Meat Free Meals

Vegetarian or not, your kids should be eating lots of fruits and vegetables. A well-planned vegetarian diet is healthy even for babies and children, according to a statement from the American Dietetic Association. Kids who avoid all meat usually take in less saturated fat and eat more produce an d fiber that their carnivorous peers. They tend to be leaner and have lower cholesterol too. Make sure your little vegetarians are getting these nutrients that can go missing from meatless diets. (Save nuts and seeds until age 4). Below are some suggestions from the December 2009 issue of Parents magazine.

Iron:

White or kidney beans, spinach, whole wheat bread, pumpkin seeds (to boost iron absorption, serve all the above with vitamin C-rich foods like oranges, strawberries, and broccoli)

Protein:

Beans, nuts, nut butters, edamame, soy-based veggie burgers

Vitamin B12:

Yogurt, milk, eggs, cheese, fortified breakfast cereal

Zinc:

Sunflower seeds, almonds, tofu, wheat germ (add to muffins and smoothies)

Make sure you educate yourself before starting your child on a vegetarian diet. Children's brains, teeth, and bones are developing and you must make sure they are getting the proper nutrition. If you are not vegetarians, start your children early eating all types of fruits and vegetables. They will grow up loving them!