Becky, Graham and Casey (Picture: Mercury Press)

Going vegan is no easy feat.

How to make a Pumpkin Spice Latte at home

So one 11-year-old from Norfolk decided to get an early start – but not without informing her parents first, of course.

Becky Robinson from King’s Lynn, Norfolk, discovered a handwritten letter written by her daughter, Casey, a couple of weeks ago informing her mum that she was going vegan.

She also asked Becky to cook ‘the meatiest meal’ for her before she took the plunge:


‘Dear mum, today is my last day of being a carnivore. I have decided to become a vegan,’ it read.

‘Please respect my decision as I think it’s right for me.

She has better handwriting than we do now (Picture: Mercury Press)

‘Please can we have the meatiest tea tonight as my last meat meal lol. From Casey.’



And Casey certainly wasn’t messing around, beginning her diet by donating an extra £14 of her pocket money towards chia and flax seeds and giving up roast beef the next day.

Though one thing she hadn’t prepared for was making a fond farewell to butter.

So after a fair shot at veganism, she soon realised she might just be a vegetarian after all:

‘My husband Graham said we need to talk her out of it, but I just said leave her and it won’t last for five minutes,’ said Becky.

‘But it was Monday morning when I found the note and by Thursday, she came into my room before school and said “I think I’m going to be vegetarian because I can’t have butter on my toast”.

Casey might just go vegetarian after all (Picture: Mercury Press)

‘She’s never really mentioned it before – it’s typical of Casey.

‘She’s bright and when she gets a new idea, she’ll research it and look into it properly.

‘When my family asked why she wanted to be a vegan, she knew everything about it.

Her mum said that Casey decided to become vegan because (‘like most of her decisions’) she’d watched a YouTube video.

Would you be cool with it? (Picture: Mercury Press)

‘Casey is funny and very mature with the things she comes out with,’ Becky added.

‘She’s just so headstrong and interested in learning new things really.’

Good on Casey for knowing what she wants.

But as with any big diet change – especially if you (or your kid) are young – make sure you do it right to stay strong and healthy.

A vegan diet can be healthy for kids with the right know how (Picture: Pexels)

Have a child that wants to go vegan? Dr Claudia Gravaghi, a nutritionist at Doctify, says a vegan diet can be perfectly healthy with the right amounts of carbs, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals but can be dangerous if it doesn’t meet these needs – especially for a child. ‘Parents should maintain a food diary for their child for at least a week to monitor and ensure the child’s carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals nutritional requirements are met daily,’ she says. ‘They should also investigate the vegan food options are at school – sometimes to avoid animal product, there’s a tendency to look for foods rich in sugar and highly-refined grains that aren’t very nutritious. ‘Parents could also help the child – perhaps with the help of a professional nutritionist – to develop a food plan that includes wholesome foods and correct portions that meet their nutritional needs. ‘This can be a good way to ensure good diet habits are set from the beginning.’

MORE: What your vegan food choices say about you

MORE: Vegan diets could be damaging children’s health, nutritionists warn

MORE: The award winning vegan ice cream that will transform your summer

MORE: Can we please stop using people’s sex lives as a way to bash vegans or meat-eaters?

MORE: 7 of the best vegan festivals and events this summer

Advertisement Advertisement