Help with Vegan guest

**Matilde** · 31-05-2006, 02:07pm

I have invited a lady from babso group over for tea and cake and I totally forgot she is vegan!

and so is hr toddler.

The group leader was there when I spoke to this lady and she said that because of her sons allergies she always had to be very careful of where they go because children dont always understand why everybody is eating nana bread and they can't. She said she is only friends with like minded people now to avoid trouble. (which sounded a bit weird to be honest).

I asked he if it was ok to give her little girl something special instead of cake (because I wanted to invite my otehr friend and make nigella's cupcakes) and she aid that she'd prefer not to because her 2 year old is starting to ask questions and it would make her feel bad to say she wasnt allowd the other food the other toddler was eating. Fair enough.

So, after a long introduction, what would be a pleasant tea & cake substitute for a vegan toddler and a one that isn't?

**spritzer** · 31-05-2006, 02:14pm

Tall order!

I would say flapjacks as you can use a non-dairy soya based butter substitute.

Personally, unless there is a health related reason for the toddler being vegan, I think it is cruel to impose this sort of strictness on a child. Children need dairy and protein to grow. They also need to learn how to live in the outside world and to make their own choices.

Vegetarian yes, vegan no. I know of someone who is highly allergic to all dairy products and it made his childhood very tricky - no cake, puddings, having to be careful about what is in everything, but he could have died if he ate it. That's very different to choosing not to eat something and making everyone's lives diffficult!

Sorry, rant over and soap box put away...

tekkencat · 31-05-2006, 02:25pm

http://www.veganfamily.co.uk/print.html

this has some fabby looking things in it .....

good luck - not an easy task when you arent used to it

**WoollyNewty** · 31-05-2006, 02:27pm

What spritzer said....

You could also just have some interesting dried fruits or something. Or I've found some cake receipes here: http://www.veganfamily.co.uk/cakes.html . Some other sites came up too but one was entitled 'Chocolate Fudge Tunnel' and I hadn't got the guts to open it

- might be legit though......

I used to live with a vegan and all she seemed to eat was stir fried brocolli and onions covered in curry powder

(I'm not kidding either - I don't think I ever saw her eat anything else!) so that really isn't much help at all. I think her veganism was more an eating disorder in disguise than anything else though.

Good luck - have to say it sounds like an 'interesting' afternoon! My friend's little boy has a very serious dairy allergy (as in a bit butter means dial 999) and she handles it totally differently. He mixes with all kinds of toddlers and although we are all informed and everyone watches him he is VERY aware of the fact he mustn't just eat things without checking with him mum and at birthday parties and things he always comes and has a great time. We make sure there are things that don't contain dairy and she also brings her own treats for him and everyone has a good time........

**Matilde** · 31-05-2006, 02:50pm

Thanks ladies!

WELL....I wasn't going to get into it, but since it's been mentioned...I also think it is very selfish to impose such a restrictive diet on a baby. I think it should be the person's choice, to be honest, not the parent's. If the child has an allergy, fair enough, but this vegan thing is totally a life style decision!

Anyway, thanks for the suggestions!.

In our babo group, the leader as I mentioned has a child that is lactose intolerant. She always prepares a snack and butters bread or rice cakes with something called *pure* a non dairy spread. No one else has an allergy that I know of, so strictly speaking she doesnt have to use it. Now, I sometimes try to avoid dairy (makes my asthma worse) and wheat (some breads make me very bloated) and I have tried susbtitutes in the past but have always been disapointed. Nowdays i'd rather not have a biscuit if I have a bit of IBS than try one of the free-from ones and most of them taste anything from weird to bloody horrible. What i am trying to say is that I'd rather not use the non-dairy spread for baking. I always think, what on earth is in it if there is no dairy? (what fats, coming from where exactly etc etc and is this healthier than a bit of butter?).

I was thinking of cutting up a bit of fruit maybe, like pineapple and an apple and juice? is this ok, you think?

**WoollyNewty** · 31-05-2006, 03:00pm

Yes - that sounds lovely. I much prefer it when I go to someone's house and they produce slices of lovely ripe pineapple, mango and melon rather than a boring old biscuit!

**spritzer** · 31-05-2006, 03:12pm

Pineapple would be lovely!

How about making smoothies? they always go down well.

Organix apple ricecakes are also popular.

**Pancake01** · 31-05-2006, 08:12pm

I know a recipe for vegan banana bread, if you're interested. It uses soya margarine and soya milk instead. It's very nice (even to non vegans)

**Helsbells** · 31-05-2006, 08:35pm

Originally Posted by Matilde

She always prepares a snack and butters bread or rice cakes with something called *pure* a non dairy spread.

I use this spread because I'm lactose intolerant - it's made from sunflower oil and actually tastes just like any other sunflower spread. I use it in all my cooking and baking and it works just fine - nothing has gone weird yet, although cooking with soya milk is another story...

Good luck with feeding them and let us know what you make!