A Good Vegetarian Toddler Diet Is Safe and Healthy

A lot of people believe that putting a toddler on a vegetarian diet isn’t healthy. But it can be perfectly safe as long as your child is getting all the proper nutrients. Some of the advantages of a lifetime of well balanced vegetarianism include lower rates of common diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity and cardiac problems. If you bring your toddler up with these foods, chances are he or she will not balk at them later on.

The primary concern with vegetarian toddler food is to make sure that your child gets enough calories and nutrients. Toddlers need enough calories to ensure that they have energy to grow properly and put in a hard day’s play.

It’s not easy to come up with a well-balanced vegetarian toddler menu that provides an adequate amount of protein and iron. Given that toddlers already have such a small appetite, it can be tricky to get them to eat enough vegetables or beans so they get all of their nutrients. Therefore, if you have a vegetarian toddler, make sure you serve nutrient-dense food.

Soybeans and tofu are a good source of protein for grownups and children over four. However, they should not be considered as the major source of protein for a toddler. Instead, soybeans or tofu should be accompanied with soymilk that has been supplemented with minerals and vitamins. This will not only provide some additional protein, but it will give your toddler’s nutrition a boost with Vitamins A and D as well as calcium, which can sometimes be hard to get enough of in a vegan diet.

Iron can be found in many vegetarian foods. Green beans, kidney beans, spinach, and lima beans are all excellent sources of iron. However, iron from vegetables can be harder for the body to absorb than iron from animal products. But serving food high in vitamin C along with those beans or spinach can make the iron easier for your toddler to absorb. Some great sources of Vitamin C are oranges, red peppers, tomatoes, broccoli and cantaloupe.

Vitamin B-12 may be especially hard for vegans to get enough of. While there are B-12 vitamins in certain vegetables, they are not easily absorbed by the body. Your toddler’s doctor can recommend a B-12 supplement that’s appropriate for toddlers.

A diet that does not take calcium into consideration can also be detrimental to your toddler’s health. Calcium plays a role in making strong bones and facilitates normal growth. Opt for soymilk that is fortified with calcium, but be sure it also contains other nutrients important to your toddler’s diet.

It will take quite a bit of work on your part to raise a healthy vegetarian toddler. It might be a good idea to add a vitamin supplement to your toddler’s diet to ensure that they get all the nutrients they need.