Hey there, I've been vegan for over 5 months now and my 9 yr old daughter has been a meet eater up until two days ago. She has decided she wants to go vegan to save the animals. Problem is she really doesn't really like beans that much or rice for that matter. I know whole grains and beans and lentils and such are super important to get all the 9 essential amino acids. So I worry about her health . I know that if she follows this lifestyle the benefits will be just as amazing for her as they are for me. I just need some tips on how to get her to eat these things and enjoy it. I want this to be an enjoyable experience for her..that way she's more likely to stick with it and not say screw it..gimme a hotdog lol. Thanks  :)

I'd recommend you experiment with other grains such as Quinoa or amaranth.  My kids love quinoa, and you can make great salads or top it with salsa, pasta sauce, etc.  (If she doesn't like eating it like rice).  Oatmeal has great protein, as do nut butters.  And, there are many salads or dishes made from beans you could try.  Gook luck!

What about pasta? Pasta salads, soba noodles, etc.

amys bean burritos

seitan dishes...

morningstar and such as substitues...

nut butters...

tempeh

the waffle and sausage panini...

good luck and keep us posted!!!!

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try quinoa, oatmeal made with hemp milk, whole wheat pasta, bean burritos with vegan cheese (i like daiya), lentil soups, if she is willing to experiment there are a lot of thai and indian vegan dishes that are super yummy..

Thank you for your suggestions and for your support .And a big thank you to Alicia for The Kind Diet and The Kind Life site, I'd be so lost without your guidence and the support of everyone on here! :)

if she likes smoothies and protien bars, you should try Vega products.

Quorn brand has my daughter's (14) fav. version of "chicken nuggets". We tried a couple brands. They also make a chicken pattie that I baked, then toasted to crisp, cut into 3 strips and put in a whole grain flat out (or wrap, pita, etc) with salad greens and veganaise. Roll up, slice in half and stick a cute cupcake pic to hold together. Is she vegan or vegetarian?

My seven year old LOVES seitan dishes, there are alot of versions to try, I'm sure one would appeal to your daughter.  My kids also love sweet potatoes, so there are alot of African style stews that have peanut butter in them that go over well with kids. I actually made Alicia's Sweet Potato Lentil Stew the other night and all of my kids gobbled it up (even my picky 3 yr old) Of course burritos are great and a great way to get kids to like beans. Good Luck! 

Yes, quinoa would be great because it is a complete protein, meaning that it has all of the essential amino acids.  I like it in cold salads as opposed to warm.  Also, to get beans, you might want to use them in dips made with a food processor.  Then you can get the nutrients, but it won't seem like a bean so much.  She can eat hummus with veggies or in wraps, burritos, tacos, etc.  Maybe if you slip some into soups she won't notice so much when there is a lot of other veggies.  Also, lentils are really good for you for protein.  Red lentils really cook down, so look for soups with these.  They also cook super fast!

If you are going to use meat subs to help her transition, just make sure to read the ingredients, if she wants to be vegan and not veg. A lot of meat/cheese subs have cheese, egg, whey, casein.

Get her involved in choosing recipes and cooking.  Children always love to eat stuff they've cooked.

Great suggestion, Kate!   I was thinking the same thing.

Buckwheat soba noodles are also very filling and high in protein and really yummy with a peanut sauce and shredded veggies.  my kids love it!