Let Them Eat Prosciutto (and Pepperoni and Salame and Soppressata and Capicola)

A lawmaker in Italy is pressing for legislation that will make feeding your child a strictly vegan diet punishable.

469926972

Photo by: Yulia_Davidovich ©Yulia_Davidovich

Yulia_Davidovich, Yulia_Davidovich

Should parents who raise their children on a vegan diet go to prison: si o no?

A lawmaker in Italy is pressing for legislation that will make feeding your child a strictly vegan diet, which precludes the consumption of animals and animal products, including eggs and dairy, punishable by one year in prison. The law proposes steeper sentences for cases where veganism has been deemed to have led to a serious health issue (up to four years) or death (up to seven years).

“I have nothing against vegans or veganism as long as it is a free choice by adults,” Elvira Savino, the parliamentarian from Italy’s conservative Forza Italia party who has proposed the law, told Reuters. “I just find it absurd that some parents are allowed to impose their will on children in an almost fanatical, religious way, often without proper scientific knowledge or medical consultation.”

The law would apply to parents with children under 16, with more severe penalties increasing if the children are under 3. It was inspired, Reuters reported, by several high-profile cases: one in which a 1-year-old boy in Milan who was fed a vegan diet was found by doctors to weigh the equivalent of a 3-month-old and another in which a man accused his ex-wife in court of stunting their 12-year-old son’s growth by raising him vegan.

The law Savino has proposed, and which parliament is expected to vote on this year, would require pediatricians to report to authorities the parents of children being raised vegan — just as they would do in cases of physical abuse.

Photo courtesy of iStock

Next Up

Please Don’t Fry Your Toothpicks and Eat Them

Viral TikTok videos have prompted a warning from the South Korean government.

This Purim, Drink Your Cocktails and Eat Them Too

Espresso martini-inspired hamantaschen are just the thing!

What Is Pepperoni?

And how is it different from salami?

Buy These Fruits Now and Preserve Them for Later

Canning jam is easy enough and means you can be eating summer fruit long past their market-fresh appearances.

8 Latke-Making Problems and How to Fix Them

#6: Your latkes aren’t crispy enough.

7 Easy Sides — and What to Pair Them With

Sometimes it helps to work backwards.

8 Common Garden Problems and How to Solve Them

Keep these fixes in mind for a successful garden bloom.

How to Eat Crawfish

The owner of a famous Creole cuisine restaurant answers all your questions.

Real Men Eat Vegetables

Here’s what to make this Father’s Day to show your love and respect for Dad — and veggies.

8 Common Herb Gardening Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Growing herbs is easy, if you avoid these basic blunders. Get advice for growing culinary herbs like basil, rosemary, cilantro, dill and more from herb gardening experts.

What's New