It seemed entirely natural to me that my kids would be vegan too. But it wasn’t common 10 years ago, and my choices were regularly challenged – by health professionals, and friends and family who were concerned – so I did a lot of research into raising vegan kids. As long as a child’s diet is properly varied, and they’re getting enough fats and protein and energy, a vegan diet is as good as a regular diet, if not better. The fruits, vegetables and herbs made by our planet are medicinal – and veganism also comes with the added health benefits of a lesser chance of developing certain cancers, and heart disease. I’ve got several great cookbooks that we use regularly, including Vegan with a Vengeance, LEON Fast Vegan, Vegan Food for the Soul, Farmacy Kitchen Cookbook and Naturally Sweet Vegan Treats.
The children’s favourite dishes include ramen with dumplings, sweet potato falafel and nut burgers with homemade chips. My husband does most of the cooking – as a Rastafarian he strongly believes in the ‘natural’ way of life, or ‘ital livity’ – so we also have lots of wholesome pots, ‘ital’ stews, soups, coconut curries, sprouted lentils, and we stick to wholegrains and live on raw food as much as possible, so salads and smoothies are also a daily staple, which the kids love as much as we do.