RAISING VEGAN CHILDREN
PLANT-BASED NUTRITION FOR TODDLERS (12-24months)

The British Dietetics Association (BDA) has stated that vegan diets can be enjoyed by children and adults alike. With awareness of their nutritional needs, as well as careful planning, parents can raise their vegan children to grow and thrive without any need for animal products. By introducing healthy eating habits early, this will contribute to long-term health and reduce the risk of chronic diseases in the future.

Nutritional requirements for infants and toddlers are particularly high, but are completely achievable through a vegan diet with the right planning. This page offers a guide for parents planning their vegan children’s diet and supplement intake. Parents should try not to over-focus on specific nutrient values, but instead use them as a reference for planning a varied and balanced diet for their family.

NUTRITION AFTER THE FIRST YEAR

By twelve months old, the bulk of nutrition should come from solid foods, with most babies eating roughly three meals a day (as well as one or two snacks).

At this age, children should continue to eat from the four main food groups: ripe fruit, cooked vegetables, whole grains and potatoes, and protein-rich foods. This is still with a particular focus on ensuring protein and iron needs. Iron-rich foods should ideally always be paired with vitamin C foods to boost iron absorption.

SUPPLEMENTS

Children can continue taking their vitamins A, C and D, as well as B12 supplements. Ideally, breastfeeding or chestfeeding continues at this age, however, parents do also have the option of offering a plant milk as a main drink from one years old. This is almost always the case with formula fed babies, unless a healthcare professional has advised otherwise. In this case, parents need to identify a source of iodine for vegan children (IE from a fortified plant-milk or supplement), as well as considering an omega-3 DHA supplement. Parents may wish to find a suitable multivitamin or offer these micro-nutrients as individual supplements.

The following are suggested general dosages for vegan children:

VITAMIN B12
At this age, B12 supplement dosage can be reviewed and adjusted depending on a baby’s fortified food and human milk intake:

- Babies who are consuming human milk ATLEAST two to three times a day
OR who consume B12 fortified foods daily (EG plant-milks, yoghurts, nutritional yeast):
2.5 - 5mcg of B12 once a day or 250 - 300mcg of B12 ONCE a week

- Babies who are consuming human milk LESS than two to three times a day OR who are not consuming fortified foods regularly (EG plant-milks, yoghurts, nutritional yeast):
250 - 300mcg of B12 TWICE a week

IODINE
Toddlers who are breastfeeding/chestfeeding atleast two to three times a day would meet their iodine requirements from their milk, as long as their parent is supplementing correctly. Otherwise children will need to source their daily requirements from iodine fortified plant-milks or a supplement with the following general dosage:

50 - 70mcg of iodine a day

OMEGA-3 DHA
A direct (vegan-friendly) source of omega-3 DHA can only be found in supplement form. If parents wish to offer their children a supplement, the following general dose is suggested: 100mg of DHA a day

Click Here to see our guide and list of vegan-friendly supplements suitable for children.

ENERGY & MACRONUTRIENTS

MICRONUTRIENTS

*Vitamin D supplementation is advised from birth for all babies that are breastfed/chestfed or are having less than 500ml of formula a day. From 6months (to 5years) the NHS recommends supplementing all children with vitamins A, C and D.

**Vitamin B12 is essential for plant-based lifestyles and supplementation is crucial for vegan babies and children after 6months. Supplementation is recommended regardless of the consumption of B12 fortified foods, though this does need to be taken into account when deciding the appropriate dose.

***For plant-based diets, iodine can only be found naturally in sea vegetables such as seaweed. Concentrations can vary and may often be too high and unsafe for children. Babies under one year old should not be given sea vegetables for this reason. Iodine can be found in: human milk (providing the birth-parent is supplementing with iodine), infant formula, a small selection of commercial plant-milks (including Alpro Growing Up Milk), and supplements.

Always consult a healthcare professional before offering supplements or if there are any diet-related concerns.