Beyond the First Birthday

There is no one-size-fits all diet for vegan children.

Since toddlers often have picky eating habits, you’ll want to explore a wide range of vegan foods to keep your little one well-nourished. Since vegan diets are high in bulk, children can feel full before they’ve consumed enough calories. Be sure not to limit higher fat foods like nuts and seed butters and soy foods. It’s also fine to include some added fats in the diet of your little one.

Toddlers should be getting between 30 and 40% of their calories from fat and children and teens should have diets that provide between 25 and 35% of calories from fat. Including some refined grains in diets can also help young children who are not eating enough calories.

There are no one-size-fits all diet for vegan children and dietary needs differ depending on the stage of growth and development.

Use the following charts as a guide:

 

Foods for Vegan Toddlers Ages 1-3

Food Servings per day Serving sizes
Grains 6+ 1/2 to 1 slice bread; 1/4 to 1/2 cup cooked cereal, grain, or pasta; 1/2-1 cup ready-to-eat cereal
Legumes, nuts, and other protein-rich foods 2+ (vegan children should include at least 1 serving per day of nuts or seeds or 1 full-fat soy product) 1/4-1/2 cup cooked beans, tofu, tempeh, or textured vegetable protein; 1 oz meat analog; 1-2 tbsp nuts, seeds, or nut or seed butter.
Vegetables 2+ 1/4-1/2 cup cooked; 1/2-1 cup raw
Fruits 3+ 1/4-1/2 cup canned; 1/2 cup juice; 1/2 medium piece of fruit
Fats 3-4 1 tsp margarine or oil
Fortified soymilk, or breast milk 3 1 cup

 

Food Guide for School-Age Children and Teens

Food Group Servings
4 to 8 years old Preteens and Teens
Grains 8 10
Legumes, Nuts and Soyfoods 5 6
Vegetables 4 4
Fruits 2 2
Fats 2 3
Choose calcium-rich foods from the food groups above, including calcium-set tofu, fortified soymilk, figs, bok choy, broccoli, kale, collards, almond butter

 


Article by Ginny Kisch Messina, MPH, RD. For further information on vegan diets for kids please contact Ginny at www.theveganrd.com

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