vegans that don't eat right. Many that have vitamin B deficiencies b/c their sources are limited. As I stated above, just b/c I feed my child animal products does not mean I am raising him without conviction, intention, compassion or health.

And, Cassie, I think that is great that you are vegan yet open to eat cheese and dairy. However, I think that some vegans would protest your calling yourself vegan b/c you do let animal products pass your lips. I find your choice far healthier than NEVER allowing these things passed your lips. I think it is far more realistic, balanced and healthy, really! Sometimes the substitutes are processed so there is contradiction in the theory! So, I just wanted to send this so you know I wasn't talking about you above!!!!!!!!

If you're thinking of becoming a vegan, make sure you're getting enough Vitamin B12, which comes primarily from animal sources.  A daily multivitamin would keep you safe from the potential for permanent neurological damage.