better to go 100% for kids, or slowly?

[raw emotion]

hi all-
I am curious if it's better to transition kids quickly or slowly? I have been 100% for 2 months now and would love for my two young 'uns to be healthier too. My 1 1/2 yr old is open to any foods, I wonder if it's because he nurses and the milk has changed as I become raw?... but my 3 yr old is a cheeder cheese addict. I have introduced cucumber smiles (seedless cuke halves), raw corn on the cob, and cold peas (she likes them frozen) Fruit is no problem, so sweet and delicious but its the vegetables and main dishes I'm concerned about. My husband is not raw, which makes the transition harder-I think copying your parents habits is a huge part of learning the ropes of life. Any thoughts on the quick or slow approach? I'm tempted to just throw out the pirates booty and go all raw for everyone....

[Rawkinlocs]

All I can say is the younger, the better! I have ages 13, 12, 6 and 2 and I wish that I had started this when the two older ones were younger as it would have been SO much easier.

Little ones, especially 1 and under are very easy to transition as they generally already love fruit and oftentimes veggies too!

As for going 100% for the gusto or doing it gradually...well, that can go both ways and some will say one or the other. I tried the transition thing and it just makes it more difficult, IMHO. So, my whole family took the plunge and we even got rid of our stove. Now, I won't lie and say we've been 100% ever since because we haven't...we've bought chips and things when the cravings kicked in hard enough. But we're doing a LOT better and it's getting better and better. Our biggest issue isn't really about wanting healthy cooked foods, but it's that we end up caving in to junk (most times "healthy" junk like chips from the natural foods store, etc. - but sometimes junk from the regular stores as well

But my little ones are way easier than the older ones. You said one of your children loves cheddar cheese, there is a "cheese" sauce that is good and it can be eaten with veggies. I'll find it in the recipe section and bump them up for you, so check the Raw Recipes forum in a little while.

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UPDATE on the cheeze recipe: Okay, I couldn't find what I was looking for although I know it's there, so I'll just type it up for you here real quick.

Pimento (or Red bell pepper) cheeze
(forgot the author/chef to give proper credit)

1 c. water
3/4 c. cashews
2 TBS. sesame seeds or 1 TBS tahini
1 tsp. sea salt
3 TBS nutritional yeast (optional as it's living, not raw, but does give more "cheesiness")
2 tsp. onion powder
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 c. pimentos (or red bell pepper which is what I use)
2 TBS. lemon juice

Blend all ingredients until smooth. I've even dehydrated this and made "cheese slices" to go on sandwiches or crackers but you can simply use it as a sauce for dipping or spreading.
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My kids are picky (my 2 year old isn't, though) and won't try the cheeze sauce, but your little ones very well may LOVE it! So, whatever you decide, cold turkey or gradually...just keep raw in their presence as much as possible while they're still young and by the time they're older, you all will probably be a raw family. Kinda reminds me of a friend of mine who 2 out of her 3 children were started out on soy milk and the oldest on cow's milk. The older child now that they're grown won't TOUCH soy milk and the younger two only drink that and won't touch cow's

[ura0boy]

hellow, i just made an account on april5,2005 im a kid my mother is autumn breez.my teenage brother is really annoying. i would like to hear about what uv done to go on the diet

[tracyinfo]

hellow, i just made an account on april5,2005 im a kid my mother is autumn breez.my teenage brother is really annoying. i would like to hear about what uv done to go on the diet

ura0boy,
What I had to do, was mentally remind myself, that I would only eat raw that day. I took extra fruits and snacks everywhere I went! In fact, I still do always carry lots of apples, oranges, bananas, pears, walnuts, pecans, etc.. This helps me the most. At dinner time, I made myself a beautiful salad with all kinds of raw goodies that appealed to me.
Best of luck! I am sure your mom will help you.

-Tracy

[maraw]

I am trying the slow approach with my kids. I have 4 - 5, 4, 2, and 1. The younger 2 love all the raw stuff. My 5 and 4 year old just want mac and cheese all the time. I must add that my 4 year old would rather eat fruit at a meal than anything else. I don't think changing abruptly would do well with my 5 year old. She is cautious about change and likes things to move slowly. I think it really depends on your children. How will they respond? You want them to embrace the idea as much as they can at their age. I offer my children a bite of everything I eat. Sometimes they totally reject it and sometimes they really like it. This method has worked well for me.

Best of luck to you and your family.

[Ariella]

i know it is hard when hubby does not eat the same way as you. we have that problem in our house. I am high raw, my son (3) is usually all raw with some high raw days splattered here and there, and my hubby is a meat eater and junk food eater! oy! I have just been trying to educate my son about what it is that daddy is eating, of course, not while he is eating it though! I tell him that eggs would be baby chickens, cows milk is for baby cows, etc. So far he has not wanted the stuff. The only time he really wants what daddy has is if he has like a soy cheese pizza - well?? on the rare occasion that happens i let him have some.

As to transition or go 100% - sounds like you could definitely just go 100% with your younger child. Your older one, if it were me I would probably transition and just gradually cut out the cooked/processed items as you add more raw. I am sure that there will probably be different opinions on this but that would be mine. I had a friend who went high raw and she had her youngest son who was about 3 at that time go cold turkey he was a cheese addict also. Then we he got out of the house he was always sneaking it - ie. meals at our congregation, at grandpas house, etc. He just automatically went for the junk as soon as he had a chance. of course, now they have become meat eaters again! but i think it is better to give them a chance to get it out of their system and understand why they dont eat the other foods anymore and also develop a taste for more of the raw foods :) just my opinion of course.

good luck to you in getting your kids all raw!!

