Should Your Family Go Plant-Based?

What can you feed your child, so they grow up healthy and strong? Consider a plant-based diet. Rich in fruits, veggies, whole grains and plant-based proteins like nuts, seeds, lentils and beans, a plant-based diet offers many health benefits for your family, says Nicole Lidyard, RDN, LD, a pediatric clinical dietitian at University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children’s.

More Plants, Less Meat

Research suggests that children who eat a plant-based diet tend to be a healthier weight. Their risk for heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure is also lower.

A plant-based diet doesn’t have to be vegetarian. “But it does feature more food that grows in the ground and less that comes from animals,” says Lidyard.

To include more plant-based foods in your family’s diet, try to:

• Make half your plate veggies and fruit at lunch or dinner.
• Eat the rainbow — offer produce of all different colors. Aim to serve leafy greens daily.
• Consume less meat, or remove it altogether, from at least one or two meals per week.
• Opt for healthy fats, such as those found in nuts, seeds, avocados and olive oil.
• Consider fruit instead of sweets for dessert.

Vegan diets, which cut out all animal products, can be healthy for kids, too. But Lidyard recommends that parents talk with their child’s pediatrician or consult a pediatric dietitian to make sure they’re getting enough of the right nutrients.

Plant-Based on a Budget

Going plant-based has another benefit: Animal foods are often costlier. If you shop right, you can often save money.

To eat a plant-based diet for less:

• Prioritize produce. Begin by choosing raw, fresh fruits and veggies. Local produce that’s in season is often the best deal and the most flavorful. Check farmers markets if you don’t see any in grocery stores.
• Fill up your freezer. That said, frozen varieties contain the same nutrients as fresh but last longer. Canned foods work, too. Always check labels and avoid added sugars and salt.
• Pack your protein. Foods like beans, lentils, eggs and canned fish are inexpensive, filling and nutritious.
• Seek out support. Government programs and food banks offer access to plenty of plant-based staples. Visit www.usa.gov/food-help or www.feedingamerica.org/find-your-local-foodbank to find options.

“Kids don’t always love veggies and other plant-based foods at first,” says Lidyard. “But if you serve them often — and set a good example by eating them yourself — they’ll become part of your family’s routine.”

Related Links

The team at University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital provides nutritional assessments and individualized treatment plans for children of all ages. Learn more.