Sarahjane Blum is a Jane of all trades when it comes to veganism and animal rights. In this episode Dallas and Ryan chat with her about the decade she’s spent working on issues around the production and sale of foie gras – the diseased fatty livers of ducks and geese marketed and sold as a delicacy. As the campaign coordinator for Forego Foie Gras Minneapolis through the Animal Rights Coalition, Dallas, Ryan, and Sarahjane discuss why foie gras is a unique conversation starter for a larger conversation about the problems inherent with farming animals.  She is also an organizer for Support Vegans In the Prison System, a group dedicated to advocating for nutritionally adequate meals for incarcerated vegans. We also chat about her experience unknowingly adopting a dog who turned out to have fear aggression issues and how she and her husband navigated that surprise. And as if that isn’t enough, this woman is also the lead plaintiff in a lawsuit against the federal government in which she is challenging the constitutionality of the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act! This is an episode not to be missed.

Check out more Midwest Vegan Radio Podcasts here: http://www.stillvegan.org/

Picture this – enjoying your own gorgeous garden chock full of ripe cucumbers, strawberries, squash, watermelon, pumpkins, peas, spinach, kale, collards, parsley, cilantro, dill, and tons of other amazing produce.  Imagine picking your favorite fruits and vegetables and eating them fresh off the vine anytime you want… Sounds like paradise, doesn’t it?

Now, I know what most of you are thinking by now – that would be WAY too much work! And, you’d be right. I mean, I love gardening, but who has the time, energy, and knowledge to grow that huge variety of produce all year every year? Spending hours weeding, composting, adding organic matter to the soil, dealing with pests, keeping the deer, rabbits and other wildlife out of your garden, and all the other work that goes with gardening?

Creative Commons Licence: muammerokumus

But with new hydroponic technology, we can all grow our own fresh food – without many of the hassles of typical farming. With hydroponics, there’s no weeding, no tilling, no composting (no soil at all!), no worrying about deer eating your plants or a drought taking out half your crops. Hydroponics has truly revolutionized farming as we know it.

Not only do hydroponics require much less maintenance, but the growth rates in hydroponics systems often exceed the growth rate in soil by two-three times. This means that in just 4-6 weeks, you can take a plant like a tomato, kale, or even a pumpkin from seed to full harvest. This gives the home gardener the ability to plant and harvest several crops a year – not just one.

But isn’t hydroponics expensive?

In the past, hydroponics was reserved for those with the technological know-how and hours of free time to design, engineer and build a hydroponics system. Plus, a small hydroponic system costs over $1,000 just to order the basic parts – not to mention all the time it takes to put it together. And there’s no instruction booklet for hydroponics either – you have to order the parts from several different manufacturers and hope they all fit together.

However, with new technology from the industry, today hydroponics systems for the home are much less expensive (between $500-600), and they can grow 20-30 plants in just one vertical growing unit. When you use vertical growing, instead of the older hydroponics technology that grows in structures similar to raised beds, they take up much less space. This means you can grow 10 times as much produce in a given area; it’s how many rooftop farmers are now producing as much food on a New York City rooftop as most farmers yield in several acres of farmland.

If you’re thinking $500-$600 is still too expensive to consider growing this way, then think about this. How much money does the average person who buys organic food spend on produce every month? Where does that produce come from? Is it shipped from California? South America? China? Imagine the massive carbon footprint from shipping all that produce.

Image courtesy of Tom Corson-Knowles: Chefs in New York City are growing their own food on rooftops using vertical aeroponic gardening.

Wouldn’t it cost a lot less if we, as a society, grew our own food as close to our table as possible? What better way than to grow your own food at home? And with hydroponics, you can grow indoors, outdoors, and even on a rooftop. Last time I checked we have a lot of rooftops – millions of them – just lying empty, dead space, where we could be growing food instead. Meanwhile we’ve got millions of acres of forest, wetlands, and beautiful natural habitats that are being destroyed to grow food. That’s crazy! I believe we should use all that wasted space to grow food instead of destroying more ecosystems. Embracing vertical hydroponic farming would be a win-win for everyone.

