any vegetarian toddlers out there???

[oliversmommy]

So I'm a vegetarian (although I do eat fish) and so far my 12 mo old DS has not been given meat; now that he has to get all of his nutrition from table foods I'm concerned that I am not giving him enough protein and iron.  He loves dairy and eggs, doesn't like fish (although I've only prepared it one way for him), and used to like tofu but has been refusing it lately.  Sometimes eats a few beans . . . he has a peanut allergy so nuts are out as a protein source.

I'm not opposed to DS getting meat as long as it's healthy however I don't want to prepare it myself.  I also don't know if I should give DS iron supplements or not (I've read they stain teeth) or try to give him enough iron via table foods.

I'm just feeling a little lost now that I can't rely on BM/formula to supplement DS's diet and I would love some guidance from moms out there w/ toddlers who don't eat meat!

[Nauvoo]

I have a good friend that is vegetarian, eats fish/shellfish, and her LO is 3.5.  He will not even try meat and she is wishing she had exposed him more often when he was younger.  They also do lots of eggs and dairy (and PB).  She doesn't give him an iron supplement and so far he has been just fine, no need for concern from his doctor at his checkups.  Has loads!!! of energy.
Does your husband eat meat?  Perhaps he or a grandparent could expose your LO to meat?  My friends DH tried really hard to get her LO to try bacon and once he did he loves it.  So far that is all he has tried.

[weaver]

I'm veggie and so's my 2.5 yo.  I fully intend to raise both babas veggie (no meat, no fish)...no supplements so far either!  No time right now, but I'll come back to you this evening to say a bit more.

[weaver]

 

I'm concerned that I am not giving him enough protein and iron

Sounds to me that you feel you're depriving your son by not giving him meat (or maybe someone is telling you that you are!).  I really don't think you need to worry.  The fact that you're thinking about this probably means that you are already being very careful to balance his diet. 

My LO is now 2.5 yo.  We don't have meat in the house since I do most of the cooking and wouldn't have a clue where to start with it.  He isn't crazy about drinking milk but eats lots of cheese and yoghurt, also tofu, eggs, beans, chickpeas and lentils (for protein).  As far as iron goes, that comes in dairy products and also from dark green leafy veg.  If you are concerned to maximise absorption of iron from these, you can combine the veg with something citrusy: butter and lemon on broccoli or a drink of OJ on the side. I had a period of concern that he wasn't getting enough of these and hit upon the idea of making a savoury spinachy lentilly purée and putting it in a tortilla wrap - he'll eat anything in a wrap!

You say your LO has gone off tofu, just keep offering if you want to keep it in his diet but try it a different way, maybe tofu burgers, sausages, soy yoghurt or ice-cream.  Or maybe it's a texture thing, if it was soft tofu, offer firm or vice versa.  Smoked tofu is a hit in this house and is very good with broccoli and pasta (tonight's dinner!).

One way to think about it is to consider your own position: presumably you have a reason for eating the way you do and one of them may be health-related. How do you feel on your diet?  I'd honestly have to describe myself as an ideological vegetarian but I would add that I've been tons healthier since becoming vegetarian (20 odd years ago) than I was as a meat-eating child.  I am also concerned that my choice to have children doesn't create further ecological burden.

Ultimately it's up to you. You could give him a supplement if you feel the need.  Bear in mind there are many toddlers who eat a very very limited range of food (pasta and pesto only!) and they survive beautifully so don't get stressed about it!  But, who can tell a mother not to worry, eh?!

[oliversmommy]

Nauvoo and Anne,
Thanks so much for your responses!  They were very helpful and informative.  I now feel reassured that I can raise my DS vegetarian without supplements and without meat if I choose.  Anne - I will definitely try making tofu differently for my DS - I was spoiled b/c he would eat it plain - but you're right, there are tons of ways to fix tofu and mix it into foods so I will keep trying! 

Thanks again ladies!

[Lemonthyme]

I think it's up to you how you raise your kids but personally I'd always rather give my child his option to chose which sounds like what you want to do as well?

It might not sound like the most delicious option but I think you can buy cooked frozen chicken pieces in supermarkets nowadays which would mean you don't have to handle raw meat.  I've never used it but have seen similar products used in industrial food.  I'm not sure whether you're in the UK but I'm sure I've seen them in Tesco.  You can also get cooked chicken products in the chilled aisle but just watch out for added salt.  Another idea could be to ask a friend to cook a little extra.  I certainly wouldn't mind doing a food swap with a local mum.  Making extra beef stew, say is hardly any effort.  You could even make it a chance to meat up, maybe for lunch once a week say you'll bring pudding if they make a meat main or something?

Alternatively I would capitalise on the fact you are prepared to eat fish and that's an excellent source of protein. 

I may have been brainwashed by internet rubbish but I had heard soy wasn't great for boys because of the phytoestrogens?  It's one of those stories that if you google it you get a right load of conflicting advice but probably with anything, it's best to have a variety in kids diet so not too much of any one thing whatever that one thing is.

[Ima shel Alon]

I may have been brainwashed by internet rubbish but I had heard soy wasn't great for boys because of the phytoestrogens?

This is the reason why there is no soy in our house.

