It’s no secret that a vegetarian diet tends to be healthier than the typical meat-based American diet. But can it really meet the needs of growing children, too? It certainly can—provided it’s carefully planned. Even the generally conservative American Dietetic Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics agree that a well-planned vegetarian diet can satisfy nutrient needs throughout the lifecycle.

Just as with vegetarian adults, it’s important to follow the principles of variety, balance and moderation when planning a child’s diet. The most important nutrients all vegetarians should get enough of are vitamins B12 and D, calcium, iron and zinc. While vitamins B12 and D occur naturally in animal products, they are also found in fortified foods such as soy products and cereals. Calcium, iron and zinc are all contained in green leafy vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds and sea vegetables. Additional rich sources of calcium and zinc include dairy and soy products. In addition to making sure these limiting nutrients are adequately provided, it’s important to recognize that the energy your child needs to grow is supplied by a proportionately larger combination of fats, carbohydrates and protein than adults need.

Infants

Infants can get all of their nutrients in the quantity they need from the breast milk of a healthy vegetarian mother or a fortified formula. Many health practitioners suggest that nursing moms take a prenatal vitamin shortly before, during, and after pregnancy to help meet these needs. Since breast milk is such a rich source of nutrients, it makes sense to nurse vegetarian children for a year or longer, if possible. Fats, proteins and carbohydrates should make up a substantial portion of a growing baby’s diet. Good sources of fat include whole-fat dairy and soy products, avocados, nut and seed butters, oils, and eggs. As your baby grows, the percentage of fat should gradually be decreased; growth and hunger patterns best determine how much infants should take in. Carbohydrate-rich foods including dairy, plant and fortified foods should also form a relatively large portion of a growing baby’s diet. Since babies are growing so rapidly, a consistent supply of dietary protein is essential, especially during their first year. Good sources are whole grains, legumes, vegetables, nuts, seeds, soy and dairy products, and eggs.

Toddlers & school-age children

As children continue to grow, it’s important to make sure they’re getting the calories they need. By offering your child an abundance of energy-rich foods several times a day, you can avoid the problem of too few calories. The plant foods best suited to provide energy in small volumes are legumes, cereals, nut and seed butters, dried fruits and soy products. Protein also continues to make up a large portion of a developing child’s diet, and can be adequately supplied if a variety of protein-rich foods is eaten. It is unnecessary to plan precisely and complement amino acids within each meal, as was once thought, as long as children eat several meals and snacks a day. Variety is the key.

Teens

The years between ages 13 and 19 are times of especially rapid growth and change, and nutritional needs are high during these years. Since calcium is critical to attaining peak bone mass, adolescents must be sure to obtain sufficient amounts daily. Protein, iron, and vitamin B12 are other nutrients to be aware of, but teen vegetarians eating diets containing a wide variety of foods, including fruits, vegetables, plenty of leafy greens, whole grain products, nuts, seeds, and legumes can meet their nutritional needs.

In the long run, feeding children a healthy vegetarian diet from the start is likely to influence them to stick with a similarly healthy diet for the rest of their lives.

References

Reed Mangels, et al., Raising a Vegetarian Family (Vegetarian Resource Group, 1997; www.vrg.org/family).

Lucy Moll, The Vegetarian Child (Berkeley Publishing Group, 2000).

William Tamborlane, The Yale Guide to Children’s Nutrition (Yale University Press, 1997).