6 Tips for Nurturing Vegan Kids at School

I can’t believe it’s already that time of year! My two kids returned to school yesterday and I am experiencing mixed emotions. I’m excited for them but’ll miss the fun-filled summer days of free time and adventure. Especially now that I have two middle schoolers, I realize that the time I have with them under my roof isn’t actually all that much longer. As I gathered all the supplies needed for a successful new school year, I figured it would be a good time to reflect on what I’ve learned to share with my readers. Today I bring you 6 tips that have helped me nurture my vegan kids at school!

As a parent, raising vegan kids in a world that isn’t always accommodating can be both rewarding and challenging. When your child enters the public school system, you might wonder how to ensure they thrive while staying true to their dietary choices. This is my third year with public schooled children (before, I homeschooled them), and I’ve definitely learned a lot navigating this.

1. Communication is Key

Each year as my kids begin school. I send a kind message to their teachers to let them know what foods they don’t eat. My kids also have a dairy allergy, so I make sure to include that information as well. I let the teachers know that in the event of a special treat or party, I am happy to provide a similar alternative so that my kid doesn’t feel left out. As long as I have adequate notice, I can easily send them in with a comparable dessert/pizza/etc, Teachers understand the importance of making sure all kids are included, so they have been very communicative and helpful with this.

In addition to communicating with teachers, you also have to have open conversations with your kids! Equip them with simple, age-appropriate responses to questions from peers and teachers, as there will inevitably be some.

2. Pack Lunches

When you have vegan kids at school. you most likely will need to pack their lunches. it’s true that some schools will have cafeterias that are well stocked with healthy foods, but the reality is that in the United States, school lunches are not going to provide your kids with enough nutrition to get through the day. (if they even have any plant-based options at all!) Many non-vegan kids eat packed lunches also, due to allergies or just because their parents are unhappy with the options provided.

Get your kid involved in meal planning and packing their lunch to encourage their engagement and ownership of their likes and dislikes. After all, when they are no longer under your roof, they will need to be responsible for their own meals. This jumpstart the process and leads to more autonomy, too.

I discuss with my kids each night what they’d like for lunch the next day based on the grocery shopping I’ve already done for the week. We try to keep it as simple as possible while ensuring they have enough veggies, fruits, proteins, fats, carbs, etc. Any sauces that need to be made are done the night before, but most items are prepared the morning of. For example, in this lunch box, I cut the vegetables and made the peanut dipping sauce at night, then assembled the spring rolls in the morning. Certain fruits can be cut the night before, but since it only takes a second I do it fresh in the morning also.

3. Teach Critical Thinking and Decision Making

As your child grows, help them develop critical thinking skills to navigate social situations and make informed decisions. Show them how to read food labels and identify hidden animal products. But also, make sure to be gentle and kind about this! Sometimes they will choose to deviate from their normal at-home foods, or it happens accidentally. Either way, it’s probably going to happen. Talk through it without judgment. Encourage them to approach challenges with resilience and kindness, while also advocating for their needs when necessary. Be a listening ear and don’t be offended if they have differing views or challenging points to make.

4. Positive Outreach

As a general rule, I don’t recommend that my kids do any evangelizing about veganism. This would likely make them feel ostracized and lead to potential bullying. The reality is that most people will never be vegan or even consider a plant-based lifestyle. However, numbers show that an increasing amount of people are interested in reducing animal-based products in their life. One way to lean into positivity is to sign up to provide snacks or treats for parties and encourage your kid to share their foods with curious peers. Normalizing and demystifying veganism is ultimately the goal for me as a parent of vegan kids at school. Because if I can make a killer batch of plant-based cupcakes and the kids eating it get acquainted with the concept on a positive note, we can educate without making anyone feel guilty or bad about their own choices. “Here’s an option!” instead of “Your option is wrong!” always leads to more positive experiences all around.

5. Decide on Staple, Easy Meals

We have about 10 staple meals that are in rotation for lunches for our vegan kids at school. These are tried and true lunchbox regulars that I know will leave them full and happy. These will obviously be different for everyone, and some cafeterias have microwaves for students to use that expand the options you can easily pack from home. How much time do you have to prepare them? Can anything be done the night before to make things easier? I have one kid who likes lemon butter pasta and one who doesn’t– but he likes marinara instead. These are easy, fast, and cheap go-to’s that I can do simultaneously by just adding the red sauce to one portion and a quick lemon juice-melted butter-garlic powder-salt to the other. Add in some peas/spinach/parsley at the end and you’ve got your veggie serving too!

6. Get Functional Lunch Boxes/Tupperware

I like to get Bento boxes from Amazon where separate compartments ensure the food quality is maintained. They’re also visually pleasing and it’s much more exciting to eat your lunch when it’s thoughtfully laid out and cute. Just make sure all containers are leakproof and not glass, to avoid any accidents! Simple purchases like reusable ramekins with lids will keep things fresh and away from dry items. Nobody wants a soggy sandwich; put that mayo in a different container!

Ask for feedback from your kids each day. Did the thermos make the pasta too soggy/overcooked? Adjust the cooking time if so, and add oil/water to compensate for any drying out that may occur. Obviously, we love food most when it’s freshly made, but when we prepare it 4 hours before it’s eaten, we need to modify it to account for those differences.

I feel very grateful that I have the time and ability to make my kids’ lunches every day and love it when they help me. I know not everyone has that. Hopefully, with these tips, you feel solidarity in the journey of parenting vegan kids in school. It’s really whatever you make of it! Let me know if you have any questions and stay tuned for more posts and recipes about how I pack my kids’ lunches.