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Vegetarian Kids

If you've banned meat from your diet, is it safe for your children to join you at the salad bar?

Dietitians say going vegetarian using a properly planned diet is OK at any age. This even includes infants, who can dine on breast milk or soy formula before moving to pureed vegetables, cottage cheese and soy products.

Planning can ease parents' concern that kids get enough protein and other nutrients to replace what they lose by skipping meat. Some vegetarian diets include eggs and dairy products and are called lacto-ovo. Those that exclude eggs and dairy products are called vegan.

Some tips:

• The American Dietetic Association (ADA) says that properly planned vegan and lacto-ovo vegetarian diets can meet the nutrition needs of infants, children, and teens. Dietary problems, the ADA says, are more likely to occur in diets that are very restrictive.
• Kids who avoid all animal products, including eggs and dairy, may be at risk for a vitamin B12 deficiency. They may need a B12 supplement. B12 is crucial for development and is found only in animal products and some fortified foods.
• A child's stomach may fill up more quickly on a bulky, plant-based diet. Avoid strict limits on a vegetarian child's fat intake to make sure he or she gets enough calories.

Children who are vegetarians may need to watch their intake of certain vitamins and minerals. Here are the recommended daily intakes for nutrients of possible concern for vegetarians. For certain nutrients, the recommended levels are called Recommended Daily Allowances (RDAs). For others, they are called Adequate Intakes (AIs). These figures represent the current recommendations by the National Academy of Sciences Food and Nutrition Board.

Vitamin B12: Infants need 0.4 to 0.5 micrograms (mcg); children need 0.9 to 1.8 mcg; teens need 2.4 mcg (RDAs)
Vitamin D: Infants, children, and teens need 5 mcg (AIs)
Calcium: Infants need 210 to 270 milligrams (mg); children need 500 to 1,300 mg; teens need 1,300 mg (AIs)
Protein: Infants need 9 to 11 grams; children need 13 to 34 grams; teens need 46 to 52 grams (RDAs)
Iron: Infants need 0.3 to 11 mg; children need 7 to 10 mg; teens need 11 to 15 mg (RDAs)
Zinc: Infants need 2 to 3 mg; children need 3 to 8 mg; teens need 9 to 11 mg (RDAs)

Infants usually are vegetarians for most of their first year of life. Infants are either breast-fed or drink formula for the first four to six months. After that, solid foods are gradually introduced. Meat is usually one of the last foods given to an infant, according to the ADA.

Toddlers who are vegans may have difficulty getting enough essential vitamins and minerals in their diet, the ADA says. This is because many toddlers are picky eaters and refuse certain foods or only want certain foods. What's important is to make sure the child consumes enough calories. Dietary supplements may be necessary. Your child's doctor is your best source of information on this issue.

Experts recommend 2,200 calories a day for a teen girl. About 50 grams -- 200 calories -- should come from protein. She can get nearly a third of that protein from a half-cup of cooked beans or lentils, or in two tablespoons of peanut butter. If she is a lacto-ovo vegetarian, eggs and dairy products will provide enough protein. Teen girls who are vegans may be deficient in iron. Talk to your child's doctor if you have concerns about iron intake.

Don't let children use vegetarianism to justify a junk food diet or hide an eating disorder. Want more advice? Talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian if you have questions about vegetarianism or eating disorders.