VEGAN diets for children have made headlines recently.

Many people have raised the concern that excluding animal products is extreme and dangerous, but they couldn’t be further from the truth.

According to the British Dietetic Association says vegan diets can be suitable for anyone, of any age.

So why does the concept of vegan children provoke such judgment, fear and anger?

We teach children to love animals, while feeding them meat.

This sends a very confusing message.

Children are then conditioned to see meat as food, and to forget it was once part of a living, breathing animal.

Parents consider the truth of the meat industry too disturbing to share with children.

But surely this means that we should stop funding it, rather than help to keep it hidden.

Of course, any child can choose to change their diet when they’re old enough.

People raising vegan children simply want this to be a choice which is informed by facts as well as compassion, rather than habit.

Vegan diets are often described as being ‘controversial’ or ‘extreme’.

But if we know we can live healthy, happy lives without killing animals, what now seems the most controversial and extreme choice?

Elena Orde

The Vegan Society