The greatest test of the adequacy of a vegan diet comes when it is given to the most vulnerable among us—infants and toddlers. As parents, we are committed to nourishing our children well. Infants and children have very different nutritional needs than adults. They are growing rapidly and require more protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals per pound of body weight than adults. Vegan diets, which are naturally less energy-dense (higher in bulk and often lower in fat), need to be adapted to support the unique nutritional needs of our children.

Vegan Infants & Toddlers… formula for success (0-3 years of age)

Babies will grow at an unprecedented rate during these first few years of life. We must take it upon ourselves to gain a thorough understanding of the unique nutritional needs of human infants, the potential pitfalls of vegan diets, and how to build a vegan diet that really works. The formula for success is not so much different than it is for omnivorous babies (although all babies are vegetarians for the fi rst 6 to 8 months of life!). There are four parts to the formula:

A) Breastfeed Your Baby

Breast milk is the only food your baby needs for the fi rst 4 to 6 months of life. Continue to breastfeed your baby for a minimum of one year, and preferably for a full two years or more. Breast milk is specifically designed to meet the needs of the human infant, just as the milk of other mammals is specifically designed to meet the needs of their young. Breastmilk also provides immune protection, reduces risk of allergies, decreases the incidence of respiratory, gastrointestinal, and other illnesses, helps to create a wonderful bond between you and your infant, and is extraordinarily convenient and economical. The benefits continue for as long as you breastfeed.

B) Unfortified nondairy beverages should not be used as a primary milk source for infants

These milks will not provide the nutrients necessary for optimal growth and development, and could lead to malnutrition, especially during the weaning period. Fortified non-soy beverages contain minimal amounts of protein and are not suitable as primary milks during the second year of life. The only acceptable alternative to breast milk in infancy is commercial infant formula.

C) Introduce appropriate solid foods when your baby is four to six months of age

Most infants have no need for solid foods before six months of age; however some are ready by four or five months, particularly if they are growing very quickly. Many parents are tempted to delay solids well beyond six months. This is not generally advised, as solid foods provide extra energy and nutrients that are needed at this time (protein, iron, and zinc) and are important to infant development. When your baby is ready for solids, you’ll know it! Here are a few of the signs:

• Constantly hungry, even after nursing 8 or 10 times in a day.
• Ability to sit up and give signs of satiety like turning his/her head away.
• Doubling of birth weight (for normal-weight babies; more for low-birthweight babies).
• Ability to move solids to the back of the mouth and swallow without spitting most of it out.

Additional considerations when introducing solid foods

Observe for allergies

• Offer one new food at a time, leaving at least three to four days in between to observe for allergic reactions and to see how well the new food is digested. If you or your spouse has a family history of food allergy, wait six to seven days before introducing a new food. If there is a strong family history of allergy to a particular food, avoid it for the first 12 months of life.

Insure sufficient iron

• weight (1 kg = 2.2 lbs.) per day). Avoid potentially harmful foods or beverages
• Serve foods without added sugar or salt..
• Avoid presweetened foods, fried foods or foods with added hydrogenated fats.
• Avoid foods commonly associated with choking (whole grapes, hard candies, cough drops, whole tofu dogs (slice in half or quarters, lengthwise); popcorn, nuts, and seeds (nut and seed butters are fine but should not be given on a spoon), hard, raw pieces of vegetables and fruits (until 12 months).
• Limit diluted juice to not more than 8 oz. (240 mL) per day, as excessive juice can reduce intake of more nutrient-dense solid foods, and cause diarrhea.
• Minimize pesticides and herbicides in the diet. Use organic foods when possible. Be sure to wash all produce very thoroughly. (It may be contaminated if manure is used as fertilizer.)

Introduce textured foods before 9 months

• Add finger foods and some textured (mashed) foods before nine months of age, as this is the critical age at which the baby develops preferences for different textures.

D) Make sure your little one gets sufficient calories

A lack of sufficient calories is the main reason vegan diets can fail to adequately nourish vegan toddlers. Babies are most vulnerable right around the time of weaning (usually between 1 and 3 years). Poorly planned vegan diets can be too high in bulk and too low in fat and calories to support the rapid growth and development of infants and toddlers. Recall that breast milk, the ideal food for infants, derives approximately 54% of its calories from fat and contains about 175 calories per cup. As your baby begins to eat more solid foods and drink less breast milk, it is important to insure that the foods selected provide an appropriate balance of fat, energy, and nutrients.

Energy-Packed Tips for Toddlers

• Breast milk (or alternate) continues to be an important part of your toddler’s diet. It is high in energy and nutrients, and low in fiber, helping to keep your baby’s diet in proper balance.
• Include plenty of higher--foods in the diet. Tofu, smooth nut butters and creams, mashed avocado, soy yogurt, soymilk based puddings and soups, and moderate amounts of olive, canola, and flax oil are important sources of fat for the vegan infant.
• Avoid excessive fiber in the diet. Concen-trated fi ber products such as raw wheat bran, bran cereals, and bran muffins should not be used for vegan infants. It is appropriate, however, to use mainly whole grain breads and cereals (for example, brown rice, millet, quinoa, and oatmeal), as they contribute important minerals to the diet. Lesser amounts of refined breads and cereals, such as enriched pasta, can help limit total fiber in the diet. Peeling fruits and vegetables can also help to keep fiber in check.
• Serve regular meals with snacks in between. Infants have very small stomachs and should be fed 5-6 times a day. A few energy-packed favorites include mashed bananas with soy yogurt, bread or crackers with tofu spread, and homemade muffins.

