My daughter Leilanoor recently turned six months old and with that threshold came the rite of passage of eating solids. I’ve had my own rite of passage during this time – my first crisis of conscience about a parenting decision. What should she be eating? What should she be avoiding?
If you’re reading this, you’re probably familiar with the well-known reasons people choose to eat a diet free of meat or animal products – health factors, environmental concerns, in defense of animal welfare, on behalf of slaughterhouse workers, or some combination of all of the above – and it might be a no-brainer for you to raise your children accordingly. For me, it’s a situation fraught with dissonance; I’m not a vegan or even a vegetarian, personally. But– and obviously I’m far from being the first parent to have naive hopes that their kid will grow up to be a better, more principled version of themselves – it feels natural for me to wonder, should meat be part of her diet? Will she live a healthier and happier life without it? (Note: I’m not a nutrition expert and this is not intended to be medical or nutritional advice. Please consult your child’s pediatrician before giving your baby an exclusively plant-based diet.)
These questions made me want to learn more about what motivates parents to choose – and pursue – a plant-based diet for their children. I specifically wanted to know why they made this choice with babies and young toddlers in mind. Here are three of the most compelling motives I discovered while talking to parents who are doing just that: