Is it ok to bring up my kids as vegetarians and healthy eaters & am i right to be pissed off at my mom in law?
There is a bit of a story behind this: I am currently a UK size 10 but i used to be a size 22 until i was about 24, i lost alot of weight! I am also now a strict vegan and have been since i was 25, before that i was a vegetarian from the age of 21. I made the decision that when i had kids i never wanted them to go through the crap i did with being over weight and unhappy with the way they looked and so vowed that they would only have suger laden foods such as cakes on special occasions and that they would never step inside a fast food restaurant. The food in McDonalds et al is disgusting, even the veggi food is a heart attack waiting to happen. I want my kids to be healthy and for me that means given them healthy fuel and educating them how to eat healthy from the earliest opportunity.
Our home is meat free and my kids eat so much fruit and veg, they are happy and full of beans and life, they help me with the cooking and love the food they eat.
I have seen a specialist dietician who has said the food I give them is nourishing and not lacking in anything they need and they do have all dairy products in their diet, if they choose to become vegan at a later stage then this is fine it’s also fine if they choose not to be vegetarian. My husband is a vegan but he works away a lot and his mother ‘helps’ me with the kids whilst I am at work. I came home from work today to hear from my 7 year old daughter that her grandma had taken her to McDonalds and had bought her a burger and doughnuts. I felt like punching the old bag, my daughter has been poorly behaved all night, she would not do her homework and ended up having a tantrum when I tried to sit her down to do it (the effect of E numbers?). I told my mother in law that she is bang out of order doing what she did but she tried to tell me I was depriving my kids of a childhood and that I was a bad mother for forcing them not to eat meat. But of course I am going to bring my
my children up to have similar values to me and my kids have a great child hood, they are fit and healthy and sporty, they are clever and top of their class, they have loads of friends and are bright happy kids. We spend as much time as possible with them, they get so much love and we go camping every weekend that my husband is home and they enjoy their food they have with us and have never complained.
Is she out of order or am i?
I just dont think she should undermine us like this and i know my kids are not deprived, infact they are the opposite.
She is WAY out of order taking them to McDonald’s when you have specifically specified NO McDONALD’S. These are YOUR kids, to raise as you see fit — your MIL may not agree, but too darn bad — she had her turn, and now it’s YOURS.
I wouldn’t necessarily blame your daughter’s behavior on the food at McD’s, though — she probably picked up some vibes that you were angry and was reacting to that, too.
McDonald’s is not some "childhood privilege", where kids who don’t have McDonald’s are deprived and unloved! It’s a lot more work to pursue the course you are taking, and it sounds like you’re doing a good job of it.
Sit down with your MIL and tell her, firmly, that McDonald’s is OFF LIMITS, and either she respects that and stops undermining your beliefs in front of your kids, or you will have to find other help with the children.
oh and if your mom does not want to move from her lifestyle now, just try the veggie diet! tell her that you are a vegetarian so that she is forced to buy veggies. if you are scared you will not have enough protein in your diet, eat fish, beans or even eggplant (they are all high in protein). I ve done all of the above for the past couple of years and have lost 25 lbs. off of my body, hoping one day ill reach my goal! 
A great way to boost your kids’ self-esteem is to help them make a fun recipe from start to finish, which gives them a sense of accomplishment. Prepare these simple lemonade ice pops with help from a professional chef and mom in this free video on cooking for kids.
“Cooking show pilot ”
My recipes: