In Monday’s weekly meal plan I mentioned how Big A is finally drinking smoothies — we’ve been having them all summer long.  So I wanted to step it up and add something green to the smoothie. 

A good way to introduce new foods to a kid, is to include it as part of a food they already accept (at least that’s what the research says). 

To keep the trust in feeding, something that’s very important to me, I don’t like sneaking in food hoping that my kids won’t notice.  I also think this sends the message that healthy foods taste so bad tasting you have to sneak them.

So I stay up front about anything new I add to a familiar food.  Here’s how it went with the smoothies:

Me: Let’s make smoothies for snack

Big A:  Yeah!  Smoothies!!

ME: I was thinking of adding some spinach to the smoothie

Big A: Will it taste the same?

Me: I’m not sure.  Maybe.  We’ll have to try it and see.

Big pause

Big A: Okay

Recipe:

1 cup frozen strawberries (if you use fresh add some ice)

1 banana

1/2 cup vanilla yogurt (or any yogurt of choice)

1 cup tightly fit spinach

1 cup orange juice

I blended all the ingredients in the blender and the color was not really green, more like brown but as we kept drinking them they turned almost green.  This makes about 3 cups.  I gave the smoothie to Big A and after a sip she said: “It tastes the same!” and continued to drink it.

Of course I had to use this as a teachable moment and told her that “even if it didn’t taste the same, that would be okay.  It’s good to eat (or try) food that tastes different” (we talked a lot about this on our vacation where Big A kept asking if the food we were eating would “taste the same” as it does at home).

What green smoothies do you make at home?

Nutrition per serving:172 calories, 4g protein, 3g fiber and 26 g sugar (most naturally occurring expect from the vanilla yogurt).   126% DV for vitamin C, 22% vitamin A, 63% vitamin K, 15% potassium, 10% calcium and 5% iron.

I’m bone tired.  We just came back from our annual Disney vacation on Friday, and the American Dietetic Association Conference began Saturday which is right in my home town.  It’s been great to meet many of the dietitians I’ve become friends with online since starting this blog.  But I’m exhausted!

So it’s all about easy and familiar meals this week.  I’ve been on the lookout for a chicken teriyaki recipe.  I tried this slow cooker one from Meal Makeover Moms which turned out great — but even that’s too complicated for this crazy week.  So I winged and made this easy and yummy meal in minutes.

And here’s what I did.

I steamed the vegetables ahead of time — I put the carrots in first since they take longer and then added the broccoli until it turned bright green.  I stored these in the fridge until it was time to cook.

I defrosted frozen cooked chicken I had in the freezer and cut them into small pieces — tofu or shrimp would work too.  I put everything in large pan (or wok) with a little oil and 2-4 Tbsp. of this teriyaki sauce from Trader Joe’s (Island Soyaki).  I mixed it around until everything heated up, about 5 minutes.

I used frozen brown rice (also from Trader Joe’s) which only takes 3 minutes in the microwave.  I served the chicken and veggies over the rice. 

Big A is not a stir fry fan so I served the meal with some fruit.  I also cut up the chicken and veggies a bit more for the kids. Little D loves stir fries, it’s so cute.

So that’s my easy meal for the week.  Anyone making something like this?

This is a guest post from one of our passionate readers and mom of two young girls, Ramona Underwood. She wrote me suggesting I write a piece on gardening. Since it was obvious she was the real expert, I asked her to write it. Below are her how-to’s on getting started with your own vegetable garden.

I’ve enjoyed gardening ever since I was a child. I like watching things grow and develop too, whether it is a plant, animal, or my children. I LOVE watching my children discover their environment and the wonders around us.

It is important to me for my children, two girls aged 5 and 2, to learn where food comes from and to at least teach them, hopefully, the joy of tending a garden. My family has a small garden; one large enough to feed a family of four that still produces enough to share and preserve some.

If you have thought about growing a garden, what’s stopping you? Here are some easy steps for making it happen.

1. Start with container gardening: Container gardening is a good start for those of you who might be intimidated or have little space. It can also be a good way to try out one plant that may be a little ‘odd’ for your family, or to plant one of your child’s choices that you may not be sure of.