ARiella

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[sailaway]

The younger the better for any changes you want to make. However that said it isn't always easy to make big changes. By starting small and adding fruit smoothies, fresh juices and sliced fruit to breakfast while still allowing the cereal or egg makes the transition almost unnoticeable. Then do they same with lunch, include fresh fruit or salad and dinner have one item raw to start. I found with my kids that before long they were upset if I didn't have the fruit sliced on the table fore breakfast. etc.

[maraw]

I had another thought on this topic and wanted to return to this post in hopes that is helps with your situation. I have noticed that ALL of my children enjoy being in the kitchen with me when I am preparing dinner. While I am making the raw meal for my husband and myself, they all enjoy nibbling on the individual ingredients (pine nuts, bell pepper slices, celery, carrots, etc). But when the dish is finished and the ingredients combined, they won't touch the stuff. This is probably just basic child psychology, but they really don't like something they can't easily identify. If you just serve avocado slices, tomatoes, and carrot sticks instead of guacamole and carrots, maybe, just maybe, they will eat it more willingly. Let's both try that and see what happens!

[Pleasant~Heights~Hippie]

Hi There,

Cool, I'm in the same boat! :)

First thing I would do is take your kids off of dairy. Humans do not need cows milk in any way shape or form, period. It is actually known to increase illnesses and makes kids more suseptable to getting sick because theit little bodies have to try so hard to fight all of the bad thigns in the milk...antibiotics, hormones...the milk itself. Like with your littler child, you are breastfeeding and once he is weaned, he no longer needs human milk...he also doesn't need the milk of a completely different species. Think of kittens, puppies...racoons, rabbits, every other mammal for that matter...once weaned, you no longer need milk. Some people feed kittens cows milk but they don't need it either. Cow's milk is produced, just as your breast milk is, to fatten and nourish its young. And just somewhere along the line, some fool who needed a buck in his pocket decided that humans "need' COW'S milk and marketed it as such...

So, do some research on that too and that might help you with the cheese part with your daughter. But also, you could switch her to soy cheese in the transition phase. It comes any way you would want to have it, cream cheese even... I would slowly just stop feeding her cheese. Then over time you can introduce other things. I think it will be much easier with your son. I have a 10 month old, and as I am new to raw and really see the long term benefits, I want him to eat at least vegan, and if not raw, mostly raw. Right now he drink soy milk and eats tofu pups, tons of fruits and veggies and whole wheat cereals. That's it. For his first birthday I am going to make a big fruit salad. :)

I know this isn't exactly what you were asking so I apologize...I have just been doing so much reading about kids and dairy...humans and dairy for that matter...not good.

I hope we can both transition our children into raw and I am sure we willbe providing them with the upper hand in life to fend themselves against illness and disease...no lactose intolerance, no e coli, no mad cow disease...no high cholesterol, no high blood pressure or hypoglycemia, diabetes, migraine... :)

Good Luck & Best Wishes on your raw journey! Peace~Vanessa

[Sweet lips]

Years ago - light years ago, can you tell I am feeling a tad aged today? Anyway, I took some classes in nutrition, and as I specifically work with children - the one thing that remains with me today when I am teaching is that: Children will eat what they help prepare and are allowed to serve- now, that might now work too well with the babies, but with 2-5 year old it is great.

It does require patience, ask me how I know - well I have worn cheese sauce in my hair, peas have been smashed under my feet ( they ate that dish), chewed things have been launch at me - just a lot of fun. Anyway, I say, when they feel it, squish it, pat it, and ask you 99 questions that end with why? and then get to serve it, they will eat it , especially after you rave about it.

I love to see children beem and that is why I am doing a snack making class for children - potty trained and up in September. I do seek adventure. I haven't set the menu yes, so I welcome any suggestions. Although some are potty trained, they still do not speak well, so.......We are going to have fun with Momma Rooths - and I am covering my head this time and wearing a big shirt for apron, so they can wipe their hands on me as they always do!

[Live Free]

I have been learning the raw lifestyle too. Since December 2004. I love what the raw life has done for my body.

I want to teach my child the best way to eat in the world. Even though every where we go there is only cooked food to eat. It will be a difficult road to travel, but it will all be worth it in the end.

I have always had trouble getting my baby to eat veggies, unless they are cooked. She will gobble them up. I often let her choose what she wants to eat.

My husband is a VAD (Vietnamese American Diet) along with the frequent trips to junk food havens.

He often gives my baby meat and other things that he gets at the junk food joints. So I know where you are coming from when you talk about your husband and his current diet.

I dont want my baby to get addicted to the junk food, because it does taste good (once upon a time for me) I do however want her to make good food choices when she is old enough. I will let her choose if she would like to eat with me or Daddy?

I will be checking the recipe section to see if there is something that I can get her to eat. The other night, she did spit out the chicken. Yeah!! I am not sure if she spit it out because it was hot or she didnt like it.

I just keep praying that it was she didnt like it. Therefore my husband cant give her anymore meat, because she will refuse to eat it. (This is my dream)

Teresa and Mae
<http://www.angelfire.com/in4/everything4m/ourfamily>