Vegan Kids Nutrition Karla Moreno-Bryce, MDA, RD, LD

Some of the most common challenges I continue to hear from vegan parents like yourself is how to feed, what to cook, and what foods to focus on for your vegan picky eater.
In today’s episode, we discuss a common feeding practice to “get” picky eaters to eat a particular food they’re avoiding or refusing to eat—hiding foods in mixed or prepared dishes. I share my honest thoughts about this feeding practice and what you can do instead to help your picky eater broaden their food acceptance. I’ll also share why chia seeds are a great daily use for supporting the growth of your vegan picky eaters. 


Here’s what we cover: 
>> A recap of my own experience with picky eating with my oldest daughter
>> The most common food where foods are hidden for picky eaters
>> Why hiding foods for your picky eater is a disservice to their feeding journey
>> How hiding foods can make picky eating behaviors worse
>> The nutrients of chia seeds and why they are great for your vegan picky eater
>> Ways to use chia seeds in your meal planning


Links mentioned in the episode
>> Blog Article - 26 Vegan Meal Ideas for Toddlers and Kids
>> Episode 12 - How I do it: Boost Vegetable Intake with these 5 Strategies
>> Vegan Kids Cookbook
>> FREE Picky Eating Guide
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If you're raising a vegan baby and are about to start solids, set yourself and your baby up for success by knowing how to offer a variety of foods with my FREE 100+ Plant-Based Foods for your vegan baby. Grab your copy of the handout here: https://vegankidsnutrition.ck.page/50cf6f1673


Connect with me:

Website: www.vegankidsnutrition.com

Instagram: @vegan.kids.nutrition

A child’s eating habits are developed early in childhood and as parents, how we approach feeding our vegan kids directly impacts their eating habits. 
In today’s episode, I am sharing my own eating and meal challenges I experienced with my oldest daughter during her time at a new pre-school. I share how her anxiety around food stemmed from the feeding environment she experienced at school and how that impacted her overall eating. 
You’ll walk away with knowing what to do at home to foster healthy eating habits long-term and continue supporting your child’s growth. 


Here’s what we cover: 
>> A look into the four common parental feeding styles and how that impacts a child’s eating
>> How my oldest daughter’s picky eating significantly changed with a certain feeding style and environment at school
>> My top 4 recommendations to do at home to foster healthy eating habits long-term
>> How a child can regulate their own intake with more autonomy 
>> What I did to transform meal time battles into more food acceptance 
>> The power of food play to help your vegan child try and accept plant-based foods



Links mentioned in the episode
>> Episode 12 - How I do it: Boost vegetable intake with these 5 strategies
>> Vegan Kids Nutrition Blueprint course
___________________________________________

If you're raising a vegan baby and are about to start solids, set yourself and your baby up for success by knowing how to offer a variety of foods with my FREE 100+ Plant-Based Foods for your vegan baby. Grab your copy of the handout here: https://vegankidsnutrition.ck.page/50cf6f1673


Connect with me:

Website: www.vegankidsnutrition.com

Instagram: @vegan.kids.nutrition

Whether you choose to raise your kids on a vegan diet for ethical reasons or for health reasons or environmental reasons or all the above, you may know that feeding your kids a vegan diet can support their growth and development.


However, many outside the vegan community continue to question whether a vegan diet is actually nutritionally adequate for a child. And even strongly oppose a vegan diet for children, saying a vegan diet is cruel or dangerous for a growing child. 


In today’s episode, I am debunking three myths about a vegan diet for children to bring awareness and to finally show that kids who follow a vegan diet can grow into healthy humans. 


Here’s what we cover:
>> How a vegan diet can be nutritionally adequate at every stage of growth
>> Why is meat and dairy so central to society’s meal plan?
>> The nutrients that are believed to be missing on a plant-based diet
>> Why non-heme iron from plant-based foods is more advantageous 
>> How the animal agriculture industry is one of the biggest industries that intentionally inflict pain and suffering 
>> Is a vegan diet more expensive than an omnivore diet? 


