Customer Reviews

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Vegan Eating for Kids

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The nutritional information is entirely adequate, although rudimentary. If you don't know much or anything about vegetarian and vegan nutrition, or any nutrition for that matter, you may find this valuable. But it's a short book and there is really not a lot of information. I suppose that's why it's called "A Complete Idiot's Guide."

The really disappointing part were the recipes. There are very few of them and they really suck. I'm interested in health. Many people approach veganism because of their strongly compassionate views towards animals. I think that's great but you shouldn't inflict that by itself on your children without considering their health. As far as I'm concerned the recipes don't reflect much improvement over a typical meat-eating menu. Cakes with three cups of sugar, processed fake vegan cheeses and fake processed vegan "meats" abound. Vegan kids NEED to like and eat lots of legumes, this is essential for good nutrition and ANY kid, vegan or not, brought up from day 1 with lots of legumes will love them. These authors assume that kids don't or won't like them and include a recipe on how to "hide" the legumes. I'm sorry but I just don't think cakes, cookies and fake meat and cheese products are going to give kids the nutritional foundation they need, nor the appreciation of tastes and textures they need to truly appreciate the joy of eating as a celebration of life.

VERY disappointing book.

As the mother of three young children, I am always looking for new recipes that are healthy, tasty and realistic. My kids, on the other hand, are always looking for anything loaded with sugar and fat. Dunkin Donuts tops their list. So I was very excited about trying some veganized versions of their favorite desserts, particularly the Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe (pg. 203). As it turns out, my kids loved the cookies and asked for seconds and thirds. My husband, also a sweet addict, thought they were delicious as well and just as tasty as the "unhealthy" kind! Author Dana Villamagna includes many kid-friendly recipes that we can't wait to try (Puffy Pancakes, pg. 157) and offers great tips to help win over picky eaters. Highly recommend this book if want to know more in detail about vegan eating for children, or simply want some delicious, nutritious dishes on your table:))

Whether a veteran vegan or the newest of curious vegan newbie you will find Dana Villamagna's Complete Idiot's Guide to Vegan Eating for Kids chocked full of nutritional facts and information. Everything from vitamin and mineral requirements for kids of different ages and how to meet those needs to the yummiest hummus recipe on the planet. Give Ms Villamagna's book a perusal. You are bound to find something to tickle your tastebuds. I am off to try her Garbanzo Bean-Curry Tofu pronto.

I thought this book was very comprehensive and very helpful. It was also very enjoyable to read [which is not always the case with nutrition related books]. It was interesting and fun to read and I gained a TON of information that I did not already know [and I was already very knowledgeable about nutrition and vegetarian/veganism before I bought this book].

I thought the authors took a VERY practical position on feeding children - it was clear they are actually parents and know that kids can be very picky eaters or that kids sometimes have textural issues, etc. I thought they had a proactive yet realistic approach to feeding childen vegan diets. They offered a lot of tools and tips [things that I think would actually work, even with the most persnickity child].

I think the book was honest too - it did not gloss over the problems that could come along with being a vegan parent - including nutritional deficits. It offered good advice on avoiding these pitfalls and on being vigilant to insure that your child is as healthy as possible. It was fair and balanced in my opinion.

I don't think Michael's negative review [titled "Very Disappointed"] is fair or accurate - there is a lot of info included in this book and it is geared towards real parents with real children [and no, not all children who are raised eating beans from birth like them as preschoolers - I have more than one child who was raised eating legumes from the time they were 9 months old who will now not touch a bean to save their lives]. I thought the recipes were fun and simple enough to do on a busy weeknight - which is what most parents are looking for in recipes. There are tons of Vegan cookbooks out there that will have many more recipes, but this book is NOT a cookbook - it is a "raising vegan kids" primer that offers a few good recipes to help you get started or to change up your routine if you've been doing this a while. Nothing wrong with that.

