What to do if your child wants to become a vegetarian, and you are just about to

But really, you have nothing to worry about. If you have such questions, you simply do not have enough information. Plant foods are rich in all the nutrients necessary for a growing body. Rest assured that your vegetarian child can grow up healthy and strong. Scientists from the US Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics state that “a properly formulated vegan, lacto-vegetarian (includes dairy), or lacto-ovo-vegetarian (includes dairy and eggs) diet meets the nutritional needs of infants, children, and adolescents and promotes their normal growth. Moreover, a vegetarian child will grow up healthier because a vegetarian diet contains more fiber-rich fruits and vegetables and less cholesterol than a meat-eater diet.

But if your child (whether a vegetarian or a meat eater) is noticeably losing weight, or is low on energy, or refuses to eat certain foods, you may want to see a professional holistic dietitian who can give specific advice. Best Foods for Vegetarian Kids

If you think a plant-based diet is lacking in calcium, iron, vitamin B12, zinc, and protein, encourage your vegan child to eat more of the following foods and don’t worry about not getting these nutrients. 1. Tofu (rich in vegetable proteins, you can cook delicious dishes with tofu) 2. Beans (source of proteins and iron) 3. Nuts (source of proteins and essential fatty acids) 4. Pumpkin seeds (rich in proteins and iron) 5. Sunflower seeds (source of proteins and zinc) 6. Bread with bran and cereals (vitamin B12) 7. Spinach (rich in iron). For better absorption of the nutrients contained in this plant, it is recommended to add a little lemon juice to spinach salad, and it is better to drink orange juice with hot dishes with spinach. 8. Nutrient-Fortified Dairy (A Source of Calcium) Even if your child cuts out meat and eats more pizza and baked goods, it’s okay, just make sure he also eats plenty of fruits and vegetables. It is very important that a vegetarian child feel good in an omnivore family. Nobody wants to feel “out of this world”. It is very important that you understand your child’s motivation to become a vegetarian and take it seriously so that he does not feel like an outcast. 

Jackie Grimsey shares her experience of transitioning to a vegetarian diet at an early age: “I became a vegetarian at the age of 8, I just hated the idea that people eat animals. My amazing mom accepted my choice and cooked two different dinners every night: one especially for me, the other for the rest of our family. And she made sure to use different spoons to stir the veggie and meat dishes. It was so wonderful! Soon my younger brother decided to follow my example, and our beautiful mother began to cook different dishes for “children and adults.” In fact, it is very simple – if you want, you can always make a vegetable version of a meat dish, you just need a little inspiration. It still amazes me how easily my mother made my decision. It is so precious when parents respect the choice of their children! And although it was not always easy, I am sure that now my brother and I can boast of our health precisely because we became vegetarians in childhood.

Source: myvega.com Translation: Lakshmi

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