My daughter refuses to eat meat: Advice?

My middle went through a phase like this. She eventually started eating meat again on her own. I wouldn’t force her. You’re gonna create major anxiety about eating

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Have you never once heard of vegetarians or vegans? I mean just stop trying and make sure she’s eating what she needs to be healthy.

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I’m assuming you don’t eat things you don’t like… so why make her? That’s unfair.

My 2 year old rarely eats meat sometimes he’ll eat chicken and he likes nuggets but other than that nope. He is extremely picky but he does love peanut butter :slightly_smiling_face: I tried to get him to eat other meats but he just refuses so I’m done trying till he gets older

Peas have protein… actually, just type in search bar: “non-meat protein foods. It’s a lot! I don’t like meat either! My kids didn’t eat it at that age. They grew just fine and healthy. A dietitian is your best resource, or look for info on vegetarian diet menus or vegan if she wants no dairy.

It’s not like she is refusing veggies :slight_smile: let it go. Always offer but dont force

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Some people just don’t like meat, my son is this way I tried giving him meat but he just didn’t want it. If she’s hungry offer her something else to fill her up (carbs, boiled egg, maybe a potato), nothing wrong with a girl being petite!

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i have a 7 yr old who is petite and tiny in hight and weight dr doesnt think nothing wrong with her she doesnt eat alot of meat but does get her fruits and veggies so not complaing .dr.did try pedisure on her and i make sure has milk does eat peanut butter for protein.she weighs 45lbs her sister weighs about 60 and doesnt eat much herself.

My 6 year old for as long as I could remember hated meat. She loves chicken and if we tell her pork is chicken she will eat it. But will not touch beef at all. I don’t push it her taste buds will change.

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Doesn’t it seem obvious this battle was a waste of time? Why was it so important?

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Don’t force it. My mom has been a vegetarian, since she was around your daughters age.

My daughter doesn’t like veggies so all she eats is meat. I give her the nutritional value of vegetables from supplements.
That doesn’t sound right does it? We need our protein. It was a battle to potty and sleep train, eating right is another of those battles that is never easy.

U eat what u get or not at all. Good that u don’t spoil her and make her get away with it. Keep trying don’t force it but keep trying. Other wise what will be next. Also if maybe talk to her doctor about this as well. I tell my kids if u not allergic to it u can eat it. And thank god my kids eat everything even things I wouldn’t eat lol.

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My son when he was younger didn’t like meat much other than hamburger and chicken and now that he’s older, he eats more meats.

My daughter also didn’t like meat of any kind for a long time, as long as she takes her vitamins and eats that’s all I care about, maybe kids are spot on with not liking it, maybe they are trying to tell us something… they do not like the smell, the taste, the texture, how it makes their belly’s feel, ect… all things to consider as they are brand new, their palettes, their digestive systems, all are clean and new, for them to dislike something may be a sign of what is really in it, we have all grown accustomed to hormones and chemicals, but not our children. Take heed.

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Just offer don’t force her… I don’t eat meat because of stomach issues my iron stays low… Would recommend getting her iron level check occasionally

My aunt hates beef bc of the texture.

I don’t force my kids to eat meat or startch if they don’t like it. As long as there getting the nutrition in other ways. My youngest dosnt really ever eat meat. And there both picky with startch. I always put everything on there plate. As long as they eat something on the Plate I don’t force it. I just let them know it’s going to be a healthy nutritional snack later.

If she’s eats everything else but meat just leave her be. If you think she needs the extra nutrients buy her those meal substitute shakes so she’s getting everything.

Don’t make her eat it. Give her other foods she likes. I eat meat and my kids do too but its actually healthy not to eat it.

My son doesn’t eat meat unless I give him orange chicken. LOL. He’s 2. I don’t force him. I was never forced to eat something so I don’t force him.

Talk to a nutritionist. Or a doctor.

Stop fighting with the child. That’s ridiculous.