When it comes to containers you have to make sure you have the correct sized container for the plant(s). You also need to purchase the best potting mix you can find; go ahead and buy the best soil at the nursery/lawn & garden center. You will save a lot of disappointment and frustration as your plants will have a solid foundation to start from.

An excellent resource for container gardening can be found here.

2. Choose the right veggies: Many of your traditional ’space hog’ veggies may have a container appropriate variety, i.e. bush green beans, patio tomatoes, patio/container cucumbers and many others. These can be found as seeds or plants at most gardening centers.

Many vegetables can be grown in containers, and some make better companions than others. This site, is another resource for putting together containers, but also provides information on which vegetables to choose.

The Best Vegetables for Containers:Potatoes, chard, lettuce, cherry and bush tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, summer squash, Asian greens, pole beans. And don’t forget herbs!

Planting Depth
Here are the minimum soil depths for healthy growth. Keep in mind that you can get by with less depth if you use a self-watering planter.

• 4-5 inches: chives, lettuce, radishes, other salad greens, basil, coriander
• 6-7 inches: bush beans, garlic, kohlrabi, onions, Asian greens, peas, mint, thyme
• 8-9 inches: pole beans, carrots, chard, cucumber, eggplant, fennel, leeks, peppers, spinach, parsley, rosemary
• 10-12 inches: beets, broccoli, okra, potatoes, sweet corn, summer squash, dill, lemongrass

Good Companions:
• Beans, carrots, squash
• Eggplant, beans
• Tomatoes, basil, onions
• Lettuce, herbs
• Spinach, chard, onions

Combinations to Avoid:
• Beans with onions and garlic
• Carrots with dill or fennel
• Tomatoes or squash with potatoes
• Onions with beans and peas

4. Graduate to raised bed gardening: If you have the space and are ready for more than I suggest raised bed gardening. I have found that container grown plants do not last as long as those planted in the ground.

I have two garden ‘beds’; one is 3′ x 6′ and the other is 3′ x 9′ and are contained by frames. In these two relatively small spaces I am growing tomatoes, okra, cucumbers, dill, basil, green beans, basil, dill, and marigolds thrown in for color. There aren’t many plants, sometimes there is only one, but this produces enough for us to eat fresh home grown vegetables during the summer.

Since the soil should be more fertile, and easier to amend, the plants are planted closer together. With the plants closer together and with a heavy layer of straw or old hay as mulch, there are much fewer weeds and watering requirements. This means that you spend more time enjoying your garden. You can step back and watch it grow, focus on your harvest and not become frustrated trying to wrestle the weeds. If you see some trying to grow, they are easily plucked out as you harvest or water.

5. Involve the Kids:
My girls help with plant choices and planting, they watch the blooms come, and the vegetables grow. They enjoy seeing the different shapes, colors, and varieties that emerge.

They will try different things while exploring the garden that they wouldn’t even touch at the dinner table. Both my girls will pick bell peppers off the plant and eat them like apples. If I were to take the same peppers, even if they picked them, and try to incorporate them into the meal, they won’t eat them. But, I am sure they will someday.

While picking green beans this summer, my youngest sat in my lap and ate every single one as soon as I put it in the bucket. She is learning there is a difference in taste and texture between raw and cooked. Both girls enjoy watching the process of turning a cucumber into a pickle.

You can choose to either continue to garden into a fall season, or go ahead and ‘put the garden to bed’. I usually find our fall activities limit us, so I close up the garden once the summer plants are done.

The biggest thing to remember is to enjoy yourself. It’s fun! Let your kids learn where food comes from and that it doesn’t miraculously appear in the produce section of the grocery store. Let them learn and you learn, how good home grown produce tastes.

Are you growing your own vegetables? And for those of you who aren’t, what’s been holding you back?

Every Sunday we gather for dinner at my mother-in-law’s. I make a point to read People magazine to catch up on my celebrity gossip. When I ran across the recipe for Caulifower “Mac ‘N’ Cheese” I knew I had to try it. It comes from MasterChef (reality show) winner Whitney Miller.

