Healthy Meal Plans with 8 Simple Recipes For Your Vegetarian Children

For parents considering to bring up your children on a vegetarian diet, you have to make sure that he gets all the energy, protein, and vitamins (but please, do not force them to be vegetarian).

Do note that being vegetarian can be challenging these days because most of the food we consume daily have traces of animal components.

Vegetarians however, instead of having to navigate through modern processed food, most of them just cook at home. This way, you know what exactly goes into your food and how much should go into your kids’ as well.

Here is our guide on the daily meal planning to raise a vegetarian children.

How much do your vegetarian children need to eat?

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So, now you know how much your sweetheart needs to eat in a day. Now is the fun part – deciding on the menu!

Here is a sample for your children’s daily food intake. Don’t worry, nothing is fixed. You can mix with other nutritious ingredients or even introduce new recipes into this. You just have to make sure your child gets the needed nutrients.

Moving on to the best healthy vegetarian dishes you can make for your children. Remember nothing is fixed, so you can add or even take out ingredients that you don’t want. There are 8 vegetarian recipes to choose from so get busy choosing your preferences.

Vegetarian Meals for Kids

Tofu-Egg Salad Sandwich

(This recipe is for 4 sandwiches.)

Ingredients:

• 230 g of mashed firm, reduced-fat tofu
• 1 finely chopped green onion
• 2 tbsp pickle relish
• 2 tbsp fat-free Nayonaise or other soy mayonnaise
• 2 tsp stone-ground mustard
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 8 slices whole-wheat bread
• 4 lettuce leaves
• 8 tomato slices

Instructions:

1. Combine the first nine ingredients.
2. Adjust seasonings if necessary.
3. Serve on whole-wheat bread with lettuce leaves and tomato slices.

Strawberry-Banana Smoothie

(For two servings)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup frozen strawberries
• 1 cup frozen banana chunks
• 1/2 to 1 cup enriched soymilk (plain or vanilla)

Instructions:

1. Place all ingredients in a blender and process on high speed until smooth.
2. Stop blender for 2 to 3 minutes occasionally to stir mixture.
3. Serve immediately.

Oven Fries

(Makes four 1-cup servings)

Ingredients:

• 2 russet potatoes (about 500g)
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 230℃.
2. Line baking dish with baking parchment or foil.
3. Scrub potatoes, but do not peel.
4. Cut into fries or wedges.
5. Place in a large bowl and toss with oil, paprika, and salt.
6. Spread potatoes in a single layer in the baking dish and bake until tender for 30 minutes.

Hearty Chili Mac

(Makes 10 1-cup servings)

Ingredients:

• 230g of uncooked macaroni
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 small red or green bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 package Yves Veggie Cuisine Veggie Ground Round or 4
  *recipe follows Boca Burgers, thawed and chopped
• 1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes, undrained
• 1 15-oz can kidney beans, undrained
• 1 15-oz can corn, undrained
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin

Instructions:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.
2. Drain, rinse, and set aside.
3. Heat 1/2 cup of water in a large pot.
4. Add chopped onion and garlic.
5. Cook until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes.
6. Add bell pepper and Veggie Ground Round or chopped burgers.
7. Mix in crushed tomatoes, kidney beans, and corn with their liquids, chili powder, and cumin.
8. Cover and simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes.
9. Add cooked pasta and check seasonings.
10. Add more chili powder if a spicier dish is desired.

Peanut Butter Spaghetti

(Make 4 1-cup servings)

Ingredients:

• 8 ozs uncooked spaghetti
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1 cup hot water
• 2 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sugar or other sweetener of your choice
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 tsp powdered ginger

Instructions:

1. Cook spaghetti according to package directions.
2. Drain, rinse, and set aside.
3. In a large saucepan combine peanut butter, hot water, vinegar, garlic, and ginger.
4. Add soy sauce, sugar or other sweetener (according to your taste).
5. Whisk until smooth.
6. Heat gently until slightly thickened.
7. Add cooked pasta and toss to mix.
8. Serve immediately.

Oatmeal Cookies

(Makes 30 2-inch cookies)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unbleached white flour or whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup sugar or other sweetener
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 1/4 cup fortified soymilk or rice milk
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 175℃.
2. Mix flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, mix sugar, oil, molasses, and vanilla until smooth.
4. Add flour mixture, rolled oats, soy milk or rice milk, raisins, and walnuts and mix well.
5. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto an oil-sprayed baking sheet.
6. (Remember to leave room for cookies to spread).
7. Bake until lightly browned, for 12 to 15 minutes.
8. Cool on a rack.
9. Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container.

Bean Burritos

(Makes 4 burritos)

Ingredients:

• 4 flour tortillas (preferable fat-free)
• 1 15-oz can fat-free refried beans, heated
• 1 cup shredded romaine lettuce
• 1 medium tomato, sliced
• 2 medium green onions, sliced
• 1/4 medium avocado, sliced (optional)
• 1/2 cup salsa

Instructions:

1. In a large, ungreased skillet, heat a tortilla until it is warm and soft.
2. Spread about 1/2 cup of beans down the center of the tortilla.
3. Then top with lettuce and tomato, onions, avocados, and salsa.
4. Fold the bottom end toward the center.
5. Then roll the tortilla around the filling.
6. Repeat with remaining tortillas.

Hummus

Ingredients:

• Makes 2 cups
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley
• 1 15-oz can garbanzo beans
• 3 tbsp tahini (sesame butter)
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• ¼ tsp cumin
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp paprika

Instructions:

1. Place garlic and parsley in a food processor and chop finely.
2. Drain beans, reserve the liquid.
3. Add beans to the food processor along with tahini, lemon juice, cumin, salt, and paprika.
4. Process until very smooth, about 2 minutes.
5. The mixture should be moist and spreadable.
6. If it is too dry, add some of the reserved bean liquid.

Now you can try these recipes at home for your vegetarian children. No matter what kind of meals you are going to prepare for your little one, make sure you are aware off these tips for vegetarian diet:

Tips for Vegetarian Children’s Diet:

1. Parents should know what foods need to be substituted in the diet to ‘top up’ your children’s energy, protein, and vitamin.
2. Serves nut butters, avocado, full fat dairy products, fat spread, and oils to increase the energy value of food.
3. It is good to combine foods that are rich with vitamin C and irons together as vitamin C enhances the absorption of iron. For example: Avocado with baked beans on toast.
4. Serves a wide variety of foods with regular meals and snacks.
5. Alternate wholegrain with refined cereal products to make sure they get the energy they needed.

Raising a vegetarian child can encourage your little ones to eat more vegetables. With proper dietary plans, a vegetarian child can also get the nutrients he needed. It is advisable for you to see a health professional or nutritionist to get more tips and information on a balanced-vegetarian diet and supplements.

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