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Easy Vegan Meals for Children and Picky Eaters

Got a child that you need to feed or pack lunch for and don’t have much time? Have a picky eater living with you who’s trying to go vegan? Maybe you have a combination child/picky eater (like I was) living in your household? Well, this list of food is perfect for you! While not always the healthiest, sometimes just getting someone to eat can be challenging enough, so there’s nothing wrong with some simple, somewhat unhealthy meals every now and then. Many of these dishes can easily be made healthier by adding veggies! Here’s a collection of easy meals for the difficult eaters in your life. 

Macaroni and “Cheese”: Whether it’s boxed vegan mac or homemade, macaroni and cheese is a beloved classic for people of all ages and eating habits. Some boxed and frozen vegan mac and cheese that I’ve personally tried include Sweet Earth Cauliflower Mac, Field Roast Mac N’ Chao, Daiya Cheddar Style Mac & Cheeze, and Annie’s Deluxe Rich & Creamy Shells & Vegan Cheddar. You could also make a quick batch of mac and cheese yourself by boiling your pasta noodle of choice, making a roux with all-purpose flour and vegan butter, and slowly adding in your nondairy milk and vegan cheese shreds of choice (I personally use oat milk and either Follow Your Heart or Violife). If you’re looking to make your own cheese sauce, there are plenty of vegan recipes out there, such as this one from Nora Cooks or this one from Love and Lemons. Add broccoli, cauliflower, and/or some sauteed greens (such as spinach or kale) to make this classic, homey dish a little less unhealthy. 

Tacos: Whether you use a packaged spice mix or make your own (like this one from Vegan Richa), you can’t go wrong with a simple taco. Hard shell, soft shell, lettuce wrap, taco salad - whatever you do, it’s up to you and sure to be delicious! I personally like to use black beans (and sometimes chickpeas or TVP) as my meat substitute. You could also add other veggies to the dish, such as mushrooms, carrots, zucchini, bell peppers - anything you want, really. Top with lettuce, tomato, vegan cheese, salsa, and/or pico de gallo for some added flavor and texture.

Sloppy Joes: In place of meat, use tvp, lentils or mushrooms. If you can find a canned sauce that is vegan friendly, that will work just fine for a quick meal, but homemade is best, in my humble opinion. Not sure where to start? Try this recipe from Nora Cooks!

Grilled Cheese: Get two slices of bread, a couple slices of vegan cheese, and enough vegan butter to spread on the outside of the bread. Put the cheese slices on top of the bread and then put the bread slices in a pan over medium heat until cheese is melted and bread is toasted. Add some tomato slices or fresh greens if you’re into that or serve the sandwich with some soup (I like tomato soup best). 

Pizza: Who doesn’t love a good pizza, am I right? If you’re lucky enough to live somewhere that serves good vegan pizza, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with getting it as a treat every now and then. Frozen vegan pizzas that I’ve seen in stores where I live have been limited to Daiya pizzas (which I haven’t tried, so I can’t comment on taste), but I know there are others out there. You can easily make your own pizza by buying vegan-friendly dough (either frozen, premade bread or package mix), jarred pizza sauce, vegan shredded cheese, and toppings of choice (such as spinach, mushrooms, pineapple, etc.). Looking to make a pizza from scratch? Try this one from Love and Lemons or this one from Nora Cooks. 

Spaghetti: Jarred sauce and spaghetti noodles, what could be simpler? You could also add some vegan parmesan on top, some vegan meatballs or tvp to the sauce, and/or a bunch of vegetables for added flavor and texture. Making your own sauce is really simple, too! Here’s a recipe from my mom that I use whenever I’m craving spaghetti (note that the link also has recipes for lasagna and chili) -  Spaghetti Sauce.

“Chicken” Nuggets: There are plenty of frozen vegan chicken nugget options out there now, from Morning Star to Gardein to Impossible, etc. If you want something without all the preservatives and processing that goes into making fake meat, you could try making your own. These recipes from Nora Cooks and Sweet Potato Soul look yummy! Serve them with some homemade fries, baked potatoes, or roasted vegetables for a filling and delicious meal. 

Quesadillas: Another yummy Mexican dish that you can whip up easily. You can make a simple one by purchasing tortillas and vegan cheese shreds to melt inside. You can also add whatever veggies and spices you want. If you’re looking for recipes to follow along with, these from Love and Lemons and Nora Cooks look delicious!

Baked Ziti: More pasta, yay! Warm, cheesy and saucy, what could be better than baked ziti on a chilly day? This vegan baked ziti from Nora Cooks uses ziti containing wheat and a cashew sauce, but it does have gluten free and nut free options listed! If you want to add some healthy factors to it, mix in some greens (like spinach or kale) or other vegetables (like broccoli, cauliflower or zucchini).

Peanut butter and Jelly Sandwich: Simple yet delicious! Great to take to school or work for a quick lunch. Have it with some raw veggies or fruit slices to add some more nutrition to your meal. Want to take your sandwich to the next level? Try this PBJ Coconut Bacon Sandwich from Elephantastic Vegan!

Fried Rice: Rice and vegetables - couldn’t be simpler! While you can certainly find frozen vegetable fried rice that is vegan friendly in many grocery stores, there’s just something satisfying about making it yourself. This recipe from Nora Cooks is so good! 

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made vegan pumpkin chocolate chip cookies to distro downtown yesterday and one of the guys who took one said it was the best cookie he had ever had. fuck yes.