It turned out great. Little D and I really enjoyed it while my husband and Big A didn’t really partake (my husband is a mac and cheese purist). The recipe calls for heavy cream, which is an ingredient I never use — it’s the dietitian in me. But I worked up some courage and tried the recipe “as is.” Maybe I’ll get help from the Meal Makeover Moms to lighten it up a bit.

This inspired me to search for other cauliflower mac and cheese recipes that actually have macaroni in them. Here are a couple that look good: Macaroni and Cheese with Cauliflower from Real Simple and Cauliflower Macaroni and Cheese from Shape Magazine.

Anyone else making something like this at home?

Ingredients:
-8 cups cauliflower florets (1 head)
-2 cloves garlic, minced (optional)
-2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
-1/2 tsp Kosher salt
-1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
-2 Tbsp butter
-2 Tbsp flour
-1.5 cups fat-free milk
-1/2 cup heavy cream
-1/4 tsp table salt
-1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese (reduced fat optional)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400. Toss florets in oil (and garlic if using) on a baking sheet (I prefer to mix in a sealed bag first). Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until fork-tender and lightly browned, 25 minutes. Remove pan from oven and reduce to 350.

2. Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk. Simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently, until thickened, 2 to 4 minutes. Whisk in cream and cook 5 minutes.

3. Remove pan from heat and stir in 1/4 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp pepper and all but 2 Tbsp cheese. Stir over medium-low heat for 5 minutes.

4. Place cauliflower in an 8X8-in glass baking dish. Pour cheese sauce on top and sprinkle with 2 Tbsp. cheese. Bake until sauce is bubbly, 20 to 25 minutes.

It’s a busy week for us.  My sister is getting married on Saturday and we have a lot going on.  When these weeks come up I usually rely on my default menu instead of menu planning.  These are really simple meals that take little brain power like tacos and chicken in the slow cooker.  It’s nice because I can go to the grocery store without a list and get out of there quick!

This is the last recipe I will post from the Meal Makeover Mom’s book No Whine with Dinner — and it comes from their amazing “Vegetables You Don’t Have to Hide” section.  I can’t believe how well all the ingredients work together (Dijon and garlic powder) to make this irresistible broccoli and cheese recipe.  I realize I was supposed to use the cheese sauce for dipping but topping it with the broccoli worked well too.  

Big A still has major trouble with broccoli but Little D will usually partake.  I plan to make this dish for years to come.  It can be used for snack time or as a side dish at lunch or dinner.  And it contains 20% DV for calcium and over 100% of vitamin C.  

Anyone else use a cheese-dipping sauce for veggies?

Ingredients:
-1 head of broccoli (about 1.5 pounds), cut into florets
-1 TBS olive or or unsalted butter
-1 TBS all-purpose flour
-1 cup 1% low fat milk
-1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
-1/3 tsp garlic powder
-1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (reduced fat optional)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions
1. Steam the broccoli until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside, uncovered.

2. While the broccoli is steaming, heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk constantly until smooth, about 2 minutes. Whisk the milk, mustard, and garlic powder slowly into the flour mixture. Raise the heat and bring to a low boil, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat and continue to simmer and stir gently until the moisture thickens, about 3 mintues.

3. Remove from the heat and stir in the chees euntil it melts. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve with broccoli.

We are wrapping up our series on Picky Eating.  If you are new here, check out the previous posts that have built up to this one.

I’m often asked what parents can do to get their kids to eat healthy.  While there are no quick fixes, I’ve gathered a list of proactive, research-based actions parents can take to positively influence their kids eating habits. 

While doing my research, I ran across an intriguing article in Choices magazine titled “Smarter Lunchrooms.”  It discusses how to use behavioral economics to create healthier habits in school cafeterias.  The authors, David Just and Brain Wansink, said something that struck a chord with me:

“When people feel coerced into doing something, they often react to this coercion by intentionally rebelling…. Thus, when people feel as if they have freely and consciously made a decision, they take ownership of that decision and tend to have a greater enjoyment of the outcome.”

