My two year old nephew, who I hoped would grow up to be a vegetarian, if not vegan, is neither anymore. He started off on a good note with eating miso mashed potatoes and date brownies, but slowly he learned to *ask* for food. Needless to say, he asks for anything that's on the table, that he sees others eating, and anything that he hasn't tried before. My heart sank the first time I heard him say "mangto dao" (pass me the meat), pointing at a bowl of chicken curry on the table. Before my nephew started eating meat, I would often talk about his vegetarian diet to others, and many had told me that it was cruel (?) to put a child on a vegetarian/vegan diet and that they should be able to choose whether or not to be vegan when they grow up. This got me thinking about choice!

When a 2 year old is asking for meat, he doesn't know what it is that he is asking for.  He doesn't know that the chicken leg he is enjoying so much used to be a beautiful bird. He doesn't know that if he was put in front of the bird, then his natural instincts would be to play with the bird and not eat it. In fact, he would probably be quite traumatized if you killed a chicken in front of him. He doesn't know that meat can give him high cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease and many forms of cancer. He doesn't know that the hormones he is consuming with animal products can play havoc on his system. Meat is addictive. And when WE choose to introduce our children to this addiction, we effectively take away their freedom to choose in the long run. A baby that grows up eating chicken legs and hamburgers is highly unlikely to choose healthy/vegetarian food as an adult. I remember my struggle with it and wishing how wonderful it would have been to be raised on a vegan diet. But as a child, I didn't get to choose.  My food was chosen for me by the adults (back then, they didn't know any better). As I grew older, my addiction did the choosing for me.

As for being cruel, we only think that it's cruel to raise a child vegan because our adult mind equates a meatless meal with deprivation. Nowadays, food is less about nourishment and more about satisfying our taste buds.  I feel that we are cruel to our children when we knowingly feed them food that we know is not good for them. We are cruel when we choose food based on availability and convenience because making healthy, humane food is too much work. We must not also forget that encouraging our children to eat animal products is how we plant the seed of selective compassion in their minds. The child grows up learning to eat one animal, and love (if at all) another.

Now comes the question of nutrition. Making sure children get enough and the right kind of calories is key to meeting needs for growth. Regularly monitor your child's growth. When feeding your vegan baby and toddler, here are some tips to keep in mind:

PROTEIN

Most foods contain some protein. Vegan protein-rich foods include: beans, peas, lentils, ground nuts/seeds or thinly spread or well blended nut/seed butters, tofu and other soy products. Children have slightly higher protein needs (per kilogram of their body weight) than adults. Vegans may also have slightly higher requirements than non-vegans. Complete protein needs can be met entirely through plant-based foods. There is no need to combine foods at meals to create complete proteins. Aim to include a variety of protein-rich foods daily.

VITAMIN B12

Vitamin B12 is naturally found in animal foods. Vegans need a vitamin B12 supplement or a consistent intake of foods fortified with vitamin B12 to meet their needs. Regularly including enough fortified foods in the diet of a baby or toddler would be a challenge. Aim to give your toddler 0.9 mcg of vitamin B12 daily. Vegan breastfeeding mothers should make sure they are getting at least 2.8 mcg of vitamin B12 daily.

CALCIUM

An important role for calcium is to build strong, healthy bones and teeth. Calcium is found in: breastmilk and store-bought infant formula, calcium fortified tofu, almond and sesame (tahini) butter, beans, peas, lentils, leafy greens, and black strap molasses. Aim to give your toddler 700mg of calcium daily.

IRON

Iron deficiency is the most common nutrient deficiency in babies and young children. Iron is essential for growth and brain development. A 7 to 12 month old baby needs 11mg and a 1 to 3 year old toddler needs 7mg of iron daily. Vegetarians may require an intake of 1.8 times more iron than non-vegetarians. Offer iron rich foods at least 2 to 3 times each day to help your baby meet their needs. Vegan food sources of iron include: fortified cereals, beans, peas, lentils, tofu, broccoli, kale, and green beans. As vitamin C helps to increase absorption of iron, pair your iron-containing foods with tomatoes, citrus, melon, strawberries, broccoli, papaya, or bell peppers for an added boost!

OMEGA-3

Omega-3 fats are important for brain development and eye health. Because vegan children only get their omega-3 fats from plant-based foods, they may have a higher requirement than non-vegan children. Food sources of omega-3 include: ground walnuts, flaxseed oil, ground flaxseeds (tishi), chia seeds and canola oil.

Raise your children vegan. If you want him/her to choose his food, then let him do so when he is at an age to make an informed decision. Your child may take up smoking and other unhealthy habits too as he grows older, but as adults, it is our responsibility to equip them with the right education and information.

TUKLU'S MISO MASHED POTATO!

Ingredients

2 pounds red potatoes, scrubbed

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp Miso paste (You can use any miso paste that you can find at grocery stores (usually in refrigerated section near tofu at Korean stores).

2 tbsp coconut milk

2 tsp minced fresh chives, parsley or green onion

Method

In a large pot, add the potatoes and cover with water by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, then turn heat to medium and let cook for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork.

Drain the water, leaving the potatoes in the pot. Mash the potatoes with a potato masher or in a food processor. Add in the remaining ingredients and mix well. Taste and season with additional miso (needs more flavour) or milk (too thick) if needed.

Photo: Rubaiya Ahmad