Links mentioned in the episode
>> Ep 1. Is a vegan diet unsafe for children?
>> Vegan Kids Nutrition Blueprint course 



Read the transcript here
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If you're raising a vegan baby and are about to start solids, set yourself and your baby up for success by knowing how to offer a variety of foods with my FREE 100+ Plant-Based Foods for your vegan baby. Grab your copy of the handout here: https://vegankidsnutrition.ck.page/50cf6f1673


Connect with me:

Website: www.vegankidsnutrition.com

Instagram: @vegan.kids.nutrition

Protein is the primary food to focus our meals around…or is it? 
We often hear about the importance of protein and that without enough of it, our bodies can’t thrive—especially that of vegan kids. Many of us want to ensure that our vegan kids are meeting their protein needs but often feel worried they’re not getting enough from the amount they eat at meal times. 
In today’s podcast episode, I’m sharing the truth about how important protein is for vegan kids and how you can feel reassured that they’re getting enough. 
Here’s what we cover: 
>> Brief background on the Food Guide Pyramid and how society has placed so much emphasis on protein
>> The two major macronutrients that vegan kids need to support their growth
>> Percent of calories that vegan kids need from protein in their diet
>> Do vegan kids need protein powder? 
>> Top sources of plant protein
>> How to ensure you’re meeting your vegan kids protein needs without calculating anything


Links mentioned on this episode
>> Vegan Kids Nutrition Blueprint course
>> Vegan Kids Cookbook
___________________________________________

If you're raising a vegan baby and are about to start solids, set yourself and your baby up for success by knowing how to offer a variety of foods with my FREE 100+ Plant-Based Foods for your vegan baby. Grab your copy of the handout here: https://vegankidsnutrition.ck.page/50cf6f1673


Connect with me:

Website: www.vegankidsnutrition.com

Instagram: @vegan.kids.nutrition

“How do you respectfully put a baby in a high chair when they're fighting/kicking because they don't like to be strapped in?”
Feeding our vegan kids is hard work and when you add other elements to this, like navigating how to sit your child on their high chair, this task only feels more overwhelming. 
In today’s episode, I’m revealing three common reasons why your vegan baby may be resisting sitting in their high chair. You’ll also hear a helpful tool that I use with my two girls that ensures they know what to expect as meal time approaches. 
Here’s what we cover: 
>> A brief update to how I plan on sharing content on my platforms
>> How a baby communicates about their appetite 
>> What to consider when establishing meal time routines/schedules
>> The requirements of a high chair to ensure it’s comfortable for your vegan baby
>> My favorite high chair and the one I use for my two daughters
>> Why portion sizes matter when feeding your vegan baby
>> What I tell my daughters to help them through a transition 
Links mentioned in the episode
>> FREE Starting Solids with Baby Led Weaning Guide
>> Stokke Tripp Trapp High Chair (affiliate link)
___________________________________________

If you're raising a vegan baby and are about to start solids, set yourself and your baby up for success by knowing how to offer a variety of foods with my FREE 100+ Plant-Based Foods for your vegan baby. Grab your copy of the handout here: https://vegankidsnutrition.ck.page/50cf6f1673


Connect with me:

Website: www.vegankidsnutrition.com

Instagram: @vegan.kids.nutrition

“Really struggling to see how we can get sufficient choline even with a good spread of plant-based sources”.
This was a message from a vegan parent I received on social media. They have heard that choline is important for the growth of vegan kids but question how to actually meet their child’s needs. And many other vegan parents question too, especially when their  vegan child is a picky eater or when they perceive their child isn’t eating enough. 
In today’s podcast, I am sharing two simple tips of how you can meet your child’s choline needs on a vegan diet and how choline supports the growth of your vegan kids. 
Here’s what we cover: 
>> A brief recap of my life events (i.e. I welcomed a new vegan family member!)
>> What is choline and it’s role in supporting a vegan child’s growth and development
>> How much choline do vegan kids need at each stage of growth
>> Plant-based food sources with the highest amount of choline
>> The one plant food that can help meet choline needs for vegan kids
>> How to think about meal planning so that you feel reassured your kids are meeting their choline needs
Links mentioned in the episode
>> Episode 9 - The Most Important Thing to Implement and Help Vegan Kids Try Foods
>> Vegan Kids Nutrition Blueprint course

Read the Transcript

References
“Choline.” VeganHealth.org, veganhealth.org/choline/#functions.“Office of Dietary Supplements - Choline.” NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Choline-HealthProfessional/.___________________________________________

If you're raising a vegan baby and are about to start solids, set yourself and your baby up for success by knowing how to offer a variety of foods with my FREE 100+ Plant-Based Foods for your vegan baby. Grab your copy of the handout here: https://vegankidsnutrition.ck.page/50cf6f1673


Connect with me:

Website: www.vegankidsnutrition.com

Instagram: @vegan.kids.nutrition