Tom Corson-Knowles is the founder of Authentic Health Coaching. Tom blogs regularly about the importance of good nutrition, healthy eating, and growing your own food with hydroponics. He is a rep for the Tower Garden, and sells the system through his website, www.tomcorsonknowles.com.

photo courtesy of Ellen Jaffe Jones

Gardening at home is a great way to eat produce on a budget. It is relatively easy to do this no matter where you live. There are many excellent books to get you started, especially on organic gardening which is growing food without chemical pesticides or herbicides. It took me several years of trial and error to find what works. The most economical way is start plants from seeds. You can follow the directions on how and where to plant right on the seed packet. Companies like Seeds of Change offer organic and heirloom seeds, and they can give you a great deal of help over the phone during the growing process. Their online site also offers great tips on how to started.

Some people live in apartments or in places where the soil is not conducive to growing. You can get your soil tested by your local Extension Service. They’ll tell you what deficiencies you have in the soil, and if anything can be done about it. Container gardening can work in more challenging situations. Amazon has a plethora of container gardening books, but Seeds of Change can walk you through this process too.

Though not as cheap as a backyard garden, Earthboxes are popular ways to grow easy container vegetables. They come with a large plastic re-cycle bin-type container and a plastic grid that lies across the bottom of the box to keep the roots from coming in direct contact with standing water. A pipe that goes from above the soil to below the soil on top of the grid is where a hose is inserted to water the box. The Earthboxes come with easy instructions and in conventional and organic soil choices. Their customer service is great too. Both companies have kid-friendly choices of plants and boxes.

Some other tips for home gardeners:

• Southern climates will often have a longer growing season than Northern climates. But some vegetables, like collards, kale and other greens love chilly nights and thrive in cooler temperatures. Become educated about what grows best during what times of year in your part of the world.
• Do you live in the city? Urban gardening is quite trendy too. Sometimes abandoned properties can be used to start a community garden. Check with your local municipalities to see what the laws will allow you to do. You can often round up neighbors who might be interested in helping you do the work too.
• Some CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture) have land set aside for people to grow their own produce. To find out if one near you does this, go to www.localharvest.org and click on the map to find a farm near you. If your green thumb is stubborn in showing its colors, you can always join a CSA for a weekly pick-up of vegetables that the farm grows. The downside is you don’t get a choice in which vegetables you receive each week. But if you love most or all vegetables, this is a great way to get cheap, often organic produce from someone else’s garden.

Ellen Jaffe Jones is an author, personal trainer, coach and teacher of vegan cooking classes. She is also the author of Eat Vegan on $4 a Day. Find out more about Ellen at www.vegcoach.com.

Image by Simon Howden

So you have big plans for your garden this year. You know exactly what you want to plant, and are already visualizing the terrific summer dishes you will be making with your fresh produce. Terrific. But now that you’re getting ready to pop your plants in the soil, you’re stumped as to how—as a vegan—you should be preparing that soil. Here is a list of four fertilizers and enhancers you should be sure to steer clear of, and a few earth-friendly alternatives:

1)      Spent mushroom compost – Sounds great, right? Not so much. This fertilizer is often made from animal manure—usually horse manure. It is not usually organic, and is peppered with all of the various chemicals used for growing mushrooms. Instead, use your own homemade compost, or composted garden waste, including grass clippings, old leaves from your yard work great. Do you have a local brewery? Ask for spent hops, which contain nitrogen and are excellent for your soil.

2)      Blood meal and bone meal – Just the name of these soil-enrichers gives me the shivers. They are exactly what they sound like—the remains of animal blood and bones. For a vegan-friendly option, try soft-rock phosphate or alfalfa meal (also known as alfalfa pellets) to raise the nitrogen levels. Alfalfa pellets are often sold as rabbit food.

3)      Fish Emulsion – Similar to blood and bone meal, this fishy fertilizer is made from fish carcasses, either caught for this specific purpose, or left-over from fish processing plants. Try the alfalfa meal as a replacement for this, too.

4)      Manure – Organic farming is great, but many industrial organic farms use tons of animal manure—not so great. Animal manure is not necessary for nutrient rich soil or healthy, hearty plant growth. Instead, use green manure, the process of planting specific plants that are grown in order to be cut down and buried to stimulate the growth of other crops. Some examples are perennials like red clover, and grasses like buckwheat or millet. If you’re close to the coast, seaweed is another good all-round fertilizer (and makes a great mulch).