Give her enough protein every day (probably in the 60-80grams a day range… but please ask your dr)

Use the shakes to make smoothies and add some extra fats like Avocado chunks, nut butters, or cream of coconut/coconut oil

Stop fighting it. I didn’t like meat as a kid either, now I do. Most kids don’t like the texture. Hopefully she likes dairy.

Let her be. She doesn’t necessarily need meat as long as she’s getting protein and healthy fats.

5 years on and my daughter does not eat meat…i have stopped fighting and just make sure she gets enough protein through other sources…i guess they will eat with time

Just do some research and help her get protein and iron elsewhere like beans and lentils. Be supportive.

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When I was little I asked my mom where meat came from she told me a cow, as a little innocent girl I felt so bad about eating an animal so I told my mother I didn’t want to eat meat anymore but she said to me if you don’t eat meat you will die. I was little so I believed her😕 once I was old enough to do my own research I discovered that it was possible to have a meatless diet. I’m not mad at my mom for lying to me because I think that she genuinely believed that you needed meat (protein) to be healthy. Now I am 27 yrs old and I’ve been vegetarian for 11 yrs! Im alive and healthy lol so I my advice to you is don’t force her, do research, help her educate herself and she will thank you for it one day💛

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If she feels so strongly about it, its best not to force it; it has been repeatedly proven that the protein in meat doesnt come from the animals themselves but from the grass and plants THEY eat. Watch the gamechangers (netflix - it`s a real eye opener - and yes, she can get every single nutrient she needs from plants alone; really x

when I was 4 I asked where the lamb we had just eaten came from. It was our custom in yorkshire to go for a walk after dinner and we saw the lambs in the field. So my mum said there the lambs. I was horrified and from that day I would not touch meat My Mum told me. It was very tough being a vege in those days not like today. You were considered a weirdo. But I am Happy to tell you I am 74 now and have not eaton meat for 70yrs Its so easy being a vegie these days But was really difficult back then. I am also happy to tell you that I am a fit healthy 74yr old.

I don’t blame her I wouldn’t eat meat until I was in my teens and eat very little now. She will be ok

Let her choose. Vegetarian proteins : legumes, lentils, peas, tofu, nuts, seeds, dairy, eggs, quinoa, and so much more❤

My mom forced me to eat meat and it has given me some issues with lots of different foods for different reasons some being smell, texture, and type of food it is. Sometimes I still break out in a sweat over the stress of forcing myself to eat when I truly hate food.

Choose your battles. If the doctor isn’t concerned then she’s fine and finding protein in other places. A steak isn’t going to change her life or her size.

Don’t make her eat it.

Just make sure she gets plenty of fiber and proteins and takes a supplemental vitamin for bone strength and growth, health etc. my daughter was the same way she just recently started eating small very small portions of meat, she’s been thus way since she was born 15 years ago. Some people just don’t do meat and that’s ok. I was told don’t force her it’s ok just make sure she’s getting everything I mentioned above. She may start someday or she may just always be vegetarian.

My room-mate has never ate meat. She is healthy and happy.She grew up with everybody in her family eating meat but her.She decided when very young that she would never eat meat and hasent.

I don’t like beef. I would rather have chicken. And my parents knew that and they let me eat how I wanted. And it also could be the way you cook it. Like I’d rather eat a Cheeseburger than just a regular burger.

All protein from meat come from plants. Eat just veggies is just cutting out the middle man (being the cow or pig or chicken)

Embrace her choice on this.

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If she doesn’t want meat why would you force her :thinking: there’s plenty of things she can eat that doesn’t involve meat.

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This is silly. Many other foods contain the necessary protein and nutrients that meats do. She doesn’t like it so don’t force her to eat it.

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Just make sure she eats lost of almonds, pecans, cashews. All that stuff have a lot of protein oh and lots of veggies and fruits and she’ll be ok.

As adults we all have certain foods we wont eat. So why make kids eat if they hate it?

