food plan layout for vegan baby

[ridingthetrain]

my baby is almost weaned from the breast. I am worried that once he doesnt have my breast milk, he wont be getting the right nutrients and such, and i have researched it online a lot, but still feel very confused. I know I need to get him the right nutrients and enough protein. What about fats?

I don't want to feed him meat or cow's milk (I am fine with eggs). I would like to feed him an organic plant based diet as I feel that is the most best diet for our bodies (please, I don't want to argue about this topic, as I am firm on it, I would like to have my other questions addressed.)

I just feel like if there were a simple layout of what to feed my baby everyday, I would feel more confident.
something like:
feed a 12 month old 5 times a day:
breakfast: fruit, whole grain, and protein
snack: veggie
lunch: veggie, whole grain, and fat source...
(I am making this up, and am not sure if its correct, just as an example)

anyway...any one have a food plan layout they would share with me?

[creations]

Hi. I don't have a daily plan like you are looking for and I know you have researched on-line, wondered if you'd seen this as it seems to have quite a bit of helpful information.
how to wean??

I know you made up your example above but wanted to point out that young babies and children (under 5) are not advised to have whole grains as they are too high in fibre. They can be too filling for small tummies and prevent LO having an appetite for other foods so can end up reducing the amount/variety of food and nutrients being eaten.

Things like smooth nut butters can provide fats, and there are alternatives to cows milk (fortified soy milk or rice milk).

This leaflet may help - or again you may have already seen it
http://www.vegsoc.org/document.doc?id=9

WRT the plan you are looking for, I hope someone is able to give you some daily menu samples that they have used.

[*Ali*]

I've asked on your other thread (now on BFing) but is he having formula? At this age he simply cannot get what he needs from solid food alone and milk either breast or formula should make up the majority of his nutrition.

[deb]

I *think* the book Super Baby Food might be worth looking at as i seem to recall the author was vegetarian....

Agree about grains for early on: they aren't particularly nutrient-dense. We haven't ever done much cows' milk here as we can't tolerate it except for yogurt and other cultured dairy and the odd cottage cheese; discovered early on thay we don't tolerate soy all that well either.

Will try to remember other sources I've come across (can't link on my tablet).

[michaeljacknnugg]

How old is your LO?

I would try to offer something from the different food groups at each meal, even in a small amount, as often little ones can be ravenous at one mealtime and reject all food at another. They do tend to balance themselves out though!

I am veggie, but my DS still has meat (my view is that it's his choice when he is older).

Here is what we did when he was around 12mo:
Breakfast: porridge, mainly. Can't remember what else!
For lunches I'd offer a few different veggies (small amounts), a slice of cheese or ham, maybe a boiled egg, a cracker or two. Fruit pot for dessert
For dinner I'd offer a hot meal with a balance of food groups, and maybe some veg from whatever we were having that night. He ate a mix of veggie and non-veggie meals.

Snacks were a bit more on-the-hoof, but now (6.5) I still try to offer him a mix of veg, protein and starch so that it doesn' matter if his meals don't balance out so much.

I know this sample includes meat and cheese, but it will hopefully help as an example of what I was aiming to feed him.

[Katet]

With the Vegan diet it is probably best to find a good dietician who understands vegan foods to give you the right balance of foods as there are vitamins like vitamin B12 that are less rich in the vegan diet but are really important to the brain development of babies & toddlers & also (this is from a friend who was going vegetarian with her DS) the much higher fibre in a vegetarian diet can impact the absorption of calcium & iron so finding really good sources for them is vital as deficiency of them can have long term growth & intellectual issues.