The bottom line: we need to ditch the old ways of nagging kids to eat their fruits and veggies and make healthy eating positive, delicious and something kids will want to do when their parents aren’t around. 

So with this in mind, let’s see what actions parents can take to help little ones prefer healthy fare: 

1. Eat well during pregnancy & lactation: Helping kids accept nutritious fare starts at conception.   The amniotic sac not only transmits nutrition but the flavors of the food eaten.  Studies show that the wider range of flavors babies are exposed to in utero and through breast milk, may help to increase their preference for a more diversified diet later on.

A 2001 study published in Pediatrics assigned 46 women to consume either water or carrot juice for 4 weeks prenatally.  When the infants were given carrot flavored cereal at 6 months of age, the babies whose moms drank the carrots juice had few negative expressions and seemed to enjoy the cereal more.

 2. Get in as much variety as you can: Most babies and toddlers under two are willing to eat just about anything.  Research suggests that the more dietary variety kids get in the very early years, the more accepting they will be later on. 

So start with bland fruits and vegetables but up the ante.  Use herbs, spices, garlic and onions to make food taste good.  Once kids can eat table foods, let them join you at the dinner table.  Your mission is to get them to try as many flavors as possible.  

3. Make the unfamiliar familiar (and accessible): Research suggests that repeated exposure is the most powerful tool when it comes to helping children accept new foods.  A 2003 study published in Appetite showed daily exposure was much more effective than nutrition education or doing the same old thing.

But experts in behavioral economics say parents need to go a step further by making healthy foods highly accessible.  So lay out an attractive bowl of fruit on the kitchen table.  Include veggies with dip with meals and while you’re preparing dinner.  Studies show the visibility of food increases desire to eat it.

4. Show them how it’s done: “I’ve learned that at this stage, they so much want to be like their parents, so if I’m enjoying a nice green salad and broccoli or asparagus, they want to try it too,” says Lauren O’Connor, MS, RD, dietitian and mom of twin preschoolers.

Now this may not happen automatically for every kid, but research supports the notion that kids are more likely to eat a food when they see their parents eating it.

5. Make time for family meals: Family meals combine the benefits of repeated exposure with role modeling.  It also teaches kids how to behave at the dinner table and gives families time to connect.  I know your schedules may be wacky, but get this habit going as soon as you can.

Kathleen Cuneo, PhD, from Dinner Together says that switching from special kid meals to family meals was the turning point for her now teenage daughter. “I saw a positive change when I stopped nagging her and we made a commitment to family meals,” she says.  “When I backed off and she was expected to eat from what was made available, she became open to trying new foods.”

6. Entice them with food names: Parents can learn something that restaurant owners already know — you need to make food sound tantalizing.   In his studies, Brian Wansink author of Mindless Eating, demonstrates that the name we give a food can make a big difference in how children perceive it.  In one of his studies, when the researchers called veggies names like “X-ray carrots” or “princess peas” kids were 60% more likely to try it.

“Dinosaur broccoli reminds kids of dinosaurs – and they think they are cooler,” he says. “Re-naming food increases its appeal”

7. Use familiar sauces & dressings: Research suggests that children are more likely to accept new foods if they are similar to other recipes they like. In a previous post, Alexandra Logue, PhD, Psychology Professor and author of  The Psychology of Eating and Drinking, discussed how some fussy eaters are super tasters — and she used to be one of them.

When she first started eating salad her mom put a lot of her favorite dressing in the bowl and a small amount of vegetables.  Over time the dressing quantity decreased and the vegetables increased.  This is how she learned to like salads.   

8. Engage them in the process: Julie Negrin, certified nutritionist and cooking instructor, knows that getting kids involved in the kitchen can transform their relationship with food.  She says that because kids feel little control over their day to day environment, helping with meals gives children a sense of ownership and makes it more likely they will eat the meal.  

“I encourage parents to have kids pick out new vegetables at the market or flip through cookbooks for menu ideas,” she says.  “Kids have been helping with the meal preparation in almost every culture for thousands of years. It’s how they find their place in the “tribe” and the world around them.”

