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Does your family eat vegetarian style sometimes – or all the time? With smart food choices, your child can get all the nutrients he or she needs. You can do it, without much effort.
Let the Food Guide Pyramid guide your food choices. There’s lots of variety for vegetarians! The Meat Group has eggs, dry beans, tofu, soy burgers, nuts, peanut butter, and seeds for protein.
Offer meals with enough calories, or food energy. Vegetarian meals with lots of fiber and not much fat may fill your child up. But they may not supply enough food energy for growing, learning, and playing.
Include foods with iron and calcium. These nutrients need special attention from everyone, including vegetarians. Your child needs enough of both to grow properly.
Find sources of vitamin B12 and zinc – if your family avoids all animal products. Growing kids need both! Use food labels to buy foods with vitamin B12 added: some cereals and some soy products. Whole grains, cooked dry beans, tofu, seeds, and nuts have some zinc.
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Reprinted with the permission of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
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