For more information on vegan gardening, check out these links:

http://gentleworld.org/beginners-guide-to-veganic-gardening/

http://www.farmsanctuary.org/get_involved/act/activist_veganic_gardening.html

http://www.veganorganic.net/

Doing  your own gardening – and doing it smart – is one of the ways vegans can save money on their organic produce. Plus, there’s no better way to know EXACTLY where your food is coming from, and how it has been grown. This week on the Vegan Mainstream blog we are going to be talking about vegan gardening – watch for guest posts from seasoned gardeners on the benefits of hydroponic gardening in a small space (Tuesday)  and keeping to your food budget by growing your own food (Wednesday). This afternoon check out our list of 5 non-vegan garden enhancers to watch for, and on Friday, an interview with A Gentle World.

Garden season has officially started! What’s growing in your garden this year?

photo courtesy of Vegan Food Mama

Vegan Foodie Mama combines fail-proof recipes with a little gab about animal rescue and motherhood thrown in the mix.

As a vegan mom to seven dogs and one five-year-old human, nutrition and delicion are equally important to me! Keeping the veggies fun for the whole family is the goal but good taste is the bottom line.

International food experimentation is the boon of all vegans. Let us make all the mistakes and present the recipe to you once it’s all figured out.
As a former professional baker, I love baking so well that once it’s all gone at the office potluck, people say, “THAT was vegan?”

Visit my blog: http://veganfoodiemama.blogspot.com/

Like my page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VeganFoodieMama

Alexandra Paul is not only a longtime actress and entertainer, she has also been concerned with the environment, animals and human rights for years. Vegan Mainstream spoke with Paul recently about how she got involved in activism of all kinds, what her favorite vegan books and resources are, and what it takes to live simply.

Vegan Mainstream: Tell us about why and how you first went vegetarian/vegan and how your life has changed because of it.

Alexandra Paul: In 1977, when I was 14 years old, I read France Moore Lappe’s book Diet for a Small Planet and promptly became a vegetarian. The next year I read Peter Singer’s Animal Liberation about the exploitation of animals in labs. It opened me up to the overall concept of treating animals with complete respect: letting them be themselves and not relating to them in terms of how they can be useful to humans.

I stopped using cosmetics I knew to be tested on animals. I remember being on a long modeling job overseas when I was 16 and the only shampoo on the island was by Revlon. I washed my hair with hand soap for two weeks, and no one noticed. It made me realize I was in control of the products I used. When I was 20, I started including a clause in all my acting contracts that I wouldn’t wear fur or makeup tested on animals. No producer ever complained, and the makeup artists were always happy to comply.

When I was 28, I dated an animal rights activist and he inspired me to stop wearing leather, wool or silk, and to stop buying cleaning products tested on animals. Back then, in the 1980s, there were not a lot of leather alternatives, but Payless had some plastic shoes and I wore sneakers a lot. I often felt a pang when I found a garment I loved only to discover it had some silk or wool in it, but the more I coveted a piece of clothing the more proud I was to give priority to my values instead.

When I was 47, I finally got rid of dairy in my diet. That was the last thing keeping me from being a vegan, and I deeply regret not making the change earlier. The irony is that it was so easy when I finally really decided to be vegan. I had been so sure I was going to fail that I never committed.

To have my diet and my values fully aligned is such a blessing. I feel more at peace with myself, but also empowered that I continue to make choices towards kindness. I really want to live a life of peace and kindness. You know, being the change I want to see in the world.

VM: What are some ways you promote activism for animals and how did you get involved in that?

AP: I fostered a beagle from the Beagle Freedom Project [BFP] last winter. Beagles are the most common lab dogs because of their docile natures and relatively small size. After a lab is done with research on a batch of animals, it is easier to simply kill them than to find homes for them. Shannon Keith, an attorney and founder of BFP, decided to acquire beagles from laboratories and find homes for them.

Fostering Javi [the beagle] was an amazing experience. He was so damaged emotionally from being in a cage for 4 years, only being let out to have some procedure done on him, but his soul was the most beautiful I have ever seen. He has now been adopted by the perfect family.

