Vegetarian Cooking and Lifestyle Expert

"I see my role not as advisor so much as purveyor of information. People make better choices when they have more knowledge, and they have the power to act on that knowledge when they have support. My goal is to be there for families who are successfully living the vegetarian lifestyle and simply want to link with other families as well as those who are first showing an interest in alternative eating choices. My mission is to share accurate information about vegetarianism in a positive way, to provide a regular and reliable source of information and emotional encouragement so that those inclined toward plant-based eating can make the journey to a healthier lifestyle with confidence."

Melanie Wilson is the editor/publisher of Vegetarian Baby and Toddler magazine, a writer, educator, researcher and vegan chef. Her family has traveled extensively, living overseas and rising to the challenge of maintaining a vegan lifestyle in third world countries. She has a B.S. in International Public Administration and a certificate in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL). Wilson has published articles in the La Leche League publication New Beginnings, in Mother is Me magazine, in Parenting Review newsletter, as well as at iParenting.com. She is currently working on a children's book about vegetarianism and a book about vegetarian parenting.

Wilson was inspired to join the vegetarian movement with the birth of her daughter, Kalli. Having vacillated between strict vegetarianism and unreserved omnivorous eating over a period of 10 years, she finally decided once pregnant to move toward plant-based eating. She wanted to raise her child meatless, so she slowly gave up meat herself over a period of several months. She conducted an exhaustive search for information and educated herself on the dietary needs of all types of vegetarians. During that time, she connected with other parents. Many of them expressed doubts about raising vegetarian kids and needed a regular source of information and support. Thus the idea for Vegetarian Baby and Toddler newsletter was born. Her Web site has grown to include a database of vegetarian parents around the globe and a wide array of products supporting vegetarian families. Her eight-page newsletter has grown to a 24-page magazine. Melanie found herself in the role of educator and counselor to people from all walks of life – from grandparents seeking information to honor their children's dietary wishes; would-be vegetarians hoping to find dietary information; to longtime vegans questioning their ideals.

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