Vegetarian Baby Foods
Parents are most often concerned with feeding their child the right diet. A vegetarian diet for babies is a healthy and wholesome choice, provided the child does not have any allergies to fruits and vegetables. Parents can buy pre-made vegetarian baby food from the store or make some of their own.
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Definition of a Vegetarian Diet
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For babies who are on a vegetarian diet, this means, they will not be allowed to eat any meat, fish, seafood or animal by-products, such as gelatin. Dairy products such as milk, cheese, and eggs are often still eaten by those on a vegetarian diet. The baby's vegetarian food will mostly consist of vegetables and fruits, along with bread and rice for carbohydrates, and beans and soy for protein.
Why Follow a Vegetarian Diet
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Vegetarian baby foods are ideal for babies between 6 to 9 months of age, who are too young for meat or are following a meat-free diet. Vegetarian food has a lot of nutritional value. It gives babies the antioxidants and rich nutrients they need to adequately grow and develop. Striking meat from your baby's diet keeps her from ingesting harmful chemicals and hormones often found in meat, along with keeping her from contracting animal-borne diseases such as mad cow disease.
Store Bought Vegetarian Baby Foods
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Parents can purchase a variety of vegetarian baby foods from the store. Baby food companies sells many pre-made baby foods made from vegetables and fruits that are wholesome and inexpensive. You can also purchase rice cereals and puddings at your local grocery store.
Homemade Baby Foods
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Parents can make their own homemade baby foods by pureeing fruits and veggies in the blender and then pouring them into airtight containers and refrigerating them. Mix and match pureed fruits, or bake up potatoes and mash them up, adding a bit of cheese. There are several sources online for vegetarian baby food recipes you can easily cook up in your own kitchen.
Nutrition
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It is necessary to make sure babies on a vegetarian diet get all the nutrients they need for normal growth and development. Meats should be replaced with mashed or pureed beans, tofu, yogurt and cheese to give adequate protein. Make sure your baby gets enough vitamin B12, found in milk and eggs; vitamin D, also found in dairy milk or soy milk; calcium, found in milk, yogurt and cheese; iron, which can be found in store bought rice cereals; and fiber, that can be found in fortified cereals, breads, pasta, and avocados.
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References
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