Mercy for Animals and Last Chance for Animals are among my favorite animal organizations. I also have two projects I am co-producing that are about animals.

VM: How do you find veganism fits in with the life of “celebrity”?

AP: The thing about veganism is that it has nothing at all to do with those externals like celebrity, fame and wealth. It is all about values, beliefs and health, so anyone can be a vegan.

But when people like Moby or Emily DesChanel (the lead actress in Bones) are vegan, that helps make the lifestyle less weird to people. If famous, rich, talented people who can eat anything or wear anything choose to be vegan, well, then, maybe there is something to it.

I think when Clinton announced he had lost 25 lbs on a vegan diet, that helped mainstream America understand that shunning animal products isn’t just for hippies and artists. Of course, if you tell anyone you lost weight on something, it immediately becomes very popular! Oprah did a lot for people by giving up meat when she had Howard Lyman on her show. When she was sued by the cattle industry because of her comments, it really put the issue on the evening news night after night.

All these things slowly get mainstream folks to at least accept veganism as normal, even if they don’t change their own diets. As with anything, a celebrity can help mainstream veganism.

VM: Can you talk about your work after Hurricane Katrina and other expeditions you have been on with non-profits?

AP: My friend Vietly and I flew to Mississippi to help Best Friends Animal Society at their makeshift animal shelter, which was taking in animals rescued from New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Vietly and I volunteered in the cat barn, cleaning, feeding, walking, and giving meds and baths to the kitties. It was simple work, but, cleaning out litter boxes for those sweet, innocent, terrified cats made me feel close to God. And I am not religious.

Operation USA delivers medical supplies to countries the U.S. government will not help. It’s an amazing group, run on a shoestring [budget] by Richard Walden. In 1989, I went to Nicaragua during the war there with Operation USA . We’d fly in to a very rural area in some rickety helicopter, distribute the meds and fly out.

I was in Sierra Leone, West Africa, this spring with another fantastic organization, Population Media Center. PMC produces radio and television dramas with storylines dealing with women’s rights, literacy, health care and family size, and I was casting and coaching the actors for PMC’s telenovela. The overall goal is to encourage cultures to embrace the concept of having small families, but the dramas are extremely entertaining at the same time. I believe human overpopulation is the most crucial issue of our time — the number of people on the planet has more than doubled in my lifetime!

I love the continent of Africa. I traveled to South Africa with Artists for a New South Africa in 1994 to register voters before Mandela’s election.

VM: What are some of the more rewarding, interesting, memorable, or encouraging experiences you’ve had in your travels and activist work?

AP: The camaraderie and sense of shared mission is so inspiring when working on an issue. It takes time to develop those relationships and to find one’s way on an issue, and what activities are most suited to our personality, but once you have found your niche, it is like being home. When I was 23, I co-founded an organization called Young Artists United [YAU]. Most of my friends today I met through YAU 25 years ago. When people share values and activities to make the world a better place, a bond is cemented between you.

VM: What are some of the best books you’ve read in recent years on the subjects of veganism, animal welfare or activism?

AP: Dr. Ray Greek’s books are fantastic. Start with Sacred Cows and Golden Geese. He shows that animal testing and animal research are bad science, and he does that in a clear, easy-to-understand manner. The only way we are going to stop the suffering of billions of animals every year in labs is with hard facts and logic that prove animal research is junk science.

Steven M. Wise comes at it from another angle: he is a lawyer, not a scientist, and his books are about the rights of animals from a legal point of view. The topic sounds dry but it’s not! I have read two of his books and recommend both highly. Rattling the Cage: Toward Legal Rights for Animals and Drawing the Line: Science and the Case for Animal Rights.

For an overall view on animal rights, I love Thanking the Monkey: Rethinking the Way We Treat Animals. Karen Dawn has written a very thoughtful, intelligent book, but it is published with lots of sidebars and cartoons, so it has a whimsical quality too. She takes any argument you might get about why meat, zoos, circuses, lab research, etc. are all necessary for humans and logically debunks them.

Ingrid Newkirk, founder of PETA, has re-released Free the Animals, a very inspiring novelized version of the beginning of the Animal Liberation Front in America. It is fascinating to read about this piece of animal rights history.