We’ll talk more with Julie Negrin in September when her book, Easy Meals to Cook with Kids, is released.

9.  Help them make the health-body connection: When certified pediatric dietitian, Angela Lemond, works with frustrated parents, she teaches them the three Es:  Educate, Expose and Empower.  The education part is helping kids understand how certain foods relate back to the health of their body.

“I tell my kids how fruits and vegetables have super-powers,” she says. “For example, I explain how these super powers put an imaginary shield around their bodies protecting them from germs and helping their boo-boos heal faster.”

10.  Try new foods when they are hungry: You probably notice there are times of day when your child is more hungry than others.  Work with your child’s natural appetite rhythm.  If they typically eat small amounts at dinner but seem ravenous at lunch, try new foods then.  And watch the in-between meal snacking and juice drinking that can be appetite killers.

11. Go for the crunch:It’s not always the taste of veggies that turn kids off it’s the texture.  Researchers from Wageningen University provided kids (4 to 12) carrots and green beans that were steamed, mashed, grilled, boiled and deep fried.  The kids preferred the boiled and steamed versions.  Why?  Because they were crunchier, had little browning and less of a granular texture.

So experiment with different crunchy textures and see how it goes. 

12. Pair the new items with old standbys: Lisa Gross, dietitian and mom of two young kids said that when her daughter was two, and turned ultra picky, she was tempted to provide her with only her favorites (she loved pasta!).

“I just kept offering the same food we ate but always offered fruit, bread and some accompaniant that she would eat,” she says.  “I hoped that she would outgrow this stage and now that she’s five it’s much better.”

13.  Serve fruits and veggies first. According to a 2010 study published in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, preschoolers served bigger portions of vegetables as a first course at 47% more.

So put out the fruits and veggies while you’re putting the meal together, your kids might eat whole serving of fruits and vegetables, and then some.

14. Make nutritious food fun: When a group of 4 to 7 year olds were presented with two versions of fruit, one cut into fun shapes and the other not, the kids presented with the fun shapes ate twice as much fruit. 

While the researchers of the study published in Appetite say that the novelty can wear off, it’s important to remember that kids like fun.  And if we can present food in a fun and attractive way it can pique their interest and desire.    

15. Give them a choice: According to Smarter Lunchrooms, requiring kids to take a vegetable at school has no impact on consumption.  But if kids are given the choice between two veggies, they consume 20 percent more.

When you can, have your child decide between two items, the peas or carrots, banana or cantaloupe.  This helps them feel like they made the decision of what vegetable to eat.  And they might respond by eating it.

Get a big picture view

Sometimes when I’m all caught up in what my three-year old is (or isn’t) eating I have to remind self of the big picture.  She is learning to eat.  I’m providing her with a variety of food.  Her food environment is positive.  She’s going to turn out just fine. 

When you think about it, picky eating is really a parent problem.  Jennifer from The Mommy Archives said it well, “One of the feeding issues I had was with me.  I realized that I was the one that was panicking when I made a meal and he wouldn’t even try it. I would be so worried he wasn’t getting enough nutrients.  Once I let that go, and let him set the pace of trying new foods, our meals became so much less stressful.”

I hope this picky eating series has helped you look at feeding a little differently.  Stay tuned for more series including “how to manage sweets” and “essential nutrients healthy kids miss.” And don’t forget to visit our other series including Family Meal Planning and Eating Disorder Prevention.

Previous: 10 Pitfalls to Avoid When Feeding Picky Eaters

 References

1. Mennella JA, Jagnow CP, Beauchamp GK, Prenatal and postnatal flavor learning by human infants. Pediatrics. 2001 Jun;107(6):E88.

2. Cooke LJ, Wardle J, Gibson EL, Sapochnik M, Sheiham A, Lawson M. Demographic, familial and trait predictors of fruit and vegetable consumption by pre-school children. Public Health Nutr. 2004 Apr;7(2):295-302.

