I usually pickup a copy of the Greenwise magazine when I go to Publix on my grocery runs. I recently decided to get them mailed to me since I sometimes miss them and they occasionally have a good coupon or two inside. I received the newest issue yesterday and to my surprise there was an article titled “Vegetarian Juniors” in it. After reading this article I realized it could have been more aptly named “Vegan Juniors” as the mention of dairy and eggs was nowhere and the people mentioned were in fact vegan. It went on to say how infants and toddlers can thrive on a balanced vegan diet and even referenced doctors in the story. It is not easy to find positive articles discussing vegan diets for children
“In general, though, studies have shown that kids can thrive on a balanced plant-based diet. And research has found that no difference in average growth rates between vegetarian and nonvegetarian kids.”
The article goes on to suggest nutrition guidelines for a vegan or vegetarian child at different stages.
“For vegan toddlers, calorie-dense plant foods such as hummus, olives, dates and avocados may come in handy. Also, because toddlers are notoriously picky eaters, make sure your child is eating as wide a variety as possible of foods as possible.”
I was especially happy to see the term “vegan toddler”. The magazine is free and usually found at the entrance of the store. You can also subscribe here for free.