Table of contents:
- The time is right to introduce the vegetarian lifestyle to children
- How to start introducing vegetarians to your little one
- 1. Get used to consuming vegetables and fruit since childhood
- 2. Encourage children in the cooking process
- 3. Give the child a choice
- 4. Create a pleasant atmosphere
- Tricks to complement the nutritional needs of vegetarian children
Each family has their own way of adopting a healthy lifestyle. One of the healthy lifestyles is a vegetarian lifestyle. So, when is the right time to introduce a vegetarian lifestyle to children? Check out the following explanation.
The time is right to introduce the vegetarian lifestyle to children
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, many families have started to adopt a healthy lifestyle as an effort to protect their health so they don't get sick easily. Some of them adopt a vegetarian diet, including increasing the number of vegetables in the diet. The habit of consuming plant-based foods has been familiar in Indonesian society from ancient times and is still ongoing today. For example, fresh vegetables, tofu, and tempeh are often consumed by Indonesians.
Families who live their lives as vegetarians, of course, prioritize food made from plants, and avoid consuming animal foods, such as red meat, poultry, fish, seafood, animal protein milk, and eggs.
From an early age, children do need a variety of nutrients to support their growth. In introducing vegetarianism to children, parents need to know what foods are needed.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends giving milk, meat, poultry, fish and egg derivatives as often as possible. Babies need to get vitamin B12 intake to support the development of their nervous system. So, at the age of less than 1 year, children have not been recommended to undergo a vegetarian diet.
But on the other hand, if there are certain cases, Academy Nutrition and Dietetic, said the vegetarian diet can be applied to children over the age of 8 months with extra attention, so that their nutritional needs are met.
For example, in a vegetarian family that does have certain beliefs, so they do not eat foods of animal origin. In addition, children who are allergic to animal protein can be recommended to undergo a vegetarian diet for a certain period of time.
In these conditions, a vegetarian lifestyle may be applied during the doctor's monitoring. Usually doctors give iron supplements and monitor the child's growth and development. Diet without animal protein is carried out for a period of 3, 6, 9, 12 months. Then, reintroduced to animal protein and its derivatives.
Apart from cow's milk allergy, how to introduce vegetarians to children?
How to start introducing vegetarians to your little one
If the child lives a vegetarian lifestyle, make sure he is eating enough foods that are sourced from vegetable protein as a substitute for animal protein.
Introducing vegetarians to children can be done easily. Indonesian people are familiar with vegetable protein food sources, such as tofu, tempeh, edamame, spinach, and so on. You can include these foods in the complementary foods menu, so that your little one gets used to eating plant-based foods in the future.
Speaking of a vegetarian lifestyle, adults can supplement nutrition with soy milk as a substitute for cow's milk. Meanwhile, children who are still developing, can be introduced to soy formula. The nutrients contained in soy formula milk have the same goodness as cow formula.
However, first consult with a doctor or nutritionist to find out the best recommendations, so that your little one's growth and development remains optimal.
In addition, parents also need to introduce a variety of vegetables and fruits from an early age, for example, since their little one starts eating solid foods.
So that children like to eat vegetables and fruit in an introduction to the vegetarian lifestyle, try the method below.
1. Get used to consuming vegetables and fruit since childhood
The diet of children usually imitates their parents. Give an example of eating vegetables and fruit regularly. Don't forget, always provide fibrous food on the dining table. Introduce various types of vegetables and fruits to children as a step to start a vegetarian lifestyle.
2. Encourage children in the cooking process
So that children are always excited about eating vegetables and fruit, try to create a fun atmosphere. Involve children when shopping for vegetables and fruit, cleaning them, to the cooking process.
This involvement fosters a sense of pride in your little one for helping to serve their own food. This routine makes children more enthusiastic about eating vegetables and fruit.
3. Give the child a choice
In introducing the child to a vegetarian lifestyle, occasionally give him a choice. Avoid two choices, such as "Do you want to eat vegetables or not?"
You can ask for options that keep him from eating vegetables and fruit. For example, "Are you going to eat half an apple or a quarter later?"
4. Create a pleasant atmosphere
Make the experience of eating vegetables and fruit a fun thing to reduce the tendency for your little one to choose food. You can tell fairy tales or your little one's idol.
For example, if your child wants to become a policeman, tell him that his idol character is someone who really likes to eat fruits and vegetables.
Doing the four methods above can help him get used to eating vegetables and fruit, especially in introducing a vegetarian lifestyle to children.
Tricks to complement the nutritional needs of vegetarian children
Before introducing a vegetarian lifestyle to children, you still need to plan your little one's diet and be able to supplement its nutrition with soy formula. Mothers can consult their pediatrician or nutritionist first in order to get the right recommendations.
Giving soy formula has benefits that are no less good than cow formula milk. In a study in a journal Pediatrics, conducted by Andres and his friends, said that 1 year old children who were given soy formula milk had the same cognitive development as children who were given cow formula milk. Both of them both support the nutrition of your little one in growth and development.
Not all soy formulas are the same, you need to pay attention to the important ingredients in it. It's good, the selected soy formula contains omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, is high in fiber, prebiotics, and a variety of vitamins and minerals.
The fiber and prebiotic content in soy formula can support your little one's digestive health. Meanwhile, the completeness of other nutrients plays an important role in stimulating thinking power and encouraging optimal growth and development.
The systematic study concluded that soy formula supports the following points.
- Growth pattern
- Metabolism
- Bone health
- Reproduction health
- Endocrine
- Immune system
- Neurodevelopmental function (neurology)
Soya formula milk is an alternative option that is equivalent to cow's formula. Giving soy formula milk can be done when the child is 1 year old and over.
Soya formula or soy protein isolate has complete nutritional content. So that your little one can still fulfill their nutritional needs, especially when introducing a vegetarian lifestyle to children.
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