3. Wardle J, Cooke LJ, Gibson EL, Sapochnik M, Sheiham A, Lawson M. Increasing children’s acceptance of vegetables; a randomized trial of parent-led exposure. Appetite. 2003 Apr;40(2):155-62.

4. Spill MK, Birch LL, Roe LS, Rolls BJ. Eating vegetables first: the use of portion size to increase vegetable intake in preschool children. Am J Clin Nutr.2010 May;91(5):1237-43. Epub 2010 Mar 10.

5. Tanofsky-Kraff M, Haynos AF, Kottler LA, Yanovski SZ, Yanovski JA. Laboratory-based studies of eating among children and adolescents. Curr Nutr Food Sci. 2007;3(1):55-74

I think it’s safe to say that roasting vegetables with olive oil and Parmesan = yummy. I don’t think I’ll steam again! I got this recipe off Julie Negrin’s blog, a nutritionist and cooking instructor. Her specialty is teaching kids how to cook. I’m going to have her on for my “getting kids to eat” series. She knows how to get kids cooking (and eating) whole foods.

But back to the recipe. It’s really easy and delicious. Unfortunately my daughter wasn’t willing to try it like she did the broccoli parmesan. But I’ll keep making it. If you make it let me know how it turns out.

Ingredients
1 pound green (or white) asparagus stalks, ends cut off
1-2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Zest of ½ lemon (zest is finely grated lemon peel – it’s best to grate with a microplane)
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/3 cup grated parmesan
¼ teaspoon kosher or sea salt

Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Arrange asparagus on baking sheet. Whisk olive oil, lemon zest, and lemon juice in small bowl and pour over asparagus. Toss asparagus stalks gently to coat. Spread asparagus in a single layer. Sprinkle parmesan and salt evenly over stalks. Roast until asparagus is tender, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes.

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Serves 2-4

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Okay…this vegetable isn’t just for kids. But I’m adding this section to my meal ideas because I’m on a mission. I want to make the most rewarding and tasty vegetables for my family. And this one was good.

I got the recipe off The Food Network but an exact recipe is hardly needed. Just toss cut-up broccoli in some olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven (400 degrees) for 10 minutes, add the Parmesan cheese, and cook for another ten. When it’s done, sprinkle with the juice of a lemon.

My 3-year old rarely tries newly prepared vegetables but lately I’ve noticed a change in her. When I first offered her the broccoli she said no. I happily ate them but then asked her, one last time, if she wanted to eat one before I finished them off. She said yes and had four pieces!! I could tell she was very proud of herself. I guess creating “scarcity” (or chowing  down in front of her) worked.

I like that these are crispy — a nice change for broccoli. And even though I loved the flavor, next time I’ll add some garlic. Because my daughter seems more receptive to new foods earlier in the day, I’m going to keep trying veggies at her our afternoon snack when we are usually home.

If you have some tasty ways to make vegetables for your kids — and want to let fellow parents know about it — let me know!

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Last week, a mom asked me if her baby would miss key nutrients if she fed her a vegetarian diet. This week, the Los Angeles Times had a big spread on raising vegetarian kids. I felt like someone was trying to tell me something.

So a post was born.

According to the American Dietetic Association, 3 percent of children 8 to 18 years old are vegetarians. And if you’re a parent interested in feeding your family a vegetarian diet, you’ll want to get up-to-speed on what you need to do.

So I’ve listed the most common myths, followed by truths, about what it really takes to raise vegetarian kids.

1) All Vegetarians are the same.
The term “vegetarian” is thrown around a lot in our society. But there are the different types of vegetarians which makes a big difference when it comes to nutritional aspects of the diet:
-Lacto-ovo vegetarian: Drinks milk products and eggs but excludes meat, fish and poultry (some of these vegetarians will eat fish as well).

-Lacto vegetarian: Drinks milk but excludes meat, fish, poultry and eggs.

-Vegan: excludes all animal products including dairy.

2) Young children can’t meet their nutritional needs on a vegetarian diet.
Over the summer the American Dietetic Association released a new position paper on vegetarianism and concluded that when planned appropriately, such diets can meet the needs of both children and adults. In fact, vegetarians (including children) have diets higher in fruits, vegetables and fiber and lower in saturated fat and cholesterol.