I also really liked The China Study. Skinny Bitch is funny, irreverent and totally awesome.

VM: What are some of the other causes you care about and what work do you do in those realms?

AP: In my 20s, I was very involved with the anti-nuclear movement. I walked for five weeks on the Great Peace March Across America in 1986. In 1987, I started protesting at the Nevada Test Site where they test nuclear weapons, and was arrested over a dozen times there during civil disobedience actions in the next few years. In 1993, I started speaking in schools on overpopulation. I believe we cannot solve any of our ecological problems without lowering the world population drastically down from 7 billion. The next wars will be fought over water , too many people and too few resources. In the 2000s, I was very involved in promoting electric cars with Plug In America, and I also protested the Iraq war every week for six years and spent five days in prison for civil disobedience against the invasion of Iraq.

In this second half of my life, I am going to concentrate on alleviating the suffering of animals and educating people on the importance of having just one child per couple. These are both issues that are considered radical, but to me they are not at all. What is radical is the suffering we inflict on millions of animals every second and the addition of 220,000 people to the planet every day!

Mostly, I try to live my convictions. Preaching doesn’t work as well as just being the solution. It is the most challenging thing, to actually walk one’s talk. My husband and I compost, recycle, and have solar panels. We each drive a plug-in car. We try to live simply and to buy as few new things as possible. My computer and iPhone were both purchased secondhand. Every choice I am presented with, I always think about the planet and the animals before I decide. It has become automatic.

VM: I’m particularly interested in your ideas for simple living because I’ve found it to be intrinsically tied to veganism and consumption. What are some tips you have for going minimalist?

AP: Transitioning to a more simple life means getting rid of excess belongings and refusing to bring more stuff into one’s home and one’s life. This takes time and effort! The most effort is consistently keeping things out of one’s life, as our culture is so driven by buying and giving and getting possessions.

In January, Ian [my husband] and I pledge to get rid of one thing each per day. It is embarrassing that we have to do this every year, but things accumulate. We also try to get rid of something if we bring something else into the house.

Read more about this inspiring vegan at http://alexandrapaul.com/.

Image: ponsuwan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I enjoy traveling with children, and we often find ourselves travelling under extreme conditions – for example,  through Africa overland, including the Sahara Desert. Our second trip through the Sahara included a 3-month-old baby, a 2-year-old, a 6-year-old, a 7-year-old, and my own 3-year-old. As you can imagine, we needed to be prepared for everything. For an average trip to western Europe or somewhere in Canada or the US, you might not need to be so persnickety. However, with children you always need to be prepared. Here are 10 things you need to remember, while traveling vegan:

1. Each child needs their own travel bag or backpack from birth to teen. This bag needs to include healthy snacks, ( too much sugar while traveling is NEVER a good idea), toilet seat covers, wet wipes, 3 small bottles of water, a book, and a small stuffed animal.

2. Always bring a mommy flight bag. This should include, saline nose spray, ear drops, throat drops and water or juice (chewing gum does not work during pressure changes, the child actually needs to swallow); a small baby is usually not bothered by the changes in air pressure, unless he/she has an ear infection. And finally herbal tea. Many airlines carry only black teas and children tend to need a warm drink on a long flight, especially in the morning during breakfast.

3. If you are making a road trip do not forget books on CD. I would not recommend any digital reading apparatus, DVD players or video games, because when using them the child is tuned out, and you might actually want her/him to look out of the window.

4. Be extra vigilant about knowing what’s in your food. If you are traveling to Africa, Asia or South America many restaurants and especially street food vendors use Maggi products and ground shell fish in their foods. Just ask if they are using Maggi to be sure. If allergies are an issue for your little ones, remember that the rest of the world does not have as many nut allergies as we do here, so street food may be fried in peanut oil. The same is true for gluten; however, you may be able to get many rice-based products.

5. Check the shelf life of non-processed soy and nut milks. If you are looking for soy milk you should be able to find it relatively easily, even at street markets, in the middle of Africa. You must, however, remember that it is processed naturally and is flavored only with honey or cane sugar, and lemongrass, (hence the reason for small glass bottles), so once opened you need to drink it within the hour.   If you want the more processed kind of soy milk, you will need to wait until you reach a larger city. Most mid-to-large-size cities have soy-based baby formula in pharmacies.

