The Vegetarian Resource Group of Tucson
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The Vegetarian Resource Group of Tucson |
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Meeting the nutritional needs of vegetarian/vegan children Fortunately, feeding plant-based food to children is easier than it was in years past. With so many meat analogs on the market, including franks, burgers, and bologna, even the pickiest children (as well as those who don't want to eat something "strange" in front of their friends) can find something they enjoy. Many foods are also fortified with various nutrients, which makes concerns about not getting adequate amounts a snap. Because children grow so rapidly, calcium is critical for proper bone and teeth formation. Many good plant sources are available. Calcium fortified orange juice by Tropicana, for example, has 350 mg of calcium in each 8-oz serving and a 36-38% absorption fraction, compared with a 32% absorption rate from cow's milk. (1) Other good calcium sources include fortified soy or rice milk, fortified cranberry and apple juice, tofu processed with calcium sulfate, tempeh, and broccoli. Here are some other nutritional concerns expressed by parents and how to remedy them. Protein: If your child's diet contains varied plant sources, he or she will likely get adequate protein. Cooked beans, soy yogurt, seitan, nuts, whole grain cereals, bagels, and breads, TVP (textured vegetable protein), tempeh, and tofu are good sources. Nut butters on whole grain bread, whole grain pasta, chili with tempeh, sloppy joes made with TVP, and bean soups are good choices. Calories: Some people are concerned that the greater amounts of bulky foods common to a vegan diet will cause children to feel full before they consume enough calories for growth. Remedy this by providing some refined grain products, peeled, cooked vegetables, nuts and seeds, nut butters, and dried fruit. Vitamin B12: The best way for children to get adequate B12 is through fortified breakfast cereals, such as Grape-Nuts, Total, Product 19, and Kellogg's Corn Flakes; fortified meat analogs, fortified soy milk, or a multivitamin. Look on the nutritional lavels for "cyanocobalamin" or "cobalamin," which are the most absorbable forms of this vitamin. Iron: Foods rich in vitamin C, such as orange juice, increase the absorption of iron. Foods high in iron include dark green leafy vegetables and broccoli, both of which are not often enjoyed by children. Other sources include fortified cereals, enriched bread, pasta, brown rice, soybeans, chickpeas, and blackstrap molasses. Dairy foods are not only low in iron, they also sometimes interfere with the balance of iron in the body, especially in very young children. Meal Ideas Sending your child to school with a nutritious plant-based lunch can be easy if you try the suggestions below. (These are good for adults, too!) Sandwiches: Use whole grain pita bread and stuff it with hummus or another bean spread, along with tomatoes, shredded carrots, and cucumbers. Also try meat analogs (bologna, Canadian bacon, roast beef, turkey, and ham). Peanut, cashew, almond, and hazelnut butters are great protein sources and go great with bananas. Thermos foods: Leftover pasta and marinara sauce, vegetarian chili, vegetarian stew, soy dogs and beans, and rice and vegetables are all good thermos foods. Soups: Enrich tomato soup with soy milk, or try bean soups, barley and vegetable soups, tomato and brown rice soup, or toss wheat pasta into vegetable broth. Snacks: Individual boxes of soy or rice milk, which are available in vanilla and carob; soy yogurt; chopped vegetables and dip; whole grain muffins, bagels, or crackers; fresh fruit; popcorn with nutritional yeast;, or whole grain pretzels Back at home, you can be more inventive and even let the kids help make their meals. Hot dogs: Vegan brands include Lightlife, Yves Veggie Weiners and Tofu Weiners, Smart Dogs, and Tofu Pups. Let the kids choose their toppings. A veggie chili goes good with these. Burgers. Brands include Boca Burgers, Garden Vegan, and Harvest Burgers. Again, let the kids choose their toppings. Pizza: Use whole grain bagels or English muffins and spread them with marinara sauce. Let the kids add mushrooms, peppers, broccoli, olives, vegan pepperoni or vegan Canadian bacon. Or, buy pizza dough and let the kids make their own pizzas. Dessert: Make your own fruit smoothies using soy or rice milk and frozen fruit. Mocha Mix makes a nondairy "ice cream" that's available in mainstream grocery stores. Let the kids make muffins, using soy or rice milk in place of cow's milk and any of the following as an egg substitute: Ener-G Egg Replacer, 2 Tbs cornstarch, 1 oz. Soft tofu, 1/3 cup applesauce, 1/2 mashed banana, or 1/3 cup pumpkin for each egg. Make brown rice pudding with raisins, dates, and nuts. Picky Young Children Young children can be very picky and very stubborn about what they will or will not eat. Here are some tips to help make meal times enjoyable. Allow the child to help prepare the food. Let them mash the bananas or potatoes or add ingredients to a recipe. Explain what you are doing as you do it. Make food fun. Kids like finger foods. Cut up marinated tofu into squares; steam vegetable strips, make a hummus dip, and let the child dip vegetables, crackers, and tofu. Experiment. If your child doesn't like soy or rice milk, try vanilla or carob flavors. Use the plain flavors in pancakes or muffins, or add to a smoothie. Combine familiar with unfamiliar foods. For example, give the child baked French fries to dip in a tofu or hummus dip. Eat vegetarian foods, too. A child learns by example. Keep it simple. Don't overwhelm the child with too many new things at once. Make your lifestyle easy Most people have little time to cook, so convenience often wins out over nutrition. But it's not hard to combine the two. Here's how. Plan ahead. If you usually make enough chili for two people, make it for 8. Freeze the leftovers in individual serving containers. Label them with contents and date. Instant lunch or dinner! Many prepared soups make a great sauce for pasta, potatoes, rice, barley, potatoes, or beans. Two brands good for this use include Nile Spice Cups and Fantastic Foods Hearty Soup Cups. Canned refried vegetarian beans can be quickly rolled into a whole wheat tortilla or added to a whole wheat pita or a corn taco shell. Add tomatoes, lettuce, and salsa and you're ready to go. Falafal is super easy. Buy it in bulk or in a box; just add water, stir, let it sit for about 10 minutes, form into a patty, then bake or fry and eat. Buy marinated tempeh and tofu. All you need to do is bake or saute it. For further information, also see: Messina M, Messina V. The Dietitian’s Guide to Vegetarian Diets. Aspen Publishers, Inc., 1996. Rivero L. Healthy fast food for pre-schoolers. Vegetarian Journal Nov/Dec, 1994. Coughlin CM. Sharing Vegetarianism with family and friends. Vegetarian Journal May/June, 1997. ______________________________________ 1. Weaver CM, Plawecki KL. Dietary calcium: adequacy of a vegetarian diet. Am J Clin Nutr 1994;59(suppl):1238S-41S. |
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