Home & Garden Publications

Letters to the Editor

Vegetarian Baby and Child, Jan-Feb, 2003

I had a booth at the Boston Vegetarian Food Festival. A number of issues of Vegetarian Baby and Child were in the children's area and went quickly. One woman asked me your magazine had a booth at the show, and as we were chatting, she said how much she loves it and how much it has helped her as a first-time vegetarian mom.

Nava Atlas, NY, author of The Vegetarian 5-Ingredient Gourmet

(see page 28 for recipes)

I wanted to let you know that I was thrilled to see the latest issue of Vegetarian Baby and Child at my Whole Foods Market! The magazine is great, and continues to be something I look forward to reading every month. Keep up the good work!

Veronica Calderon, CA

I received your magazine today and I browsed through it - it is so far the best one I have received! [Jul/Aug 2002] I would love to read more articles from experienced mothers who have adult/teen children. I loved the interview with the Robbins family! I wish it were longer. it was great! Thank you again for your wonderful magazine!

Lee Poeric-Tripodi, NY

I wanted to tell you how much my husband and I enjoy your magazine. We have been reading it since I was several months pregnant and continue to do so now that we have a 2 1/2 month old baby. I can tell a lot of work goes into it. I've been vegan for 15 years but had no idea about how to raise a vegan child (except to just wing it). Now I feel like I know what I'm doing a little more. Thanks so much! I want to tell you about our group because some of your readers might be interested in it. I work for Humans Earth Animals Living Together in Harmony (HEALTH). We have a website that focuses on plant-based living: http://health.rmad.org. The reason I'm writing is because we produce some fact sheets, articles, and even a booklet for children. The booklet might be something readers would like to know about as it teaches children why people are vegan and what it means to be vegan. They can either download it or view it online. We can also send them a copy. It's at http://health.rmad.orgl kids_book.htm. Other articles for children's nutrition and meal planning can be found at http://health.rmad.org/kids.htm.> Laura Patrick, via email

You have a very unique and helpful magazine. I especially enjoy the recipes, the product reviews, and the book reviews. I've been a subscriber for almost a year now, and I think the latest holiday issue [Nov/Dec 2002] has been the best so far. There was one thing missing: the recipe for "Vegan Wheat Flax Bread. "It was supposed to be at the end of the triplets story, but I looked rant to back and didn't see it.

Jennifer Hayes, CA

Editor's note: You are right! This is Mike Chaffee's recipe:

Dad's Famous Vegan Whole Wheat Flax Bread

2 1/4 cup stone ground whole wheat flour
1/4 cup bread flour
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. sweetener
1 Tbsp. vital gluten
1/2 cup 10-grain cereal
heaping 1/4 cup ground flax seeds (must be
 ground for baking!)
1 1/4 tsp. yeast
1 1/3 cups, plus an extra 1/2 of 1/3 cup
 water

Combine all ingredients in a bread machine. Monitor and add more water or flour for desired consistency. Serve hot with jam for breakfast or sliced for sandwiches.

And some readers share their adorable kid quotes:

This morning we woke up to Asher acting out this joke repeatedly with his toys: "GRRR goes the carnivore dinosaur. I'm going to eat you!" Then the vegetarian dinosaur comes. "GRRR," goes the vegetarian dinosaur. "I'm going to eat YOUR SALAD!"

Deborah Salazar, LA

Despite my fervent attempts to distract her, my 2-year-old watched our cat devour a mouse. Afterwards I explained that we were vegetarians and don't eat animals like Sam does. Several days later while talking to a friend she overheard me say "vegetarian," and she explained to my friend while shaking her head "no mice!"

Carinne Senske, CA

[Here is an] amusing tidbit: My two-year-old has never eaten at a McDonald's, but we pass by them every day and she has decided that the golden arches are bananas!

Carol, via email

Andrew and I were talking about how some people would be eating turkey on Thanksgiving and how I wanted him to know that some people think that is okay, even though we don't. He made this horrible face and told me that is how he was going to look at them they eat a turkey. Then he went on to say, "We don't eat turkeys on Thanksgiving. No one should ever eat turkeys. They love their lives and living." Just can't wait till he gives the speech to my meat-eating relatives. Then on the way to school today Andrew asked, "Why don't people understand that animals love living?"

Carol LaLiberte, MA

Finally, read what people are saying about vegetarianteen.com:

The best site devoted to teens I've ever seen!

Lorraine, via email

Rock on vegetarianteen.com!!

June, via email

Send your letters via email to editor@vegetarianbaby.com