Flexitarian Eleanor Douglas-Meyers and her husband Robin tells us how they support their vegetarian son Aidan with the help of Fry’s recipes and huge range of products.
My 8-year-old son Aidan has been a proud vegetarian since he was about two. He made this decision himself and we’ve respected his choice even though he was only a toddler when he announced that he “didn’t want animals to die to be his food”. I, on the other hand, consider myself a Flexitarian while my husband is most definitely a passionate carnivore. So I guess you could call us a Flexi-Family?
Flexitarianism as a definition definitely suits us, both in our own journeys and as a way to support Aiden’s vegetarianism. Essentially being a Flexitarian is about increasing your fruits, veggies and plants overall while reducing your meat intake. It’s better for our bodies and for the planet.
That being said, as ‘flexi’ as I am, Aiden is definitely not a meat eater so as a family we’ve had to figure out how to best support his choices. We need to make sure he is properly nourished while figuring out how to make simple swops so that dinner and snack time are not overly complicated. In other words – we need to feed the veggies, flexis and carnivores without making multiple different meals.
Here are some of the ways my husband Robin and I tackle this:
We plan family dinners:
We try to have family dinners where we can simply swop the meat for plant-based alternatives. I have some tried and true recipes which we love and often we will all eat the veggie meal. In some cases we can’t even tell the difference. One of our favourite go-to flexi meals is Spaghetti Bolognese using Fry’s Pea Protein Mince (see recipe below).
We pack lunch boxes:
When Aiden goes on play dates and to parties we always bring additional food so that the host does not have to go out of their way too much. He prefers a very basic diet however and you can never go wrong with a glass of milk, a toasted cheese or Fry’s plant-based chicken nuggets.
We supplement Aiden’s diet:
We make sure to give him multi vitamins, add plant protein to his “milkshakes” and feed him iron fortified treats. I’m no dietician but I feel better knowing that he is getting the additional nutrients which many would argue come from meat.
We advocate for him:
This means explaining to his teachers, his friends’ parents and our family that he does not eat meat and that this is non-negotiable to him (even though we do). We do this so he never feels like he has to defend himself at meal times. If they know ahead of time it cuts out the awkwardness.
Other than the practical stuff, we also make a point of supporting him emotionally.
We respect his decision:
This meant talking to him about his decision and never trying to trick him as many people have suggested. People have insisted that he wouldn’t know the difference if we snuck meat into his meals, but we know that he made the decision due to his love of animals and didn’t want to betray his trust.
We empower him:
People think cooking vegetarian meals is a big shlep but it can be really simple. So we have been teaching Aiden how to make basic food himself. He will come home from school and make lunch for himself and his younger cousin. He makes things like grilled cheese sandwiches, pancakes, and air fryer cooked items such as pre-cut chips, plant-based nuggets, meatballs or sausage rolls from Fry’s.
We don’t know if this is just a phase. It might be. But for now, we choose to support him and his massive love for animals.
The Fry’s website is a great resource for recipe ideas and lunchbox inspiration. Check out their huge range of products – there really is something there for almost all family meal moments. They’re also a great support if you and your family are doing Flexi-Feb this year.
Spaghetti Bolognese
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 carrot, grated
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 box Fry’s Pea Protein Mince
- 2 cups vegetable stock
- 1 tin chopped tomatoes
- 1 tsp dried Italian herbs
- 2 fresh bay leaves
- Salt and pepper
- Fresh oregano, for serving
- Cooked pappardelle pasta or any pasta of choice, for serving
Method
Heat a glug of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.
Add the chopped onion and carrot and cook until soft, about 5-8 minutes.
Stir in the Fry’s Pea Protein Mince and fry for 3-4 minutes.
Next add the vegetable stock, tomatoes, dried herbs and bay leaves.
Reduce heat & cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, keeping an eye that the mixture doesn’t become dry.
Adjust seasoning to taste.
Sprinkle with fresh oregano and serve dished up over cooked pasta.
