Meat the Mixed Diet Family
The Ups & Downs of Living in a Food-Diverse Household
The food is ready, the table is set, and it’s time for dinner. But, for many families, the only common denominator is the color of the tableware! Welcome to the world of the mixed diet family, where meat-lovers, flexitarians, and those who follow a 100% plant-based diet, come together in a culinary jigsaw puzzle. From planning meals that cater to everyone’s tastes and nutritional needs to navigating family dynamics, it’s an emotional and logistical journey that requires creativity, patience, and above all, understanding.
In this post, we delve into real-life stories of families juggling diverse dietary preferences. From the peaks to the pitfalls, you’ll see some coping strategies used to ensure everyone feels included and catered to. It can sometimes feel like a complex dance… but it can also be a golden opportunity to creatively mix dietary preferences and blend traditional meat and plant-based meat options. Read on.
Family 1: Mom (49), son (19), daughter (16)
“We’re kind of a mixed bag in our house when it comes to food. My son, bless his heart, is still into his meat, while my daughter and I have embraced a mostly vegan diet, with me going 100% vegan. Making sure that everyone feels included can feel challenging at times. I feel a little guilty not making his meals from scratch, but between my full-time job and everything else, there are just not enough hours in the day.
Switching over to a more plant-based diet has been a journey, and not without a few bumps in the road. It took some time for the kids to adjust, especially to the meatless meals. And for me, as a dedicated vegan, cooking meat was tough. But I put my personal feelings aside, because, at the end of the day, it’s about what’s best for my son, and for my mixed diet family,”
Family 2: Mom (36), Dad (37), Daughters (10, 14, 11)
“We run a vegan household but our girls who are dairy-free still enjoy meat, eggs, and fish. I try to keep our home meals interesting and diverse, but if the girls fancy a meaty meal, they head to friends’ houses or wait for family get-togethers. But, for us as parents, teaching our girls the importance of respecting the environment and caring for animals outweighs this.
It’s a balancing act. I want them to feel included when their friends come over and we’ve no meat to offer, but I also want to instil the importance of living harmoniously with our planet. Thankfully, it’s much easier to go meat or dairy-free nowadays. But with both of us working full-time, serving quick, nutritious meals is still challenging. One solution we’ve found is plant-based “meat substitutes.” They’re tasty, healthy, and ready in 10 minutes, which is a big win for us!”
Family 3: Same-sex couple (40’s), sons (6 and 8)
“So, we’ve been this ‘mixed family’ for about five years since I took the vegan plunge. My partner is dabbling with vegetarianism, but our kids still enjoy their meat, and we’re cool with that.
Switching to a plant-based lifestyle hasn’t been too hard. We stock up on lots of fresh produce, tofu, and grains, and I still whip up meat dishes for the kids. The toughest part has been handling raw meat again – I have a problem with the smell and texture. for the kids’ meals – yuck! The smell, the texture, it’s all just a big no for us. So, a few months ago we started buying ready-to-make plant-based meats. This way the kids don’t feel left out, and I get to skip the raw meat handling.
Thankfully, finding plant-based options is a breeze these days. And the best part? Our mixed family has grown more accepting of each other’s dietary choices.
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The food is ready, the table is set, and it’s time for dinner. But, for many families, the only common denominator is the color of the tableware! Welcome to the world of the mixed diet family, where meat-lovers, flexitarians, and those who follow a 100% plant-based diet, come together in a culinary jigsaw puzzle. From planning meals that cater to everyone’s tastes and nutritional needs to navigating family dynamics, it’s an emotional and logistical journey that requires creativity, patience, and above all, understanding.
In this post, we delve into real-life stories of families juggling diverse dietary preferences. From the peaks to the pitfalls, you’ll see some coping strategies used to ensure everyone feels included and catered to. It can sometimes feel like a complex dance… but it can also be a golden opportunity to creatively mix dietary preferences and blend traditional meat and plant-based meat options. Read on.
Family 4: Mom (45), Dad (45), Twins (13)
“When our 7-year-old kids decided to become vegetarians, I was impressed by their awareness of the negative side of meat consumption. As a former vegetarian myself, it felt natural. However, my husband, who loves meat, felt a bit rejected because he wanted to share his passion for cooking meat with them.
This shift impacted the way we plan meals. We stopped buying animal meat and started exploring various meat substitutes. Nowadays, finding alternatives is easier, so the transition has been smooth.
Despite this, I do find myself wondering whether we’re getting enough vitamins and protein and avoiding iron deficiency. We’ve increased the frequency of blood tests and introduced nutritional supplements to ensure we’re healthy. On the bright side, some plant-based meat products do a pretty good job of getting close to an authentic meat-eating experience in terms of taste, texture, and appearance, plus they have many of the same micronutrients you find in animal meat. So my hubby can share his love for meat, while we show our love for animals and our planet!”
Wrapping up
Raising a family is hard enough today as it is. Navigating a mixed diet family, with diverse needs for the meat-eaters and vegetarians/vegans, can add to deeper questions of identity, values, and priorities, along with the unavoidable practicalities of everyday life. It’s a journey with challenges each family has to talk about and navigate. At Redefine Meat, we get it. That’s why we craft a wide variety of plant-based products that mimic the meat-eating experience. Our products are also rich in high-quality plant-based protein and provide many of the essential vitamins and minerals found in meat. This way, we can offer families, like the ones featured in this article, more meal options that are both nutritious and delicious, satisfying kids and parents alike.
If you’d like to share your mixed dietary family experience with us, we’d love to hear from you. In the meantime, to learn more about Redefine Meat’s range of new meat products click here.
