While I’m not choosing to raise my child to be a vegetarian (and in fact I am not a vegetarian myself), I understand the benefits of a diet high in fruits and vegetables and whole grains, and low in most meats. My 9-month old is currently a “veggie” baby and I plan to keep him that way for a while. Currently, he is obtaining the protein he needs from breastmilk and formula, however as he ages his liquid meals decrease, he will need other sources of protein. The following foods are great sources of protein and are appropriate to feed for infants and toddlers.
Beans. Beans are one of my favorite foods and I hope they become one of my baby’s favorites as well. As early as 7 months, well pureed beans such as black beans and pinto beans can be offered. Beans tend to have a very bland flavor, however, so you may choose to blend your puree with a favorite food such as sweet potatoes. The best way to prepare beans is to purchase dry beans, so that you avoid the added salt and/or sugar contained in most canned products. Soak the beans overnight then cook them in a slow cooker the following day. A food processor or blender does a great job of creating a rather fine textured puree. Be careful to fully blend the beans, since their husks can be difficult for a toothless baby to handle if not properly pureed.
Yogurt. Yogurt does have added sugar to take the bite out of its naturally tart taste, but in moderation can be a great addition to a baby’s diet. All natural yogurts, or those designed specifically for babies, should be chosen. Babies should be offered full-fat yogurts, and should ingest only natural sugars, not sugar substitutes. Choose plain yogurts, or those with added fruits. Just be careful what you choose. All berries should be avoided before 10 months since they are an allergy risk. Strawberries should be avoided until 1 year. Vanilla and peach are always great flavor options.
Cheese. Cottage cheese can be given to babies plain or mixed with fruit or even vegetables. The texture is already perfect for “gumming.” Some hard cheeses, such as cheddar and mozzarella, make great finger foods. Very small chunks, or shreds of these hard cheeses are fairly easy to grasp, and are soft enough for baby to handle. Again, be sure to use full-fat cottage and hard cheeses and limit these items to once or less per day.
Hummus. Because hummus contains tahini, a sesame seed paste, you should make your own homemade version for your child. Sesame seeds, like all other seeds and nuts, pose an allergy risk. Simply grind garbanzo beans (sometimes called chick peas or ceci beans) to a paste, adding olive oil to achieve the right consistency. You may choose to add some flavor to the hummus by adding garlic powder (not salt). You can feed small amounts of this spread to baby by the spoonful, or you can create strips of whole grain toast for your baby to dip into the tasty spread.
Tofu. If you would like for your baby to eat soy products (which can pose an allergy risk as well, so do be careful) you can offer tofu as a high-protein finger food. Small squares of firm tofu can be cut and offered to baby. He may need a little help since the squares tend to be pretty slippery. You can also try blending silken tofu with vegetables or fruit just to up the amount of protein in your baby’s diet.
Eggs. Also an allergy risk, eggs should be avoided until your baby is at least one year old. After that, however, they are a great source of protein. Purchase eggs that are lower in fat, 3.5 grams per egg is good, and make sure to cook the eggs thoroughly. The whites pose the greatest allergy risk, so you might want to start with just the yolks. You can add cheese to scrambled eggs to make a baby omelet. You might even want to add a few vegetables. Eggs are also slippery to handle so your baby may need a little help eating these.
Whether or not you are a vegetarian yourself, you may wish to keep your baby “veggie” for a while before introducing meat. Try these options for giving your baby enough healthy, muscle-building protein, without the meat.