3) As long as my child is eating enough fruits and veggies they are meeting their nutrition needs.
Even though fruits and vegetables are filled with nutrients, a child can eat plenty of them and still fall short on key nutrients. Here are nutrients of concern for vegetarians of all ages:
-Iron: Iron in plant foods is not absorbed as well as it is from meats. This is an easy fix though. Serving vitamin C-rich foods with plant sources of iron (or iron-fortified products) increases their absorption.

-Zinc:Due to its phytic acid content, the zinc in plant foods is not as “bio-available” as it is in meats. Some studies show vegetarians have marginal intakes of zinc while others find their intake adequate. Vegetarian children and adults need to maximize zinc in their daily meals by including soy, beans, grains, nuts, and cheese.

-Vitamin B12: Lacto-ovo vegetarians usually don’t have trouble getting enough B12 from dairy products. But because vegans avoid animal products, they need a reliable source of B12 coming from fortified foods or supplements.

Calcium:Lacto-ovo vegetarians aren’t as likely to have trouble meeting calcium needs as vegans. Vegans can make up for this by consuming low-oxalate greens like bock choy, broccoli, collards and kale. Calcium set tofu, fortified soy milk and rice milk are other good choices for vegans.

-Omega-3 fatty acids:Children need DHA/EPA essential fatty acids for brain and eye development and sources include fish, eggs and algae. And studies show the other type of omega-3 fatty acid (ALA) found in plant foods (like flaxseed) only converts a small amount to DHA/EPA.

Parents need to decide for themselves if they are willing to supplement with fish oils or use products made with aglae or microalgae. Our next expert interview will shed light on this.

4) Children won’t get enough protein: Vegetarians don’t have trouble meeting protein needs. It’s the deficiency of the nutrients found in animal protein sources (B12, iron and zinc) that can become a problem if diets aren’t well balanced.

Vegetarians used to be told to include complementary proteins at meals (like beans and rice) in order to obtain all the essential amino acids. As long as they eat a variety of protein sources this is no longer necessary. This post on Little Stomaks, a site dedicated to toddler nutrition, provides good information on protein sources for vegetarian toddlers.

5) Vegetarian children are more likely to develop eating disorders: There have been news reports declaring that adolescent girls with eating disorders are more likely to be vegetarians. But this isn’t a causal relationship. Instead, girls hide behind vegetarianism to explain why they can’t eat what’s being served.

Raising vegetarian kids is definitely doable and can lay the foundation for life-long healthy habits. Being part of a group like the Vegetarian Resource Group can provide families with the support they need.

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Another great resource is the ask the dietitian section of VegFamily.com

References:

Position of the American Dietetic Association: Vegetarian Diets. J Am Diet Assoc. 2009;109:1266-1282.

Last week I tried another recipe from the Fix-It and Enjoy-It Healthy Cookbook I reviewed last week.  I love sweet potatoes and my daughter loves fries so it sounded perfect.  Unfortunately, it was one of those nights she wasn’t interested in dinner so she didn’t even try them (even though I had her help me in the kitchen!). 

I think the fries turned out well except they were a little underdone.  The recipe calls for 30 minutes but I should have left them in longer for a crisper finish.  Next time I’ll try brushing the potato wedges with olive oil instead of using the spray.

Healthy Sweet Potato Fries
Makes: 4 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Baking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients
Olive oil cooking spray
2 large sweet potatoes peeled and cut into wedges
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
Oregano, thyme, rosemary, garlic powder, optional

1. Preheat oven to 400
2. Coat baking sheet with organic olive oil cooking spray.
3. Arrange potato wedges on baking sheet in a single layer. Coat with cooking spray.
4. Sprinkle potatoes with salt, pepper and any additional optional seasoning of your choice,
5. Roast 30 minutes, or until tender or golden brown.

“Reprinted from Fix-It and Enjoy-It Healthy Cookbook. Copyright by Good Books (www.GoodBooks.com). Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

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