Hi Reader,

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When Camila turned a year old, she began to have unsweetened fortified soy milk with her meals.

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She loved her soy milk! And if I had forgotten to give it to her at meals, she would remind me by pointing down to the placemat and saying "leche" (milk in Spanish).

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Giving her fortified soy milk was the easiest way to make me feel reassured she was meeting her calcium needs.

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It made meal planning easy because her soy milk was my insurance. I didn't have to give calcium too much thought.

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Until...she began to decline it.

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One meal turned into one day. One day turned into a week. And I'm not kidding, one week turned into a month that she just stopped drinking her soy milk all together. We tried other plant milks too like oat and pea-based milk. Even with those, she didn't take them.

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Was I worried? I'd be lying to you if I said it didn't.

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Her soy milk was my security.

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But I knew I could find other ways in my meal planning to not feel concerned about supporting Camila's bone growth.

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If you're in the same boat or in the least bit concerned about how to best meet calcium needs for your vegan kids, here are a few of my favorite ways to help Camila.

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1. Chia pudding: chia seeds are a good source of calcium. Sprinkling some on toast or oatmeal is great but chia pudding can help your little ones eat more chia seeds in one meal. This Coconut Chia Pudding recipe is one I used to make for myself prior to becoming a mom but I continue to make it now for my family. Chia pudding can also be a great option for those just starting solids.
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2. Almond butter: I love spreading almond butter on toast, waffle batter, or on pancakes. About 1 tablespoon of almond butter provides roughly 55mg of calcium. That number may not seem like a whole lot but with other sources throughout the day it can add up for your vegan child.
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3. Navy beans: Some legumes, like soybeans, can be a great option for meeting calcium needs. Legumes can sometimes be a challenge for vegan kids to eat but it's still a great approach to offer in meals for exposure. One of my favorite ways to offer navy beans is in soups. This Cauliflower Chowder is Camila's favorite and while not listed in the recipe, I have since been adding navy beans to it for meeting calcium and iron. But you can add navy beans to creamed soups, muffin batter, or make sweet homemade baked beans.

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While Camila no longer accepts her fortified soy milk, I have other plant sources and meals that help her meet her calcium needs.

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I know that by trying different ways in helping your kids accept foods, you'll find your security food(s) to help your own vegan child meet their own calcium needs.

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Read: Top 5 Calcium Sources for Vegan Kids (old blog post)

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Happy vegan feeding,

Karla

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PS. If you found this email helpful, I would be so thankful if you can share it with another parent. And if they'd like to sign-up to the VKN email list to receive future nutrition tips, they can sign up here. ​

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