Nutrition


the grill and make tofu kabobs, alternat- ing with fresh vegetables. Instead of chips and dips, choose snacks such as carrots and peanut butter, whole-grain crackers with hummus and a handful of nuts and raisins. Substitute black beans for the meat in chilli. Use extra-firm tofu instead of chicken in fajitas. Create a sample menu each week so


to this lifestyle. Your family may need to explore new grocery or online stores, find new menu ideas and check out new cookbooks.


What to Eat Your family must decide which foods are excluded and which are acceptable. Involve your kids in meal planning, and educate them on meat substitutions. You can serve spaghetti with tomato sauce and meatless meatballs, avail- able in the frozen section of most grocery stores. Tofu can replace meat in dishes such as vegetable stir-fry, but include spinach, kale or Swiss chard for a boost of iron. Vegetarian stuffed peppers with a blend of rice and vegetables are a good dinner choice. Use beans instead of ground beef. Serve eggplant — instead of chicken — Parmesan. If your child does not eat dairy, use soy cheese. Grill a meat- less portobello mushroom burger and top with lettuce, tomato and cheese. Fire up


16 Nutrient


Calcium (mg) Iron (mg)


you are prepared in advance with alterna- tive ingredients that provide the nutritional benefits formerly achieved by eating meat. Without a vegetarian background you may not be comfortable planning your child’s diet, so consider consulting a dietician. A variety of restaurants — es- pecially Indian, Asian and Middle Eastern — have a wide selection of delicious vegetarian options. Include the following essential dietary requirements in your vegetarian menus.


years 500


1-3 7


5 3


years 4-8 9-13 M 8 9-13 F


800 1300 1300 10


8


Vitamin B12 (mcg) 900 pcg 1.2 Vitamin D (mcg) Zinc (mg)


Protein (GMS) 19 34 1.8 1.8


5 55 5 88 46 52


Protein Sources An essential for tissue building and repair, protein is made up of smaller compo- nents called amino acids. Some good plant sources of protein include:


* Legumes, such as beans, peas and lentils.


* Nuts and seeds, nut and seed butter.


* Soy products, including soy beverages, tempeh and tofu. * Whole (cereal) grains.


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