Put a small piece on her plate so she has the option but dont force it. It will only make her hate it more.

Just make sure she has subsitiutes likes beans and nuts.

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Could be a texture issue. Some kids just don’t like it

Don’t make her eat what she don’t like

My daughter is 11 and stopped eating meat 2 years ago. She is tiny but super healthy…perfect bloodwork.

You don’t mention how old she is? I suppose that doesn’t matter! If she doesn’t want it , don’t make her eat it! My daughter went vegetarian a year and a half ago and she is just fine!

Yes don’t force her you never know she might grow out of that try giveing her fish

Smart kid! Leave her be ! As long as she takes her vitamins !

Usually this is taught by one of her teachers. When I was a child, the rule was, and it should still be, eat what is put in front of you. The ONLY exception is a true allergy. If she won’t eat it, she goes hungry. Raised in the day of respect, and the parent is boss, not the child.

My daughter is 4 and only ever seems to eat white meat with the exception of sausages and very recently started eating bacon. We are meat eaters but when I was pregnant with my daughter, I couldn’t eat meat at all! I tend to put a little on her plate each time anyway just incase one day she does want too but no biggie if she doesn’t as she loves her fruit and veggies! X

I wouldnt make her eat it. I wouldn’t like someone telling me I needed to eat something I didnt like. Like the others said, there is protein in other foods. Also, I would call the pediatrician so he could refer a dietitian/nutritionist who specializes with children to get her on the best “diet” for her if she wants to be vegetarian. Hang in there mama!

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It could be a texture thing! My daughter went through it but now she loves meat!! Kids will go through phases like that! As long as she’s eating healthy then I wouldn’t worry about it! Maybe try introducing it back to her slowly! Certain kinds she might find that she likes! My daughter still doesn’t like pork chops but she tries them every once in awhile just to see if she might like them now!

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My daughter did this at one point and I didn’t force her but replaced her meal with lots of beans but it eventually became hard for her because there was certain foods that she did like such as eggs and barbecue. Eventually she embraced meat eating once again.

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My dad made me eat eggnog ice cream once. We had gone to some friends house and that was the dessert. He made me eat it and to this day I can’t stand anything with eggnog. Don’t force her to eat meat. It will only make her hate it more. Peanut butter, all nuts, beans, etc. are all good sources of protein.

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Dont force it. She will be fine without meat. My grandkids have pku so they can’t have protien at all and they are fine living on vegetables and fruit and their special pku formula

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Don’t stress over this. If you want, make some bone broth at home.(google a recipe) You can put some veggies in it and give it to her in a “special mug”. That way she’ll get the protein and gut protection from the broth, without the pressure to eat meat. Maybe make it with her and explain the benefits of the broth and your desire to keep her healthy but also respect her wishes. Great bonding exercise. :heart:

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I never made food an issue with my kids. The only time my daughter eats meat is when she is in a growth spurt. Other than that it just isn’t happening. As long as she’s healthy so cares.

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As long as she’s got a protein supplement, I guess I wouldn’t really worry about it. She may decide to eventually try it on her own & like it, but I guess I wouldn’t force it on her. Especially if you had the same issue when younger.

There are plenty of vegetarian protein options. My niece has been a vegetarian since birth and though the rest of her family eats meat she chooses not to. Its more heart healthy really. If it were me I’d just let it go and maybe she’ll choose to try something on her own one day if you stop making a thing of it.

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I think you make her different dishes with all kinds of veggies, see if she will eat mushrooms, ( very good to ward off cancers and other diseases), if she is not allergic, add different kinds of nuts and sunflower seeds. She will be fine to eat what taste good to her as long as it is not junk. We as parents feel our children should eat as we do. Some children eat small snack meals of fruit and fresh veggie all day. Many doctors, ours included, are pushing all vegan/ vegetable diets. So don’t frustrate yourself as long as your child is eating and eating healthy. There is a book I think it’s called “Forks Over Knives” you may want to read. Red meat is really not good for us as we have believed. But that is how some of us were raised.

