Kids who avoid meat can get all the nourishment they need to grow up healthy and strong. And you can help.
Michelle Ellis and her 8-year-old daughter, Sarah, sit down at the dining room table in their Florida home. They've just finished preparing dinner: black bean tacos, brown rice, steamed broccoli, watermelon, soy milk and vanilla cupcakes for dessert. It's a tasty meal chock-full of the nutrients—protein, calcium, vitamins, iron—that Sarah needs. An observer might never notice that the menu includes no meat or dairy products.

Families may be motivated to follow a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle by environmental, ethical or health-related concerns. "When we choose to eat this way, it makes me feel more informed and aware about what's going into our bodies," says Michelle. But even parents who are vegetarians themselves sometimes wonder if a meat-free diet can provide all the nutrition their growing children need. According to the American Dietetic Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics, the answer is yes, assuming your child's diet is well-planned. And that's where you come in.

HEALTHY HERBIVORES
Plant-based diets tend to be high in fiber and low in saturated fat and cholesterol. Studies have shown that people who follow this type of diet have a reduced risk of obesity, artery disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and some kinds of cancer. These health advantages were factors in Michelle's decision to give up meat and eventually dairy products and eggs. Her daughter has been vegan (eating no animal products whatsoever) since birth.

That doesn't mean Michelle can ignore what Sarah eats. In fact, vegetarians (including vegetarian breastfeeding moms) should be vigilant about their intake of protein, iron, calcium, vitamin D, vitamin B12, omega-3 fatty acids, zinc and iodine. If you're concerned that your child might not be getting enough of these nutrients, ask your pediatrician if you need supplements.

Also, because vegetarians tend to eat more fiber, they fill up faster. To make sure vegetarian and vegan kids are getting enough calories to support their growth and development, they need frequent, small nutrient- and calorie-dense meals and snacks. "Energy [i.e., calorie] intakes may be lower in vegetarian diets unless the volume of food is increased," says Jatinder Bhatia, M.B.B.S., professor and chief of neonatology at the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta.

In general, though, studies have shown that kids can thrive on a balanced plant-based diet. And research has found no difference in average growth rates between vegetarian and nonvegetarian kids.

AGES AND STAGES
Your child's specific dietary needs may change over time. Consider these things as your little vegetarian grows:

• Infants. Breast milk or infant formula (including soy-based formula) is the recommended nourishment for infants under the age of 6 months. As solid foods are introduced, parents need to pay particular attention to required levels of fatty acids, says Bhatia. Ask your pediatrician for guidance.
• Preschoolers. "Toddlers are unable to tolerate a bulky [high-fiber] diet, so meal planning should include high-caloric-density foods," Bhatia says. 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 of foods as possible.
• Older children. Those healthy habits you established in the first few years should serve your children well. But once kids reach school age, they need help choosing what's appropriate in the lunch line or when eating away from home. Plan together what they can bring in their lunch box—avocado and hummus sandwiches, sesame noodles, even PB&J sandwiches cut into fun shapes. Check out healthyschoollunches.org for tips on advocating for vegetarian choices in the school cafeteria.
• Teenagers. Don't be surprised if your teen suddenly acts as if soda and chips are the newest food groups to be discovered. Several cookbooks, such as The Teen's Vegetarian Cookbook by Judy Krizmanic (Viking and Puffin Books, 1999), offer more nutritious yet still teen-friendly options. Iron, calcium and vitamins B12 and D are particular concerns during adolescence. Fortified foods and the addition of doctor-recommended supplements can help ensure that your teen is getting all the necessary nutrients he or she needs.

MEATLESS MADE EASY
Forty years ago, when Jo Stepaniak, lead author of Raising Vegetarian Children (McGraw-Hill, 2003), decided to give up meat, there were virtually no prepared vegetarian foods available. But today you'll find a wide array of meat substitutes and packaged vegetarian options at your neighborhood Publix. "[Being vegetarian] is no longer considered an unusual choice but rather a smart decision," she says.

Kids don't have to feel different just because they eat vegetarian. "A lot of people think if you become a vegetarian, you are missing out," Michelle says. But by making savvy recipe substitutions and buying prepared vegetarian foods, you can serve up kid-pleasing classics from cookies and ice cream to veggie burgers. When Michelle packs a lunch for Sarah, she sometimes includes vegan pizza. If the pair head to a gathering with friends, they may bring along vegan cupcakes.

Planning ahead keeps Sarah from feeling left out while also ensuring that she gets all the wholesome nutrition she needs. What more could a meat-free parent ask?