Years ago Mr. Polly and I saw a movie and this was a funny line in it--I don't recall the movie, I don't recall what the character was referring to (I think it was a person? a baby? but maybe it was an animal? I don't remember!) but it was humorous and we've used the line jokingly with each other sometimes since then. It has taken on a new seriousness as "what do you feed it?" is a legitimate question when it comes to feeding a tall teenage boy who has decided to try veganism.*
First he was vegetarian, which is imminently doable. We did that for quite some time, but since our family eats a lot of vegetables, beans, and grains anyhow, it didn't cramp my style at all. He was content to eat eggs, cheese, and butter. He floated the idea of trying veganism, which I nipped in the bud, telling him that I did not have the bandwidth to cater to a vegan!
Fast-forward to early fall--Finn wanted to try eat vegan foods only for a month. I decided to consent. He has been faithful to it ever since, and it hasn't been *as bad* as I predicted, although there are times when it feels inconvenient. However, since he's committed to it, he has both learned to cook some things on his own *and* devoted himself to being adaptable to eating things that aren't as excited as they might otherwise be if he weren't vegan, so his own efforts and attitude have gone a long way.
So what do you feed it, when "it" is a vegan teenager?
*For breakfast he typically eats a waffle (I make these in advance and freeze to have on hand) topped with peanut butter, stovetop or baked oatmeal (also topped with peanut butter), or Ezekiel bread toast (topped with...you got it!...peanut butter! and sometimes banana or a few dark chocolate chips). He accompanies breakfast with a cup of plant-based milk and always a very good cup of coffee. I am really good at coffee, y'all.
*Lunch is often leftovers from dinner (see below). Sometimes he'll make himself a broccoli and organic tofu stir-fry. He will also sometimes have a lentil BBQ sandwich: lentils + barbecue sauce on a Dave's 21-grain bun. Today I made pizzas for lunch--his had tomato sauce, spinach, tofu, and sundried tomatoes; mine had tempeh, but Finn isn't a fan of tempeh!
*Snacks: If he's hungry between meals--and he often is--it's smashed avocado on sourdough bread, guacamole and tortilla chips (more rarely), apple and peanut butter, dark chocolate (with peanut butter, if he wants a little protein), or--if he's REALLY hungry--lentils or tofu/broccoli. I sometimes make black bean brownies, which he likes, and that's a not-terrible snack. Finn isn't a huge fan of nuts, but if he were, that would be a great snack.
*Dinners: Dinner is the easiest. We make a wide variety of soups or curries. Once a week or so I'll make black bean burgers (from scratch)--plenty of leftovers for lunch--which Finn will have with roasted potatoes and veggies. Sometimes I'll do a bunch of veggies and salmon, and instead of salmon Finn will have broiled tofu or a bowl of beans. My husband makes a great vegan stirfry with lots of veggies, topped with peanuts and served over rice.
There are some parameters that I hold to very strictly.
First, no soy protein isolate. Period.
Second, tofu needs to be organic, and not eaten daily. His doctor said it's fine for him to eat tofu regularly, but we want to make sure we've got a variety of protein sources.
Third, no junk food. Oreos are vegan. Potato chips are vegan. We don't eat that stuff! Sweets are either dark chocolate or black bean brownies. I do buy tortilla chips a couple of times a month. Finn sometimes asks me to get Daiya cheese, but since it's not that good, he doesn't eat it often. I keep Orgain Simple on hand and he has that in a smoothie once a week or less, but it's really not that great-tasting...more of a "quick protein" source on rare occasions. We consistently focus on whole foods, not processed junk, to try to make sure he's eating healthfully.
Finn isn't an athlete; if he were, I'd be making twice the amount of food I already make!
So that's what you feed it!
*Finn's rationale for this is fairly sound, encompassing multiple factors, and although I don't share all of his opinions, I do respect him!
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