We are not vegetarian, but we eat only Organic meat and chicken and it's very dear so we eat it rarely.
Is he aloud sesame? Tahini is a great source of Iron. You can add it to porridge with a little honey (if he is taking it already), you can mix it with lemon juice, garlic and a bit of water till it's more liquid (but not too liquid ) and put it basically on anything he eats. We put it on salad, on warm food and on bread.
The other thing we eat a lot it quinoa which has all the amino acids if I remember right and is rich in protein. There was this thread: Quinoa Recipes? and there are nice ideas there. You can also just google and find many other recipes.
I would keep on offering the fish as well. DS didn't like it at first but now he loves it. I also found that his favorite is fish mackerel. We can get it here canned like tuna and he just like to eat it like that, off his plate, lol.

[deb]

Would also add that our family's experience suggests that some people fare better meatless or light on the meat while others do better with more. Came across the book Eat Right 4 Your Type many years ago and gave it a go; turned out that DH shouldn't be eating chicken but thrives on red meat (as the different food lists suggest - if he eats chicken he gets really ill!), while my blood type is more a poultry/fish/veg type. If only I tolerated grains and legumes better I'd be golden. LOL

But I know Josie's blood type and it's the same as DH's, and she chows down on meat (and veg, to be fair) like there's no tomorrow, while Natalie I suspect is my type as she self-selects more veg and less meat.

So depending on your DS's preferences and needs, they may or may not match yours. Just another thought, something to add to the equation.

[weaver]

Quick search on soy+boys turned up this:
Some people worried that phytoestrogens in soy foods, and especially soy formulas, are bad for boys because they negatively effect male hormones. Dr. Messina assures that's not the case, "The isoflavones in soy foods, which are classified as phytoestrogens, have raised concerns about feminization. However, isoflavones are different from the hormone estrogen. Studies show quite clearly that the two molecules - isoflavones and estrogen - exert different physiological effects. For example, estrogen raises levels of triglycerides, which increases risk of heart disease, and raises levels of HDL-cholesterol, which lowers risk. In contrast, isoflavones have no effect on triglycerides or HDL."

Nor do isoflavones have any detrimental effects on male hormones. Dr. Messina explains, "A meta-analysis examined the relationship between soy/isoflavone intake and reproductive hormone levels in men. The study included 36 treatment groups and found no effects on total and free testosterone levels. By the way, three clinical studies also show no effects on sperm or semen."

[deb]

On my Kindle so cant link but there are as many studies pro soy as against as far as i can make out. With 2 girls and seeing so very many girls in their school with breasts at 8 and 9yo, i just prefer to take a pass. Not saying it's not legit research you found.... just be sure to read both sides of the issue is all. So much contradictory information doesn't help us mommas.

[Lemonthyme]

On my Kindle so cant link but there are as many studies pro soy as against as far as i can make out. With 2 girls and seeing so very many girls in their school with breasts at 8 and 9yo, i just prefer to take a pass. Not saying it's not legit research you found.... just be sure to read both sides of the issue is all. So much contradictory information doesn't help us mommas.

No it doesn't and I'm not someone who overreacts as a rule, my background is science and I know how poorly science is reported in the media, just that in US foods especially and increasingly in UK foods soy sneaks in as a bulking agent, in flour improvers etc etc so the amount of soy we eat now is far higher than previously even if you don't have tofu.  So personally I give tofu a miss but it's about the whole diet I reckon.  If soy is in every meal, even if there is no issue, it's not going to be a balanced diet.

Anyway, sorry for sidetracking your post! 

Is there someone else in your household or family who does eat meat?  One of my best friends is veggie and her Mum always cooks meat when they go to visit (which is quite often as she lives nearby) and then my friend takes some home with her too to give her kids later in the week.  She has admitted though if I did frozen ready meals from my blog she'd buy them.  Unfortunately I don't live nearby or I'd freeze a load of meals for her.

[oliversmommy]

Thanks again for the great suggestions ladies!  Regarding soy - I agree that there is lots of pro/con articles out there, and that soy is in many processed foods.  I only serve my DS tofu a couple of times a week so hopefully that small amount won't harm him. 

I love the idea of a meal swap, and I am definitely going to buy some tahini! 

We also tried quinoa and he loves it!

So no supplements for now . . .

[weaver]

Regarding soy - I agree that there is lots of pro/con articles out there, and that soy is in many processed foods.  I only serve my DS tofu a couple of times a week so hopefully that small amount won't harm him.

I totally agree. I wouldn't be happy with him chugging pints of soy milk but a bit of tofu once a week's not going to do any harm.

Great that you're feeling confident!

[Mom to M&M]

I'm not full on vegetarian (though I'd LOVE to be) but we do only eat meat/chicken/fish 1-2 time a week (total, not each). We get PLENTY of protein, amino acids and iron from beans (especially black beans and chickpeas), lentils, quinoa, chia seeds (can be added to smoothies, make chia pudding, etc), whole grains, nuts and seeds (pumpkin seeds are high in iron) and LOTS of veggies (and some fruit). I avoid soy because it gives me wicked migraines but my DH and kids have organic soy (in the form of yogurt for DS or tofu or edamame for DH and DD) in limited amounts - 1-2 times a week. My holistic practitioner thinks organic soy is safe, even for boys, in small amounts as well.