PLANT-DRINKS & VEGAN TODDLERS FOR 12MONTHS+

If babies are still continuing to breastfeed/chestfeed on demand after 12months, there is no need for additional plant drinks and parents should focus on iron-rich foods during weaning. Otherwise, one year olds can transition onto a commercial plant-milk.

If possible, soy milk should always be considered as the first option due to it’s protein quality. If this is not possible, oat milks tend to be the next best option. Nut options such as almond milk are not recommended as a main drink due to their poor nutritional profile, whilst rice milks are deemed unsafe for children under five years old due to their arsenic risk (NHS). When selecting a plant-milk there are a few considerations: the volume of plant-milk your toddler is drinking, the overall quality of their diet, the nutrient content of their supplements, as well as any known allergies.

By considering all of the above you can try and ensure that all of the nutrient requirements for your child’s age group are being covered by their diet, supplements and plant drink. However, as a general guide, a toddler’s plant drink should ideally include the following (per 100ml):

a minimum of 40kcals, but ideally between 50-65kcals,
2-3g of protein,
120mg of calcium*,
vitamin B12**, vitamin D**, and iodine***;

as well as being low in sugar (2.5g/100ml or less)
and low in salt (0.1g/100ml or less).

• *Calcium requirements for 1-3year olds is 350mg/day (British Dietetics Association).

  ** Regardless of Vitamin D and Vitamin B12 consumption via fortified foods in the diet, there is still a clinical indication to supplement with Vit D (NHS) and Vit B12 (Plant Based Health Professionals).

  ***The UK iodine requirements for 1-3year olds is 70mcg/day (Plant Based Health professionals), with an upper tolerable limit of 200mcg/day (National Institutes of Health).