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Also… Sensory processing disorder. I would have her checked. Don’t fight about food unless you’re broke and she’s going to starve.

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Make sure she takes multivitaminS. Fruits, veggies, nuts, eggs, bread, milk, cheese. Do not make her eat something she doesn’t like. It may change as she gets older. She is probably healthier than the rest of us.

My daughter decided in 6th grade she did not want to eat meat anymore. We supported her and made sure to have healthy options. She is 35 and is still a vegetarian.

I would just save myself from the stress of arguing and let it be. Could be the taste of meat makes her sick. There are other protien choices.

Oh boy. Something I can relate to! I have never cared for meat. The texture when I was younger, the whole industry as I’ve gotten older (and still the texture thing). My mom didn’t make me eat meat, although we were dirt poor so most of the time I had to eat eat whatever we had. But, she never pressed me to eat it. All you will do is reenforce her aversion of meat if you make it a huge issue. My nephew inherited my meat issues, I’m healthy and so is he. As long as she’s getting the nutrition she needs from other sources, I wouldn’t be worried.

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I wouldn’t force her to eat it. She doesn’t need meat. No one needs it. She will be fine as long as she’s getting her vitamins and minerals she needs daily.

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I wouldn’t press her on it. Like you said, it could be a texture thing. If she is willing to eat legumes and such I wouldn’t worry. We have a, “no thank you,” bite rule in our house. One, if you really don’t like it you can pass on more but you have to eat everything else.

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I would just start supporting her with it at this point. Trust me, I would have fought this one too. I would have the same concerns you do. But just figure out how to get the protein and minerals from other things that she would get from meat, and teach her what to eat too. But I would still ask every now and then if she wants a BURGER! Lol! Til then, just support her and teach her. She’ll remember that.

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Do you enforce that she takes (what my former boss called with her toddler) a “no thank you bite”?
I have an older niece who is 14 now, she never really liked meat. She certainly wasnt a picky eater (she eats raw heads of lettuce like they are potato chips. I wish I could do that! ) she just didnt like meat for whatever the reason. She would tolerate it if she must, and shes ok with trying things, but meat is just not her thing.

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I’m a vegetarian not by choice chemo did it for me the smell bothers me I eat eggs peanut butter and cheese your body will let you know what it needs let her have what she wants to eat

Speak with her pediatrician about vitamin regimen that will make sure she gets the iron and protein she needs and let her choose to eat meat or not. She will probably grow out of it

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My older daughter went through six months of not wanting any kind of need it all the next phase was six months of wanting steak for every meal. Children’s taste evolve with age as long as she’s getting the protein she needs for growth and wouldn’t worry about it I have a 28 year old a 13 year old and 3 grandchildren

I would stop trying to make her eat meat. Go on line or ask your Doctor to see what will be healthy for her. That is what l did with my daughter. She is healthy and doing great.

My daughter was the same way and we just went with it. We offered it but she would not eat meats. She ate other iron enriched food so we didn’t worry about it so much.

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If she is eating balanced meals I would just let it go. As long as she is healthy.

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There’s protein in other places. You dont have to eat meat to be healthy. Period.

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We have to make my sons steak med-rare but closer to rare. Easier to chew. He loves it now.

We don’t force our kids to eat and offer multi vitamins. I buy a kid’s organic protein shake to fill in the gap.

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Being the kid that didn’t want to eat meat, I understand this. I’m 19 and I’m still picky about anything other than ham or pork. My siblings were the same way but some grew out of it. I wouldn’t push her to eat meat to get protein/iron, but if that’s what you’re worried about then definitely make sure she’s getting that from beans or nuts. Or find ways to make eating meat appetizing. The entire reason I love pork is because it’s on the sweet side and isn’t dry for the most part, where chicken is usually bland and cow products just seem disgusting to me. So that can be another solution :blush:

Don’t make her eat it. Just let it go, she may eventually grow out of it. My oldest just stopped eating meat at 4. We had chickens and some animal killed them. We let it go. She would eat bacon every now and again but basically no meat. She’s 16 now and for the past year started eating meat slowly eating chicken, nuggets, burgers. Just make sure she has the protein. Meats don’t make you bigger, protein is what meats provide. Her doctor told us as long as she was getting the protein she needed she would be fine.

