Vegetarian and vegan diets include plant-based foods such as fruits and vegetables, grains, beans, potatoes, and nuts instead of meat, poultry, and fish for their main sources of nutrients. These diets can be a healthy choice for babies and toddlers, if they include the right mix of vitamins, minerals, protein, and fiber. Once they’re mainly eating solid foods, vegan toddlers may need supplements of vitamins B12 and D, as well as minerals like calcium, iron, and zinc. Talk to your pediatrician if you have any concerns about your vegan or vegetarian child’s nutritional needs.
IN THIS ARTICLE
- Vegetarian diets for babies and toddlers
- Vegan diets for babies and toddlers
- Do vegan and vegetarian babies need vitamin supplements?
If your family is vegetarian or vegan, you may want your baby to join you in eating a mostly or solely plant-based diet. Vegan and vegetarian diets are safe for babies and toddlers, and can provide all the nutrients they need – with a few caveats.
Once your baby shows signs of readiness (around 6 months old), you can start introducing solid foods. A vegetarian diet that includes eggs and dairy can be a nutritionally complete way for babies and toddlers to eat.
Vegan diets can be healthy too, as long as they’re complete in vitamins, minerals, and protein. But because they don’t include any animal products, vegan diets may be lacking in some nutrients. If you decide to raise your child vegan, you’ll need to spend some extra time making sure their diet is well-rounded. If you’re not sure which foods to include in your child’s diet, ask your pediatrician or a registered dietitian for advice.
Both vegetarian and vegan diets rely on plants as their main sources of nutrients. These diets include fruits and vegetables, plus grains, beans, rice and potatoes, and nuts and seeds.
Many vegetarians also eat dairy products like milk, yogurt, and cheese, as well as eggs. Vegans avoid all animal-based products. There are a few variations to the plant-based diet:
- Lacto-ovo vegetarians don’t eat meat, fish, or poultry, but they do eat eggs and dairy products.
- Lacto vegetarians eat dairy products, but not eggs.
- Ovo vegetarians eat eggs, but not dairy.
- Pescatarians add fish into the mix, but no meat or poultry.
- Flexitarians cut out red meat but eat other animal products.
Vegetarian diets for babies and toddlers
Early solid-food diets tend to lean on fruit and vegetable purees, so raising a vegetarian baby isn’t too difficult. For the first year, breast milk and/or formula provide most of the necessary nutrients.
While meat is a great source of protein, iron, and zinc, as well as other vitamins, there are plenty of other foods that also provide these essential nutrients.
Here are some healthy, vegetarian-friendly foods you can give your baby:
- Dairy products like cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese, and milk are great sources of calcium, vitamins D and B12, and protein. Just don’t give your baby cow’s milk until they’re at least a year old.
- Whole grains like whole-wheat bread and pasta, brown rice, oatmeal, and some types of fortified baby cereal can provide vitamins B12 and D, iron, zinc, and fiber.
- Beans like chickpeas, black beans, and others are also good sources of protein, zinc, and iron.
- Tofu is a healthy and baby-friendly source of protein and iron.
- Green veggies like kale and broccoli provide iron and calcium, as well as other essential vitamins. Other vegetables are great, too – from root veggies like potatoes to other cruciferous veggies like cauliflower, they’re packed with fiber and vitamins your baby needs.
- Fruit, of course, is another great vegetarian-friendly food. Apples, pears, and berries are common first foods for babies and have plenty of fiber and other nutrients.
Vegan diets for babies and toddlers
While a vegan diet limits some common sources of protein, calcium, and other nutrients, there are still plenty of options to make sure your baby has a well-rounded diet.
Here are some great vegan foods for babies:
- Tofu, beans, and smooth nut butters are great sources of protein.
- Green veggies like kale and broccoli are good sources of calcium and iron.
- Potatoes and beans provide zinc.
- Fruits and vegetables provide fiber and other needed vitamins and minerals.
- Whole grains and legumes (such as chickpeas and lentils) are rich in fiber and complex carbohydrates, which helps your baby feel full, as well as other vitamins and minerals like vitamin B12.
- Nutritional yeast, which you can sprinkle on top of foods or add to sauces, is another good source of vitamin B12.
- Fortified soy milk (once your baby is a year old) has vitamins A and D, calcium, fat (which your baby needs for brain development), and some protein – and has about the same nutritional value as cow’s milk, so it’s a good substitute.
One caution: Soy is one of the most common food allergies in babies. If your child is allergic to soy, they may grow out of it as they age. You can talk to your pediatrician about making sure your baby gets enough nutrients on a soy-free, vegan diet.
Do vegan and vegetarian babies need vitamin supplements?
Babies don’t typically need vitamin supplements, but a vegan toddler may not get enough vitamins B12 and D, as well as minerals like calcium, iron, and zinc, in their diet, once they’re getting most of their nutrients from solid foods (instead of breast milk or formula). Your pediatrician can let you know whether to give your baby a supplement.
In addition to the nutrients listed above, protein might also be lacking in some vegan diets. Babies need protein to grow. They’ll get what they need from breast milk or formula in the first year, but after that, solid foods are the main source.
Once your baby starts on solid foods, you can add protein-rich plant-based foods, like beans and other legumes (such as chickpeas and lentils), tofu, and smooth nut butter. After a year, fortified full-fat soy milk is another good source of protein.
For the first six months of a baby’s life, the Pediatrics recommends breast milk as the main source of nutrition. If you plan to feed your baby a vegan diet, experts recommend breastfeeding for longer than a year, since breast milk is a rich source of nutrients.
Let your child’s doctor know if you plan to raise them vegan or vegetarian. And if you notice signs that your child isn’t thriving – if they’re underweight for their age and aren’t gaining weight; if they seem weak, tired, or lethargic; or if they’re showing signs of anemia (pale skin, fast heart rate, irritability) – be sure to bring it up with your pediatrician.
A final note: Though vegan and vegetarian diets tend to be thought of as healthy, they’re only as healthy as the foods you put into them. As with any diet, watch out for processed foods that are low in nutrients and high in sugar and salt.
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