6. Always Ask. Many foods, like most gelatos in Italy are vegan, just ask. Also, most breads are vegan in France; however, the croissants are sometime brushed with eggs or butter to make them shiny.

7. Learn a bit of the local language before traveling. A few important words and phrases in the  local dialect will go a long way if you get lost or need to order a vegan meal.

8. Register with your embassy or consulate. Register every adult and child, tell them about your travel plans, especially if you plan on going off the beaten path.

9. H20 Matters! Two things people tend to forget are: to wash all fruit on the outside, even if you don’t eat the peel; and that ice is usually not made made with bottled or boiled  water. Avoid it!

10. If you do become ill…If a child (or adult) has stomach problems, use Coca Cola and saltine crackers. This usually works to stop vomiting.  I don’t know why, it just does.  My child is not allowed soft drinks except this small amount when ill. The Coke and saltines allow her to keep the medicine down.  If a child starts to cough, safely wrap a scarf around their necks, this usually helps, even in warm weather; again, I am not sure why, it just does. If it’s serious, of course, get to a clinic as soon as possible.  Most embassies have a doctor on call.

Quick Fire, last Minute Tips!

• Always, always, always bring (or know how to make) electrolytes
• Bring a mosquito net and remember that citronella is a natural and powerful alternative to chemical sprays (*Please note: an emergency kit is recommended and learning how to make electrolytes with a few simple ingredients can literally save a life, no matter where you travel)
• Never forget: a spare set of clothes; a good GPS (make sure it is allowed in the country you are visiting); a meeting place in case you get separated; and a cell phone that just says Mommy or Daddy, so that the child does not need to remember a number in a stressful situation
• Never take photos of people without asking. Never touch anyone’s hair or head. Try not to show your bare feet to anyone. Respect the place, respect the people, be a good guest, and remember that a lack of money does not mean a lack of pride
• Have Fun!

**Shawn Buchanan is founder of Under the Baobab Tree, an organization that supports fair trade in Africa.

Photo by Ambro

Parents are, hands down, their children’s largest influence, especially when they are young. During the first handful of years, they are often their kids’ sole sources of information, and they lay the foundation and framework for the way their children will live their lives. As we have been discussing this week on the VM blog, mothers form early bonds with their children – and these bonds can be used to instill solid values and ideas from a young age.

Growing up, I was raised on whole grains, legumes, and veggies. In the summer, our back yard was transformed into a tomato jungle, and some of my earliest memories involve padding barefoot through the dirt to reach for a vibrant cherry tomato, which I would pop directly into my mouth with grubby fingers. While my mother was not vegan, she taught my brother and I all about veggies and grains, and their nutritional benefits. Of course I went through my sullen teen years rebelling with microwavable chicken nuggets and milkshakes with my friends, but eventually—and on my own—I came back to the holistic way of eating I was raised on. It was my mother’s relationship with food that cemented the relationship I too would have with eating.

No one wants to force their views on their kids, but by providing them with information and then allowing them to make their own choices, you are empowering them and showing them that, regardless of their age, they can contribute and make a difference. So how can you show your child how to be a compassionate creature? Through example and education.

Teach your children compassion for animals by fostering loving relationships between them and animals. This is not hard, as kids often have a natural love for animals. It is also a good idea to teach your kids about where their food comes from. Without scaring them, allow them to connect that the chicken on their plate is the same chicken at the farm. Now that the majority of children are raised miles and miles from farmland, few kids actually make that connection early on. Teach your children about the importance of eating a whole foods, balanced diet – for health, for the earth, and for animals.

Compassion extends beyond just kindness toward other living creatures, it also encompasses honesty. Show them honesty by being honest with them, and allow them to see you being honest with everyone else they interact with. Even when they are young–no, especially when they are young–children pick up on things. Live by example, and it will have a lifelong impact.

So, mothers, how are you fostering compassion in your kids? Or, how did your mother help to foster compassion in you? Share your thoughts below.

photo courtesy of Dreena Burton

Obesity rates in children have almost tripled in the last 25 years. Among children and adolescents ages 2 to 19 in the United States, 31.7% are overweight. One in three children born in the year 2000 will develop diabetes at some point in his or her life.