One thing I do want to note: some of the other reviewers stated that this book would also be helpful to parents who are vegetarian and not just vegans - I'm not sure if that is accurate. This book is VERY vegan oriented [which, hello? that IS the title after all]. I wish there were a similar book available for vegetarian parents [who still consume eggs, milk, etc]. As far as I can tell there isn't such a book at this time. But I just wanted to give a heads up to vegetarian parents that this book IS, indeed, geared towards strict veganism.

In closing, this is a great, well written, and fact filled book that will expand your knowledge and help you be the best vegan parent you can be. It is well worth the money.

I enjoyed this book because the writers were not "Vegan Natzi's". They let you know that Veganism isn't for everyone and that being a mostly vegan is completely acceptable. I am not a Vegan, but I wanted to get some of our meat focused meals off the table and add more fresh fruits, veggies, and fiber... I love it and am loaning it to friends who are of the same mindset as I am. It is very inspirational...

Dana Villamagna has done an excellent job in this book with presenting information and ideas, as well as much-needed support, for families who are drawn to the vegan lifestyle. Whether you strive for a 100% vegan diet, or are simply looking for more ways to incorporate plant-based foods into your family's menu, this book is for you. Dana, along with her PhD husband, Drew, present a balanced and sensible approach for vegan families, including sections on how to work with the picky eater, meeting vegan children's nutritional needs, and dealing with peer pressure. All of the recipes look wonderful! The book is also interspersed with tips from parents, cautionary notes, and facts about veganism.

Dana reminds us that vegan eating does not have to be all or nothing, and presents helpful information in a non-judgmental way. If you are a hard-core, staunch vegan, this is probably not the book for you. But for the rest of us, I highly recommend Vegan Eating for Kids as a balanced and well-rounded guide.

This book begins with a very helpful introduction on all aspects of vegan food and life choice, from the advantages of being vegan to how you define veganism. You'll find out how to debunk myths about vegan kids and how to handle pushy teachers, wary physicians and other sticky situations. After that, the Villamagnas explain the nutritional needs of vegan kids of different ages before getting to my favorite part: the food! The second half of this book is packed with recipes sure to please vegans and non-vegans alike. My favorites so far? Christi's secret-ingredient hummus, A-B-Vegan Soup and Vegan Home Fries. All are very easy and taste incredible. The book is easy to read with lots of helpful break-out boxes ("That's So Vegan, "Vegan Vocab," etc.). I'm not vegan, but over the past few years I've been exploring vegetarian options and a healthier lifestyle. This book gives me the recipes, tools and information I need to move more in that direction.

Whether you're an entirely vegan family or just dabbling with a cruelty-free lifestyle, this book is sure to help when it comes to the question of "What should I feed the kids?" Complete with nutritional guidelines, helpful tips, and of course, plenty of tasty recipes, it's a book that everyone can appreciate, no matter how young or old.

In the interest of full disclosure, I will admit that I helped by submitting a recipe (The Strawberry Malt Shake, to be precise), but there are so many reasons why you should check this book out, it would be a shame not to encourage everyone to pick up a copy.

Going vegan is a delicious, easy and affordable option for the whole family when you do it with the help of Dana and Andrew Villamagna, the authors of "Vegan Eating for Kids," the latest incarnation from the "Idiot's Guides" series. The authors--a health and food journalist and family physician--walk consumers through the many nutritional and earthly benefits of veganism. Then, they provide strategies to seamlessly incorporate the lifestyle into the buzz that is modern-day family life. The Villamagnas also offer recipes that include yummy options for even the pickiest eaters--recipes tested by their own three kids. As pragmatic parents, they also dedicate part of the book to dealing with omnivores' adverse reactions to veganism, arming readers with research and kindly comebacks to diffuse contention and educate. Pull-out fun-fact boxes and cartoons lend a cool, media-savvy vibe to the book. "Vegan Eating for Kids" is a must-buy for those contemplating "going veg" as well as a welcome addition to the shelves of those who already know the benefits of the lifestyle.