January is typically the time of year when people make changes to their lifestyle, whether they make New Year’s Resolutions or commit themselves to doing something different for a few weeks.
That is why Veganuary has exploded since it launched in 2014, with millions of people from 228 countries around the world having ditched animal products for the first month of the year over the last decade.
In 2024 alone, 25 million people became vegan for the month, thanks to the growing publicity on social media, supermarkets and celebrity endorsements. In fact, the likes of Joaquin Phoenix and Paul McCartney are among Veganary’s ambassadors, so it’s not hard to see why so many people are keen to adopt this diet change, at least for January.
However, parents with young children might be concerned that ditching animal products could be harmful to their little ones.
Here we investigate whether a vegan diet is safe for children to cook and eat and what you need to feed them to keep their nutrition as rich as possible.
A well-planned diet is a healthy diet
The general school of thought is that as long as mums and dads plan their menus thoroughly to ensure their children get the protein, fats, vitamins, and minerals they need to grow strong and healthy, then a vegan diet is perfectly safe.
According to an article in the British Medical Journal, youngsters with a vegan diet had a lower fat mass, blood cholesterol and fasting glucose levels than those who ate animal products. They were also found to have higher intakes of fibre, vitamin C, unsaturated fats, and magnesium.
It concluded: “As health professionals we need to support parents raising their families on a vegan diet, especially since most are motivated by a desire to live a kinder, more compassionate life on this planet.”
Supplement with supplements
To make sure a child is getting all the nutrients they need, parents should make sure they add vitamin supplements to their little one’s diet.
The Department of Health actually recommends that all children from six months to five years old have vitamin A, C and D supplements, and those on a plant-based diet need to also ensure they are getting enough vitamin B12, which is found in animal products like meat, poultry, dairy and eggs.
Fortified milks and cereals can supplement their diet, while it is also essential that they have enough omega-3 fats for brain and cardio health, calcium for their bone development, iodine for thyroid function, protein for muscle growth, fibre for their digestion, and vitamin D for immune protection and bone strength.
Supplements in each of these can be found, or children can get enough of them by eating the right types of food.
What should a healthy vegan diet for a child include?
Many people are under the impression that ditching meat, eggs and dairy will automatically be healthier, but this is only the case if they ensure their plant-based diet meets their nutritional needs. They can't live off chips and stay fit and well, for instance - and nor will their children.
Every vegan diet, therefore, needs to include the following:
Protein
Vitamin B12
Vitamin C
Vitamin D
Omega 3
Fibre
Iron
Calcium
Protein
To get enough protein, which is essential for growth, children need to be eating beans, lentils, tofu, nuts and nut butters.
Although there are lots of vegan alternatives for burgers and sausages these days, they are highly processed and often have a high sugar and salt content. Therefore, it is best to limit them and eat as naturally as possible.
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is essential for children, and a deficiency in it can cause anaemia, fatigue, nerve damage and even cardiovascular problems.
As the vitamin is found in animal products, children need to eat fortified breakfast cereals, soya yoghurts and milks, and yeast extracts, such as Marmite.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is important as it helps in the absorption of iron. Therefore, parents need to make sure their offspring have a good intake of citrus fruits, peppers, broccoli, blackcurrants, strawberries and potatoes.
If your child is fussy about fruit and vegetables, it can be difficult for them to get the vitamins and minerals they need to be healthy.
Vitamin D
Lots of children in the UK, whether they eat meat or not, are deficient in vitamin D, as there is not enough sunlight in the winter. Therefore, the best way to make sure kids get enough vitamin D for their bone health and immunity is to take a supplement suitable for vegans.
Omega 3
Omega-3 fats are essential for brain development, as well as for hair, skin, joints, eyes and the heart. Fortunately, it is quite easy to get a good dose of omega-3 fats on a vegan diet, as you can add chia seeds, linseeds, hemp seeds or walnuts to many dishes.
For instance, they could be put in smoothies, soups, cereals, overnight oats, curries and pasta sauces.
Fibre
To make sure your child gets enough fibre so their digestive health remains good, they need to eat refined grains like cereal.
Children need between 15g and 25g of fibre a day, depending on their age, and this can be found in wholemeal breads, potatoes, pulses, vegetables, fruits, and wholegrains, such as wholewheat pasta, brown rice or bulgar wheat.
Iron
Iron is also important as it helps to produce red blood cells, which are needed to carry oxygen around the body. This gives the body energy, and a lack of iron leads to fatigue, headaches and development delays.
Supplement your children’s diet by introducing pulses, dried fruits like figs and apricots, green leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds and wholemeal bread to their diet.
Calcium
Children are growing all the time, which is why calcium is such an important mineral for them. However, it is mostly found in dairy products.
Alternatively, children can get a good dose of calcium by having milk alternatives, nuts, leafy green vegetables, sesame seeds, tahini paste, dried fruits, red kidney beans and bread.
As long as a child adapts to their new diet easily and is happy to include these foods in their meals, they can enjoy a vegan lifestyle with no repercussions.
Parents who want to experiment with Veganuary, therefore, should feel confident their little ones can thrive on an animal-free diet, and could be tempted to make the change a more permanent one.
For ideas on how to adopt a vegan diet, our children’s cooking classes cover a range of dietary needs, including plant-based dishes.