Those are just a few statistics facing our nation of overfed and undernourished children.  But, we are not powerless.  As parents, we can change the course towards better health for our children.

I am a vegan mom, and our family of five eats a whole-foods, plant-powered diet.  It wasn’t always that way for me, though.  I grew up eating meat, processed meats, cheese, dairy, and junk food.  It took years to retrain my palate.  I transitioned to eating vegan over 15 years ago, and did so to be a healthier me.  So, when we began having children, I surely wanted that same good health for our children.

I wanted to give our children the early introduction to healthy plant-based foods that I did not have.  Food habits and preferences begin early.  And, as Julieanna Hever, R.D. points out in her book The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Plant-Based Nutrition: “Diet in the first decade of a child’s life is more significant than all the remaining years of his or her life.  Massive growth occurs during these years, and cells divide at a rapid pace.  This is a period of great opporutnity to provide your child’s cells with optimal nourishment.”

So, if at all possible, start from the beginning.  But that doesn’t mean you can’t make healthful, lasting dietary changes for your child at 3, 8, or any other age.  Consistency and repetition is key.  Keep offering a range of healthy choices, and they will begin to stick.  It won’t happen overnight.  But it won’t happen at all if you give in to the old ways.

You are the parent.  You are responsible for the well-being of your child.  You make dozens of decisions daily on their behalf.  You don’t let them drive in a car without a seat belt, or sit out in the blazing sun without a hat, or ride their bike without a helmet.  Why is food any different?

Vegan parents are sometimes questioned about the nutritional adequacy of a vegan diet.  Ironically, parents with children eating a meat and dairy-based diets are rarely questioned about: the amount of cholesterol and saturated fats they are consuming; the lack of fibre; hormones and chemicals associated with meat and dairy production; and the colors, refined sugars, and trans fats that are common in the standard diet. These dietary concerns should be questioned by parents, and taken seriously, as other health and safety matters are.

It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that “appropriately planned vegan diets are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases”.  We can set our children on a course of healthy eating habits that will last through their years.

And, The Physicians Committee For Responsible Medicine states here that “Children raised on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes grow up to be slimmer and healthier and even live longer than their meat-eating friends. It is much easier to build a nutritious diet from plant foods than from animal products, which contain saturated fat, cholesterol, and other substances that growing children can do without. As for essential nutrients, plant foods are the preferred source because they provide sufficient energy and protein packaged with other health-promoting nutrients such as fiber, antioxidant vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals.”

And, contrary to what many people think about vegan diets, it is not impossible or even difficult to get the protein, calcium, and other essential nutrients you and your children need.  Yes, you should supplement with vitamin B12.  And, you may want to supplement with vitamin D, since as Ginny Messina, R.D. notes: “Vitamin D is an issue for everyone, not just vegans.” And, while you can munch your way to essential omega-3 fatty acid intake with chia seeds, ground flax seed, hempseeds, walnuts, and whole soy foods, you can also add vegan DHA oils and DHA/EPA supplements to your child’s diet if you’d like that extra asssurance. (*See resources at end of article)

Our girls are now 11, 7, and 3.  They love their meals (of course, some are more loved than others!), and they often thank me for our “delicious and healthy meals”.  They value eating real, wholesome food, and understand where it comes from. This is the kind of food knowledge and eating habits that will grow with them and nourish them for life.

So, set a course for good health for your children.  Build them on a foundation of plant-powered foods.  For recipes and tips, please visit my site at http://www.plantpoweredkitchen.com/.

photo courtesy of Dreena Burton

**Dreena Burton is a stay-at-home mama of three. Vegan since 1995, Burton is the author of The Everyday Vegan, Vive le Vegan!, and Eat, Drink & Be Vegan.  Her fourth title, “Let Them Eat Vegan” is now available!  You can also join Dreena’s facebook community and follow her on twitter.

*For more specifics on nutritional specifics relevant to children on a plant-based diet, check out these resources:

• The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Plant-Based Nutrition, Julieanna Hever, M.S., R.D., C.P.T.
• Becoming Vegan, Vesanto Melina and Brenda Davis
• http://www.pcrm.org/