Vegetarian Kids - Omnivore Parents

Several clients and friends are omnivore adults with vegetarian children. Usually, the children are girls, between 7-10 years old when they made their vegetarian decision, and the kids are extremely sensitive and compassionate about animals.

What's a parent to do? You worry about whether they get enough protein, iron and B12. Humans seem to absorb those nutrients best when the source is animal-based. You can practice protein combining: beans and grains, nuts, seeds, mushrooms, and sea vegetables.

However, please, please, please avoid soy on a regular basis. Read the info from accredited and respected sources on the dangers of soy.

Regarding iron, cooking in cast iron pots with an acid food, such as tomatoes, will leach a small amount of iron into the food from the pan. If iron supplements are used, take them with vitamin C, for better absorption. B-12 is especially hard to get for vegans. Good sources are animal based, even for vegetarians: yogurt, milk, and eggs.

For vegans, it is usually suggested to eat fortified cereals, and meat analogs. Meat analogs are soy-based, so I don't recommend them. Here is a link to a Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine report. Again, choose something other than a soy-based product for B12. I suggest spirulina, sea vegetables, and Red Star and other nutritional yeasts, fortified with B12.