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Black Bean Southwest Tacos Get the Recipe HERE > https://veganfocus.com/black-bean-southwest-tacos/

Get ready to fiesta with these Vegan Black Bean Southwest Tacos! Packed with savory black beans and sweet corn and sweet potatoes, they're a flavor fiesta wrapped in a tortilla. Top them with your choice of avocado, salsa, and vegan sour cream, and you've got a party on your plate. Whether it's a casual weeknight dinner or a taco night with friends, these mouthwatering tacos are your ticket to tasty town. So grab a taco, take a bite, and let the flavor fiesta begin! 🌮🎉

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Moth wings would make some amazingly elegant cape or cloak designs! I’ve seen some very cool patterns even on the plainest critters! 💖

Some moths I’ve seen in my house:

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I’ve been saying this for years! My friends tell me that the way things come back into fashion is by wearing them, but I was nervous to at first. However, I usually get lots of compliments when I wear my cloaks! Places I have worn my cloaks to great success:

⚔️ Renfaire & LARP (the safe bet for social acceptance, good start if you’re nervous)

🎭 Theatre performances (especially if you’re going to see a friend perform. If they’re being brave and putting themself out there, you can too!)

🚆 Long train trips (they’re not called traveling cloaks for nothing!! I got a few “are you little red riding hood?” Comments, but all were from people who seemed to love the cloak)

🏕️ Camping (This is by FAR my favorite use of a cloak. It’s a blanket for both inside and outside the tent! You can wear it all morning through the temperature shift of dawn and the sun beating down!)

Anyway, normalize cloaks by wearing them. It’s so worth it.

We need to normalize cloaks. They're fashionable, comfortable, warm if designed for winter, can be adapted to keep the sun off your skin in warm weather, you can stick pockets on them, they conceal things you're stealing, and black ones are useful for disguising yourself as a garbage bag next to a dumpster while hiding from the kobold debt collectors.

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Crochet Resources Masterlist

So, when I first started crocheting, I would have killed to have a masterlist of resources, so I’m gonna make one. Hopefully there will be some helpful links in here for people. This is by no means a complete list, but hopefully it’ll help get y’all started.

For Beginners

Crochetpedia

Gathered

How to crochet (YouTube)

Magic loop

Crochet in a round

The Crochet Crowd

Crochet Knitting Sort

General Patterns

Ravelry

Etsy

Hobbii

Yarninsparation

Natazia

HanJan Crochet

Amigurumi

Amigurumi.com

Skein Spider

Crafty Intentions

Clothes

Morale Crochet

Anno Crochet Designs

TCDDIY

Chenda DIY

Yarn Cakes, LLC

Adomah the Crocheter

Cherilyn Q

Vintage Crochet

Just Vintage Crochet

Free Vintage Crochet

Antique Crochet Patterns

Alternative Forms of Crochet

Tunisian Crochet

Mosaic Crochet

Tapestry Crochet

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⚠️🌊 Ocean wins big at UN Ocean Conference!

After a week in Nice, France with global leaders, we’re celebrating  these key takeaways for ocean conservation! 

🌎Plastics treaty: 95 countries endorsed a strong call for a legally binding global plastics treaty to reduce plastic production, eliminate chemicals of concern, promote sustainable design, and support developing countries.

🌊Deep-sea mining: 37 countries backed a precautionary pause or moratorium on deep-sea mining to safeguard one of Earth’s last great frontiers—the deep ocean.

🦀Ocean action panels: More than 2,000 scientists convened to champion sustainable fisheries and blue foods as solutions for poverty eradication, food security, and ocean health while calling for global action against illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

🪸Coral reefs: Philanthropic partners and governments pledged $25 million to protect remaining coral reefs and 11 countries committing to protecting climate-resilient coral reefs. 

🐚Marine protection: Over 20 countries pledged new marine protected areas–including the world’s largest in the French Polynesia–and renewed support for the 30x30 Ocean Action Plan which aims to chart a clear path to increase global ocean protection from 8% to 30% of the ocean by 2030.

🚢Business action: Companies from 25 countries, with over $600 billion in revenue, committed to integrating ocean risks into business strategies, reporting on marine impacts, investing in ocean-positive solutions, and supporting a just transition for ocean-dependent communities.

📈These actions signal a rising tide of ambition and cooperation for a healthier, more resilient ocean future. And it’s the voices of everyday people that fuel this ambition. There’s wonder in ocean life and caring for it helps us all!

Sign up for our ocean action emails for updates on conservation work by the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

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Vegan Soft Peanut Butter Cookies

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today's bug thing is this embroidered butterfly!

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Slurpable noodles are drenched in silky peanut sauce with a touch of sesame oil, then served up with crispy cabbage and pan-fried tofu to make these scrumptious peanut sesame noodles. A delicious vegan meal that can be served hot or cold! 

https://www.connoisseurusveg.com/sesame-peanut-noodles/

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Reached out to a biologist to request some info about an extinct species of freshwater shrimp and the email she sent in response was not only lovely and helpful but also kind of poetry to me? People who study invertebrates are actually the most hopeful and compassionate scientists that we have.

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Hirō Isono

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screaaaammm somebody just called me a bootlicker for being annoyed that my coworker is so bad at her job thats its making everyone elses jobs way fucking harder i can never ever ever ever turn anon off

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i just met an actual wizard on the train and im grieving because i know i’ll never meet anyone that cool for the rest of my life

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I am once again thinking about digging holes

It's so fucked up that digging a bunch of holes works so well at reversing desertification

I hate that so much discourse into fighting climate change is talking about bioenginerring a special kind of seaweed that removes microplastics or whatever other venture-capital-viable startup idea when we have known for forever about shit like digging crescent shaped holes to catch rainwater and turning barren land hospitable

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if you wanna know what my dissertation is about, it's pretty much this!