Vegan Children… the challenges (4-10 years old)

The primary dietary goal for vegan children is to insure that the diet is nutritionally adequate. However, as parents, we strive to provide the very best opportunity for optimal health – a diet that will enable our children to grow and develop to their fullest physical, mental, and emotional potential. We hope food will be a joy for them, something to appreciate and celebrate. Be assured that a vegan diet can accomplish all of these things - thousands of wonderfully healthy vegan children can testify to that!

The Question of Supplements

Vegan children have no need for nutritional supplements if the appropriate amounts of fortified foods are used. If fortified foods are not consistently used in suffi cient quantity, the following supplements may be required:

• Vitamin B12: 1--µg/day
• Vitamin D: 5 µg/day or 10-15 minutes of warm sun on forearms and face (more with dark skin).
• Calcium: enough to supply needed amounts after dietary intake has been accounted for.

For vitamins B12 and D, a multivitamin/ mineral supplement is suitable (read labels). If using this type of supplement, check to make sure it also contains zinc.

Hey Teens!

So, you’ve decided to become a vegan – awesome! Your example will be a real inspiration to others, but it will be especially powerful if you take good care of yourself. Getting the right food is not such a big deal. These simple suggestions will get you past the biggest hurdles:

1. Eat something!

It would be great to see you sit down to a big breakfast of scrambled tofu, veggie bacon, whole grain toast, and freshly squeezed orange juice. But we get that breakfast may not be one of your top priorities. It is far better that you eat a granola bar and a juice box on your way to school than nothing at all.

2. Replace meat with nonanimal foods

Eat Beans!

• Eat bean salad.
• Go for bean burritos or tacos..
• Have some bean soup..
• Try flavored soynuts as a snack..
• Make or buy chili with kidney beans.
• Buy some hummus from the deli.
• Open a jar of baked beans.
• Throw some chickpeas into a green salad.

Give Tofu a Chance!

• Try dessert tofu.
• Buy flavored tofu – great for snacks or sandwiches.
• Add tofu to stir fries.
• Scramble tofu for breakfast.
• Add tofu to a shish--
• Throw soft tofu into a shake.
• Dip firm tofu into your favorite sauce (sweet and sour, BBQ, plum, etc), and bake it or fry it.

Try Veggie “Meats”

• Make a burger with a veggie patty.
• Add a pack of veggie ground round to a can of spaghetti sauce for pasta or Sloppy Joes.
• Experiment with veggie ham, turkey, bologna, and pepperoni –they make sandwiches a snap.
• Cook veggie bacon or sausages for breakfast.
• Buy some veggie dogs.

Go nuts!

• Spread peanut butter or some other “nut” butter on toast, crackers, apples, or celery.
• Snack on nuts and seeds.
• Add nuts and seeds to stir fries or salads.
• Put nuts and seeds in your granola.
• Pack nuts along for an instant snack.
• Use nuts in baking..

3. Replace cow’s milk with fortified soymilk*

You get the same key nutrients as you do from cow’s milk, but without the artery-clogging fat and cholesterol. Aim for at least 2-3 cups a day.

• Use soymilk on your cereal..
• Make a soy shake.
• Drink soymilk (there are lots of different flavors to try).
• Use soymilk in your puddings, soups, muffins, or any other cooking you do that calls for milk.

(* Buy fortified soymilk – there are huge differences in the calcium content of fortifi d and unfortified soymilks. If you don’t like soymilk, try some of the other fortified nondairy beverages such as rice milk.)

If you aren’t a big soymilk fan, start using fortified orange juice. It has about the same amount of calcium as fortified soymilk.

4. Eat your veggies

Now where have you heard this before? On this count, your mom is definitely right.

• Include some raw veggies with your lunch (even just a carrot).
• Eat greens – salads, stir fries, or whatever..
• Add lots of veggies to vegan pizza..
• Make some vegetable soup (even if it means just opening a can).
• Use spaghetti sauce instead of eating your pasta plain.
• Think about what vegetables are your favorites – even the old standbys like frozen or canned corn or peas are better than nothing!

5. Buy some Red Star Nutritional Yeast (Vegetarian Support Formula)

It not only tastes great; it is loaded with vitamin B12 – the one nutrient that we don’t get from plants.

• Sprinkle nutritional yeast on popcorn..
• Add it to your stir fries or scrambled tofu..
• Use it as a coating for baked or fried tofu (first dip tofu slices in soy sauce, tamari or Bragg’s Aminos, then dip it in nutritional yeast and Spike (a great seasoning)).
• Use it like Parmesan cheese on spaghetti or anything else.

6. Use flax oil

There are some very nutritious fats that vegans don’t seem to get enough of. Flax oil is loaded with good stuff, so give it a try. It could make a big difference in the long haul.

OK, we know we are pushing it here, but you can’t blame us for trying. This stuff is pretty good. You can even buy flavored flax oils. Aim for about a teaspoon a day.

• Sprinkle flax oil on pasta or vegetables.
• Add it to bottled salad dressing..
• Pour a little into mashed potatoes..

Note: Don’t cook with flax oil – it is very easily damaged by heat.

7. Take a multivitamin/mineral supplement

Technically, if you eat really well and use foods fortified with vitamin B12 and vitamin D, you don’t need a supplement. However, if any of the following apply to you, take a supplement:

• Regularly skip breakfast
• Eat lots of foods from packages
• Are not real keen on vegetables
• Use less soymilk than you should
• Eat mostly pasta, bagels, pretzels, popcorn, fruit snacks, etc. or
• Miss out on beans, tofu, veggie--nuts, and seeds.

If none of these apply to you, we wholeheartedly applaud you. For all others, take an adult multivitamin/mineral supplement.