Vegetarian Daily Diet - Is a vegetarian diet ok for young children?

Is a vegetarian diet ok for young children?

Our eldest are 4 and 2 years old. My wife and I are vegetarian and both of us a struggling with making meals with meat in them for the children. Our two year old has started questioning why she has to eat meat whilst me and my wife don't. Our four year old doesn't eat as much meat as she used to because she doesn't want it so we don't force it. Is it ok for them to start on a vegetarian diet?

Public Comments

yes you can i am in no way a vegetarian but i think it would be fine but give your kids a real big variety of food so they are not picky about what they will try..
It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that appropriately planned vegetarian diets, including total vegetarian or vegan diets, are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. Well-planned vegetarian diets are appropriate for individuals during all stages of the life cycle, including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, and adolescence, and for athletes http://www.eatright.org/About/Content.aspx?id=8357
yes indeed, as long as you educate yourself on how to get a variated nutricious diet, there's no problem. since they're still growing, it's really important they get everything they need. if your oldest wants to do what her parents do, which is only natural, it's even easier to start them into it.
yes should be fine i became a vegetarian from a very young age, just make sure they have alot of different types of food to get all the nutrition they need.
of course! my best friend and her sister have been vegetarians their whole life..i would say veggie but not vegan. just make sure they are getting enough protein for their growing bones!
it's perfectly ok for them to be vegetarian. The "problem" for lack of a better word is that kids don't often at a whole lot. So you'll have to take extra care to make sure that each meal really counts as far as nutrients go. Make sure each meal is balanced and has a good dose of protein from various vegetables sources. Go for foods with high concentrations of nutrients so that even if your child doesn't eat a huge portion, they're still getting a large amount of vitamins and minerals. There are a lot of online and printed resources for raising vegetarians kids. You can find tips on recipes and what foods contain which nutrients. Best to you!
The best and safest advice I can give is for you to speak to a "Qualified" dietitian. I do know that an Essential vitamin (B12) can only be obtained from a non vegetable source, and this is crucial in the development of bones. Fish, eggs, cheese etc. edit. thanks for the thumbs down from the ignorant, now read this. Prevention of vitamin B12-deficiency anaemia You only need a small amount of vitamin B12 each day - about 1.5 micrograms. If you eat a healthy balanced diet and don't have a condition that affects your absorption of vitamin B12 (such as pernicious anaemia) you're unlikely to have a shortage. Good sources of vitamin B12 include meat and other animal products such as eggs and cheese. Some breakfast cereals are fortified with vitamin B12. This means that vitamin B12 has been added during manufacturing. If you eat a vegan diet, it can be difficult for you to get enough vitamin B12 because it isn't found in fruit, vegetables or grains. Try to include foods fortified with vitamin B12 in your diet. Your GP may suggest that you take regular vitamin B12 supplements to prevent anaemia.
It can be O.K. for young children but there are things to avoid. Bean based foods can be particularly problematic.
yeah as long as its done right, like plenty of protein and iron.
I'm the same. If you're both vegetarian and are confident you can whip up a balanced meal, then there's no problem. My kids eat very little meat and are ridiculously healthy - they used to think sausages at their uncle's house were a treat, but now they just push them around the plate. Just make sure there's plenty of legumes and pulses, they should get the B12 if you have dairy as well.
It's perfectly fine, yes, just make sure they get their nutrients they would get from meat elsewhere. There are important nutrients in meat, but all of them have other sources as well. It's definitely possible to raise healthy veg*n children.
As long as they are getting thier protien in, also if you don't do dairy then make sure you are getting the veggies that also have calcium in them.
I am a vegetarian and while my kids (ages 7 and 8) eat meat, I don't make many meat based dishes. I give them a lot of bean based foods, vegetables, dairy and the like. They are both healthy and energetic and since the food I cook tastes good, they eat very well because the like the food, not because they have to eat.
Of course! Actually its better that you start them on a vegetarian diet now! I know this because I was raised vegan! You will make it easier for them in the future to not eat meat..They will also be much healthier if you did than if you didnt! =) I hope this helps!
Yes it's fine! I have been a vegetarian since the day I was born! My mum got a couple of books on vegetarian diets for children and went off that! My Auntie did what you did, and by the time her daughter was 6 she found out what meat was. She didn't want to eat meat anymore and couldn't believe they were feeding it to her! Good luck... they will thank you in the long term :-)
I can relate to what L------x said; Aged 5 I found out what meat was and where it came from. Needless to say I was somewhat mortified that this was considered 'normal' food. I quickly became vegetarian and have never looked back. I would like to go totally vegan one day as I have somewhat vegan views! I would hope that I am lucky enough to meet a fellow vegetarian to settle down with however I know that the odds are not in my favour. If I ever had kids (and I hope one day I do) then I would not give them meat. I would not cook a spouse meat and I would not keep meat in my fridge if I were to live with a meat eating boyfriend. To eat meat is against my personal beliefs and so I would give my children a well balanced diet. If when they are older they decide they want to eat meat then no matter how much I would have tried to educate them, it would be their choice. I would say though that you really do need to enforce a balanced diet! I was an extremely picky eat as a child and never grew to my predicted height of 5"7 lol I only made 5"4 which Im ok with :P
let them choose if them want to follow you way of life. about the question, think that it could be possible, but remember that the children need more vitamins and proteins than the adult because they are growing up, maybe you shall need to give them tablets to help at their organisms, if you don't do it they could grow up weak because the meat have proteins that the vegetables do not have, or don't have in enough lot, for that you mus to give them more food ( like in de INDIA where the people eat 8 times or day)