Vegetarian and vegan feeding guide for babies

There are different forms of vegetarian diets.

Lacto-ovo vegetarians avoid meat, but eat eggs, milk and dairy foods.

Lacto-vegetarians avoid meat and eggs but eat milk and dairy foods.

A vegan diet includes only vegetable and plant-based products. It excludes any food that comes from animals, including meat, fish, chicken, eggs, milk and dairy products and honey.

Babies can have a vegetarian diet if they get enough nutrients to support their growth and development. For the first six months of life your baby can get all the nutrients they need from breast milk or infant formula.

As a parent you may be a vegetarian for cultural or ethical reasons. You might choose to start your baby on a vegetarian diet when they begin eating solid foods. However, vegetarian diets need to be well planned to ensure babies receive all the nutrition they need to grow and develop normally. Foods for babies also need to be in a suitable form for them to chew and digest. This means using purees at first, then lumpy foods and then cut up pieces.

Vegetarian food options are widely available in most parts of Australia.

A vegetarian diet which avoids chicken, meat and fish can be nutritious if you carefully choose and plan meals and snacks.

You will need to include a variety of foods from the five food groups (fruits and vegetables, milk and alternatives, meat and alternatives, grains and cereals, and healthy fats and oils). If you are unsure how to do this ask your maternal child health nurse or a dietitian for help.

The main nutrients for a vegetarian family to consider are:

• iron
• vitamin B12
• protein
• zinc
• calcium
• omega-3 fats
• vitamin D

When choosing food for your baby, look for foods that are fortified with vitamins and minerals such as iron, zinc, vitamin B12 and calcium.

If you include eggs and dairy foods these provide vitamin B12, calcium, zinc, fats and protein. If you follow a vegan diet your baby is likely to need supplements.

Iron is an important nutrient for brain development. It's also needed to help transport oxygen in the blood.

If your baby is not eating meat or eggs, it may be harder for them to get the iron they need. Your baby's first food may be an iron-fortified cereal mixed with their usual milk.

Foods rich in vitamin C can help your body to absorb more iron. Include fresh fruits and vegetables in your baby's food to give them a source of vitamin C.

Vegetarian foods containing iron and zinc that you can offer your baby include:

• iron fortified infant cereal, such as baby rice cereal
• legumes, such as cooked and mashed baked beans, chickpeas or lentils
• tofu
• nuts and seeds, such as smooth peanut butter or multigrain bread
• well-cooked egg
• cooked and pureed broccoli

As with all babies you will need to start with smooth purees and gradually vary the texture.

Regular meals and snacks give growing babies energy. At first your baby will get most of what they need from their breastmilk or formula.

After the age of 6 months, you can add these foods to your baby's diet:

• avocado
• smooth nut spreads
• well-cooked egg
• tofu and tempeh
• olive oil, nut oils and vegetable oils in cooked foods
• meat substitutes, such as lentils or soy 'meat'
• rice, pasta and other grains

Until around 6 months of age, breastmilk or formula contains all the nutrients that babies need.

When babies start solids, it's easiest for their body to get the protein and calcium they need from animal-based food. As they get older, offer foods that contain protein 2 to 3 times a day. These include:

• dairy foods, including full-fat cheese and yoghurt
• eggs
• meat alternatives, like mashed legumes, or commercially prepared vegetarian meat alternatives, such as textured vegetable protein, vegetarian mince, sausages and burgers
• nut butters and spreads
• calcium fortified soya, rice, oat and almond drinks

Many of these foods also contain calcium.

After your baby reaches 12 months old, you can offer calcium fortified soy milk as a drink. Plant based milk alternatives generally contain less protein than cow's milk. They are not suitable as the main source of nutrition.

If you feed your baby a lot of vegetables and fruits, they may feel full before they get enough energy (calories). This can stop babies from growing well. Include foods with 'healthy' fats at each mealtime, such as

• olive oil, canola oil, avocado or macadamia oil
• sunflower and safflower oil and spreads made from these fats
• nut spreads and butters
• full fat yoghurt
• humus or mashed legumes
• fried tofu
• seeds, such as chia, sunflower, sesame and hemp

When eating out, it can be hard for parents to make healthy and suitable food choices for their baby. Consider bringing food from home for your child. You can use a cool pack to transport it safely.

If your child attends a day care that provides meals, speak with the staff about your child's needs. It may help for you to send vegetarian food items that you know your child will eat. Check the labels of meat substitutes as they can contain high levels or fat and salt.

Alternative foods for vegetarian and vegan babies

Here are some ways to replace meat and dairy in your baby's diet.

It can be harder to plan a vegan diet that meets your growing baby's needs. Vegan foods are often high in fibre which means babies can feel full quickly. Entirely plant-based meals may fill a small stomach without providing enough nutrients.

It can be difficult for a baby who has only vegan foods to get enough nutrients to support their growth and development. Iron and vitamin B12 are important for healthy brain development, but are mainly found in meat, fish and eggs. Calcium is important for bone growth but is mainly found in dairy foods.

Read the EatForHealth guide to foods for infants (Opens in new tab).

Visit the Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne (Opens in new tab) or Nutrition Australia (Opens in new tab) website for information sheets on food and nutrition for babies.

Speak with your doctor and maternal child health nurse about what to feed your baby. You can also see an Accredited Practicing Dietician (Opens in new tab) for expert advice on balanced eating for vegetarians and vegans.