Vegetarian Meal Plan for Kids
How to make meals interesting for your child?
A child’s vegetarian meal plan can be equally nutritious to a diet that includes meat/chicken/fish or eggs. As a mother, you have to come up with new meal ideas with ensured nutrition. To make sure your child gets enough of all the nutrients needed for a growing child, a balanced diet chart for a vegetarian must include:
a) Protein alternatives such as nuts, soy, milk & milk products, legumes and tofu.
b) Energy for growth and development from whole grains or multigrain cereals, quality fats & oils in Indian veg diet plan in right amounts
c) Iron to prevent anaemia
d) Vitamin B12 for the body to help in metabolism and to make red blood cells
e) Vitamin D and calcium to prevent bone disease
The key to being an expert parent is to plan a nutrient-dense vegetarian menu for kids consisting of all the essential food groups
Importance of a vegetarian diet chart for your child
The period between 2 to 5 years of age is characterized by an increase in activity levels. This coupled with the small tummy of your child means that a range of vital nutrients are needed at this growing stage in the small volumes of food that your child consumes.
To make sure your child gets enough of all the nutrients needed for growth, the vegetarian meals for children must include the following food groups in appropriate portions:
| FOOD GROUPS | SERVINGS REQUIRED/DAY (1-3 YEARS) | SERVINGS REQUIRED/DAY (4-6 YEARS) | SUGGESTED 1 SERVING OF FOOD | ROLE AND FUNCTIONS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
FOOD GROUPS
Cereals |
SERVINGS REQUIRED/DAY (1-3 YEARS)
2 |
SERVINGS REQUIRED/DAY (4-6 YEARS)
4 |
SUGGESTED 1 SERVING OF FOOD
1 small chapatti/1 small spce of bread/2 tbsp. of raw rice/2 tbsp. of raw pasta/2 tbsp. of raw dapa/2 tbsp. of sooji/2 tbsp. of raw oats |
ROLE AND FUNCTIONS
Cereals are an important source of energy, carbohydrate, protein and fibre, as well as containing a range of micronutrients such as vitamin E, some of the B vitamins, magnesium and zinc. Fortified cereals with iron helps growth and enhances learning abipty. |
|
FOOD GROUPS
Pulses and legumes |
SERVINGS REQUIRED/DAY (1-3 YEARS)
1 |
SERVINGS REQUIRED/DAY (4-6 YEARS)
1 |
SUGGESTED 1 SERVING OF FOOD
2 tbsp. raw pulses/legumes/beans/lentils |
ROLE AND FUNCTIONS
Pulses are low fat source of protein, with a high fibre content. Protein is needed for your child’s muscle growth and repair. Seed/legumes will be much easier to digest and assimilate more nutrients if sprouted. |
|
FOOD GROUPS
Milk and milk product |
SERVINGS REQUIRED/DAY (1-3 YEARS)
5 |
SERVINGS REQUIRED/DAY (4-6 YEARS)
5 |
SUGGESTED 1 SERVING OF FOOD
1 small cup (100 ml) milk/ 1 small cup curd (100 g) |
ROLE AND FUNCTIONS
Milk and milk products are rich sources of calcium- good for bones, muscles and teeth. Vitamin D is derived from milk and helps the body absorb minerals, pke calcium and phosphorus |
|
FOOD GROUPS
Vegetables |
SERVINGS REQUIRED/DAY (1-3 YEARS)
|
SERVINGS REQUIRED/DAY (4-6 YEARS)
|
SUGGESTED 1 SERVING OF FOOD
|
ROLE AND FUNCTIONS
|
|
FOOD GROUPS
Roots and tubers |
SERVINGS REQUIRED/DAY (1-3 YEARS)
½ |
SERVINGS REQUIRED/DAY (4-6 YEARS)
1 |
SUGGESTED 1 SERVING OF FOOD
1 cup chopped raw potato/ carrot/ turnips/onions etc. |
ROLE AND FUNCTIONS
Try to have baked/steamed potato instead of fried to ensure their health benefits. |
|
FOOD GROUPS
Green leafy vegetables |
SERVINGS REQUIRED/DAY (1-3 YEARS)
½ |
SERVINGS REQUIRED/DAY (4-6 YEARS)
1 |
SUGGESTED 1 SERVING OF FOOD
1 cup chopped raw green leafy vegetables like Spinach/fenugreek/bathua/mustard leaves etc. |
ROLE AND FUNCTIONS
Try to incorporate Green leafy vegetables every day in different forms to keep your child healthy. |
|
FOOD GROUPS
Other vegetables |
SERVINGS REQUIRED/DAY (1-3 YEARS)
½ |
SERVINGS REQUIRED/DAY (4-6 YEARS)
1 |
SUGGESTED 1 SERVING OF FOOD
1 cup chopped raw other vegetables |
ROLE AND FUNCTIONS
Include seasonal and colourful vegetables to enjoy benefits of antioxidants. |
|
FOOD GROUPS
Fruits |
SERVINGS REQUIRED/DAY (1-3 YEARS)
1 |
SERVINGS REQUIRED/DAY (4-6 YEARS)
5 |
SUGGESTED 1 SERVING OF FOOD
1 medium banana/1 apple/ pear/ orange/ 1 katori chopped papaya/ pineapple etc. |
ROLE AND FUNCTIONS
Go for a variety of seasonal fruits- rich sources of antioxidants, various vitamins and minerals. |
|
FOOD GROUPS
Fats and oil |
SERVINGS REQUIRED/DAY (1-3 YEARS)
5 |
SERVINGS REQUIRED/DAY (4-6 YEARS)
5 |
SUGGESTED 1 SERVING OF FOOD
1 tsp of vegetable oil/ ghee/butter/ mayonnaise/ cheese spread etc. Soy oil/walnuts/flaxseeds are rich in omega -3 fats. |
ROLE AND FUNCTIONS
Include healthy vegetable based oils as olive/mustard/rice bran/soybean etc. |
|
FOOD GROUPS
Sugar |
SERVINGS REQUIRED/DAY (1-3 YEARS)
3 |
SERVINGS REQUIRED/DAY (4-6 YEARS)
4 |
SUGGESTED 1 SERVING OF FOOD
1 tsp of table sugar/jaggery powder/ honey*/jam etc. |
ROLE AND FUNCTIONS
Try to limit sugary foods rich in trans fats and low in nutrients. |
Delicious vegetarian options for your toddler
The diet chart for vegetarian kids should consist of small and frequent meals (3 major meals – breakfast, lunch and dinner and 3-4 small meal snacks) in a day. You can try variations while trying out new vegetarian breakfast ideas and veggie dishes for toddlers.
Following are few healthy meal options:
| BREAKFAST OPTIONS | SNACK OPTIONS | MAIN MEAL OPTIONS (LUNCH/DINNER) |
|---|---|---|
|
BREAKFAST OPTIONS
|
SNACK OPTIONS
|
MAIN MEAL OPTIONS (LUNCH/DINNER)
|
*Honey plays a crucial role in taste development, particularly in early life, as it introduces infants to a diverse range of flavors and helps shape their palate. However, honey can contain the bacteria that may cause infant botulism. Consequently, honey should not be introduced before 12 months of age unless the spores of Clostridium botulinum have been inactivated by adequate high-pressure and high-temperature treatment, as used by industry.
Whenever honey is used in our products, it undergoes an externally validated treatment that ensures our products are safe to consume.
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