Vegan Kids Nutrition

Send Karla a message Have you ever wished your child's school offered more plant-based meal options? You're not alone! Many vegan and plant-based families struggle with the lack of meal choices that fit our dietary needs in schools. In this episode, Karla sits down with Jodi Gruhn to discuss the growing interest of plant-based meals in schools. Jodi shares her insights, her work through Wholesome Minnesota, and tips on how parents can advocate for healthier meal options in educational ...

Send Karla a message Ever wondered how other vegan parents navigate certain social situations, like birthday parties or school events? I sure have. Navigating a vegan feeding journey can sometimes feel lonely and knowing what others do or how others handle certain challenges helps us not feel so isolated. In Episode 21, I invite Mistye Momon from Buttafly Kisses Vegan Treats to share some of the challenges she experienced throughout her 22 years in raising a vegan family—with five...

Send Karla a message Calcium is a nutrient many parents and caregivers feel worried they’re not meeting in their child’s meals. It’s common to feel that way as it’s a nutrient that helps build stronger bones and teeth—crucial for support a vegan child’s overall growth. In this episode of the Vegan Kids Nutrition Podcast, you’ll hear about a vegan parent’s concern in meeting their child’s calcium needs and what top plant foods you can incorporate at home to help meet calcium requirements...

Send Karla a message A recent study looked at iodine content of plant-based products in the Swiss market. On a broader scale, it gives us a perspective of how iodine content in plant-based foods impact overall nutrition for our vegan kids. In today’s episode, we take a look at the iodine content in plant-based products in the Swiss market, why is iodine so important for growing vegan kids, and how our food system can make progress in the making of plant-based products. Here’s what we co...

Send Karla a message 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 ...

Send Karla a message 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 w...

Send Karla a message 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 chil...

Send Karla a message 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 ...

Send Karla a message “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...

Send Karla a message “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 po...

Send Karla a message Do you have a picky eater at home? Are you feeling overwhelmed at your vegan child not eating or trying their vegetables? As a vegan parent myself, I know the challenges that come with feeding a child that chooses not to eat their vegetables during a meal. It can bring up feelings of frustration, stress, and anxiety—feelings that I know you can overcome. Which is why in today’s episode, I’m pulling back the curtains and sharing my top strategies on what I do at home...

Send Karla a message Have you ever been judged, received a negative comment, or simply felt unsupported of your choice for raising vegan kids? I’m going to take a guess here and say: yes. It’s so common for so many vegan families to be looked down upon simply because of the dietary pattern we have chosen for our family. This leaves us feeling unsupported and for some of us doubtful of how we are feeding our vegan children. In today’s episode, I’m sharing with you a behind the scen...

Send Karla a message Raising a vegan family is much more than offering healthful plant foods. It’s about ensuring that adequate nutrition is provided to support our vegan kids growth and development. In today’s episode, I’m sharing with you the 5 healthful habits for vegan families to implement so that children healthfully thrive on a vegan lifestyle. Ultimately, whether you'll be starting to implement these habits or already following a few, you'll feel confident that you're doing ever...

Send Karla a message Have you ever served a meal to your vegan toddler or child only to feel frustrated that they didn’t touch certain vegetables? Meal planning for your vegan kids can often feel overwhelming when they choose not to touch, try, or eat certain plant foods—like vegetables. You try different strategies like getting them fun utensils or cutting foods in fun shapes but they still don’t seem interested. And this causes more anxiety on not knowing how to actually “get” your ve...

Send Karla a message For many first time vegan parents, starting solids is both an exciting and overwhelming time. Many feel excited to start Baby Led Weaning on their vegan journey and others feel concerned about chocking, what first foods to offer, what equipment is needed like the best high chair, and what nutrients does a vegan baby need in this stage of growth. These are all concerns I had too when my daughter was about to start her vegan Baby Led Weaning journey! In this episode, ...

Send Karla a message Meal planning for your vegan kids can sometimes feel overwhelming. Some vegan parents feel concerned that they may be missing certain nutrients, others feel stuck on what to prepare for dinner or even school-lunch boxes, and others may feel like they’re just not good enough, leaving them feeling concerned about their vegan child’s overall diet. The truth is that you can have more clarity and confidence in meal planning for your vegan family. And in today’s episode, I’m sh...

Send Karla a message Your vegan kids need iron to support their growth and development. And if you’re already saying “C’mon Karla, I knew that already”. Well, hear me about because not all vegan parents focus their attention on this crucial nutrient during childhood. In today’s episode, I’m sharing three simple yet proven strategies that can instantly help your vegan child meet their iron needs so that you have peace of mind that you’re doing the right things in feeding your kids a vega...

Send Karla a message Many families who choose to feed their vegan baby with infant formulas are often unsure whether soy-based infant formulas are safe. For majority of vegan parents, they fear that soy may have adverse effects on the growth and development of their baby. And for others, they wonder if a formula made from soy protein isolate is suitable for their vegan lifestyle. In today’s episode, I’m sharing some insights about how soy-based infant formula can support your baby’s gro...

Send Karla a message If you’ve ever been shamed, ridiculed or judged for choosing to raise your children on a vegan lifestyle, let me start off by saying I’m sorry. No parent—regardless of their chosen eating pattern—should ever have to experience this. It is too often that I hear from vegan parents just like you about negative experiences with family, friends, or healthcare providers simply because of the way you have chosen to raise your family. Yet, what others don’t see (or choose n...

Send Karla a message I’m going to take a guess here and say that perhaps you’ve heard in the media or social media that soy foods are “bad” and should be avoided in your family’s vegan diet. Many vegan parents like yourself have heard negative health outcomes for the consumption of soy foods like tofu, tempeh, and soy milk. This has left you with some doubts about the use of soy foods in your vegan child’s meals and snacks. In today’s episode, I am breaking down the top 3 most com...

Send Karla a message Have you ever felt unsure about the amount of food your infant, toddler, or child eats at a particular meal? Many vegan parents just like yourself often feel worried that your vegan baby, toddler, and/or child didn’t eat “enough”. This in turn makes you feel concerned whether or not they’re meeting their nutrient needs on a vegan diet. And so, naturally as a parent, you react based on that underlying fear of not meeting your child’s nutritional needs on a vegan diet. And ...

Send Karla a message In this episode, Karla dives into answering the question of whether a vegan diet is unsafe to support the growth of children. And if so, what makes the diet unsafe. You'll discovery the one meal planning strategy to begin implementing in your meals so that you feel reassured in supporting the growth and develop for your kids at each stage of growth. Links mentioned in this episode: FREE Essential Starter Kit for Feeding Vegan Kids_____________________________...