If you're a family of vegetarians you may be looking for dishes to make for your kids. Vegetarian meals are often more healthy than meals with meat. According to the Vegetarian Society, the most important nutrients to add to a child's diet are calcium, iron, zinc, protein, vitamin B12 and vitamin D.
Vegetarians still consume eggs, milk, cheese and fish, unlike vegans, who eliminate all animal products. With a little creativity, vegetarian dishes are healthier than and as exciting as typical meals.
Breakfast
Breakfast dishes for vegetarians are probably the easiest to create since most breakfast foods are based on cereals, breads and eggs. You can make vegetarian omelets with tofu, vegetables, seafood, cheeses and spices. Or try a frittata, which is a baked omelet that is made with the same ingredients plus milk. Breakfast is the same for a vegetarian--just leave off the bacon, ham and sausage. Breakfast can also be enjoyed any time of day.
Lunch
For your vegetarian kids' lunch, make wraps with hummus for extra protein instead of lunch meat. Replace the meat with baked fish, tuna fish or egg salad. There are also many faux meats on the market, such as chik patties, which are designed to look and taste like chicken but are not made from chicken. The same applies for faux hot dogs or corn dogs, which are popular with kids. Load up on nuts, dark green leafy veggies and yogurt to make sure your little ones are getting ample protein and calcium.
Dinner
Vegetarians can still enjoy lasagna made with a variety of vegetables and cheeses, or--if they like the texture of meat--you can use a faux ground beef. This works well for tacos also. Tofu is a very versatile food that you can turn into whatever you want it to be. Breaded tofu is a delicious and nutritious main course; serve this with beans and a salad.
Dessert
Fortunately, there are very few desserts made from meat. Dessert is one area of your child's diet where adding nuts can help ensure that she gets enough protein if she is over the age of 5. According to the Vegetarian Society, children under the age of 5 can choke more easily on nuts, so it is best to puree the nuts. Some enhanced dessert ideas are cashew cupcakes, brownies with walnuts, or even ice cream with pecans.
Member Comments