Many vegan parents face a dilemma about the best approach to raising their children – do you allow them to consume animal products with their school friends if they choose to, or enforce a strict plant-based diet?

But this common scenario for vegans around the world has been turned on it head in Australian actress Teresa Palmer’s household.

Palmer’s sons Bodhi, 5 and Isaac, 11, have adopted veganism along with their friends at school, and have been demanding plant-based meals at home.

But the actress has been secretly putting animal products into meals and hoping her five-year-old won’t notice.

She told Australian radio show 2DayFM Breakfast she was struggling to cater for his veganism so much, she’d even been driven to lie to him. “I’m constantly lying,” Palmer admitted.

Read: The Younger Generation Is Ditching Meat: 1 In 10 UK Children Now Identify As Vegan Or Vegetarian

Bodhi joins a rapidly growing younger generation who are ditching animal products, and his mother said he even refuses to eat his friends’ birthday cakes if they contain dairy.

Bodhi’s veganism is influenced by older brother Isaac. The boys’ mother explained: “All [of Isaac’s] friends have become a little vegan group at school in America. They live in LA, there we go!”

Palmer had a brief period as a vegan but has switched to vegetarianism.

Read: Belgian Doctors Say Parents Raising Vegan Children Should Face Criminal Charges

What do you think of Teresa Palmer’s interview? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Oli Gross

Oli’s career and personal ethical values both help shape his reporting of the diverse world of veganism. His background is in local newspaper and magazine journalism, and his work has included reporting court cases, celebrity interviews, business analysis, food and drink features and government legislation.

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