I do not understand it oh, but I would have to support her as long as that’s what she really wants to do. She can be into worse things, pick your battles and this wouldn’t be one of them I would pick. It’s not that bad of a thing just different.

Leave her alone, the more you force the more she resist! Old saying," You can lead a horse to water but you cant make it drink", as long as you offer it, you’re doing your job.

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Carbohydrates in large enough quantities are protein sparing. If she’s not looking to be an Olympic lifter, and she tolerates protein from vegetable sources well, there’s no need to worry

She does NOT need meat or dairy to be healthy there is no reason to force her or fight with her about it. Its not like shes on a steady diet of white bread and noodles. You say otjer than meat she eats a variety. Thia shouldn’t even be an issue or queation at all. Her health should be priority number one not fitting in with eating the normal as you say “store bought crap”.

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I would definitely offer it to her every single meal but I would never insist that she eat it. As she grows so either decide that she wants to or doesn’t want to

My daughter has been a vegetarian since she was 14 she is 33 and has a natural born child. She is extremely healthy and doing great. Don’t stress.

My son finally grew out of it at 13! I never forced him to eat it! And drove his dad crazy but I just couldn’t force him it wasn’t good! Hang in there momma!

No advice here … but my LO is the same . However it’s not limited to meat … he eats nothing !!
Extremely finicky

Pick your battles, let her know during the week she can eat what she wants( chicken/ fish) as long as she helps prepare it. But on Sunday’s we will have a family meal and you’ll eat what’s cooked without complaining. Mountains vs mole hills

Its most likely a food aversion due to texture. Dont make her eat it…

Would you want to sit down at every meal and be forced to eat something you couldn’t tolerate?

Allow her to have a healthy relationship with her food. It will be beneficial to her longterm.

In the long run as long as she’s eating something she loves it shouldn’t be that big of a deal. Just feed her healthy food

If your child doesnt want to eat meat, then she doesnt have to. Meat isnt a neccesity for the human body.

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For protein you can give her peanut butter as a substitute. There are other ways to sub protein as well. She will probably change as she gets older. One of my kids was super picky that was as well until they were 10, (I think that was the age, could have been earlier) I do know I had to tell them any meat I cooked was a pork chop​:joy::joy::joy::joy:

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Spinach has more protein than beef. Tell your husband that! I’m vegan. My daughter who is 22, is a nutritionist. Helps me out a lot. She and my other daughter are also vegan. If your daughter will eat vegetables… Go for it.

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Don’t push her. It’ll create negative associations with meat and meal time in the long run. There are many, much healthier, ways to make sure she gets the nutrients she needs. You can make shakes using whey powder (plain whey, not a flavored protein powder which oftentimes have added ingredients that aren’t good for kids), cottage cheese and greek yogurt are packed with protein. Add some fruit and honey to the greek yogurt with a splash pkg vanilla and it tastes like a treat. We add hemp hearts and chia seeds to my picky 6 year old’s oatmeal, both high in protein. You can pick up greens powder to make sure she’s getting enough nutrients, such as iron, and sprinkle a little in her food. It doesn’t take much powder to get 3 full servings of veggies.

I’m 43 and I’ve never had meat. My family is also a meat eating family. There are plenty of ways to get protein, respect her choices.

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Just make sure she’s getting protein and iron in other foods

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My oldest doesn’t like meat. So long as the diet is well rounded and has the protein she needs I wouldn’t stress it. By continually forcing the issues you could create food issues in the future

Our rule is try it once if you don’t like it then fine because we all like different things.

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