Mothers of School-Age Children

Healthy Eating

“I’ve decided that I’m going to be a vegetarian. My mom is a little worried because she doesn’t know a lot about vegetarian food, but I don’t think it will be hard.”

Yes, she can! The fact that Emma wants to be a vegetarian is not something to worry about. Dietitians of Canada says that a well-planned vegetarian diet can be healthful, provide enough nutrients to a young person, and even provide health benefits when it comes to preventing or treating certain diseases. As a parent, you can help Emma eat a healthy vegetarian diet. Visit the Resources section of the Dietitians of Canada website here.

What can I feed my young vegetarian athlete?

First you must know what kind of vegetarian your child is. This may be more complex than you knew! Often, young people do not know what kind of vegetarian they are. Here are some questions to help you understand this better. Is your child…?

Semi-Vegetarian: They will eat some animal products, such as meat, fish, poultry, dairy products, and eggs.
Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian: They will eat some milk products and eggs.
Lacto Vegetarian: They will eat some milk products but not eggs.
Vegan: They will NOT eat any animal products.

Once you know what kind of vegetarian Emma is, you can start planning! Visit our links to breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack ideas to find vegetarian suggestions the whole family will love.

Here is a sample menu for one day for your athletic vegetarian child.

Breakfast

1 slice whole wheat toast with natural peanut butter (for example, President’s Choice Just Peanuts or Kraft Natural Peanut Butter)
3/4 cup of whole grain ready-to-serve cereal with ½ cup soy milk; try different kinds until you find one that your child and the rest of your family likes
Add fruits like sliced banana, berries, or orange sections to the top of cereal
Glass of orange juice, water, or soy milk.

Lunch

Stuff a 6 inch round pita pocket with 60 g of hummus, lettuce, and 30 g of grated cheese (if they eat dairy)
Put a frozen individual tub of stirred yogurt into the lunch bag; it will thaw by lunch
Bottle of water (or 2)
Fruit - make sure it’s fruit your child will eat. Bananas tend to go mushy and brown in a backpack.
A container of trail mix or a granola bar
Banana nut muffin (or another type of muffin your child likes)

Make sure you include enough small snacks to give her a boost for any extra sporting activities during the day.

Dinner

Spicy lentil chili (see recipe below); the whole family will enjoy this
½ cup basmati rice (cooks very quickly)
mixed green salad
fresh fruit and ½ cup of yogurt for dessert
glass of water

Snacks for before and after a workout

1 small banana, apple, or other fruit
250 ml low fat milk or fortified soy beverage

Evening snack

1 slice of whole wheat bread with 2 tbsp. nut butter.
125 ml milk or fortified soy beverage.

Spicy Lentil Chili (Recipe from Crazy Plates, by Janet & Greta Podleski, Granet Publishing, 1999)

1 tsp. olive oil

1 cup each of diced onions, celery, green pepper, and carrots

1 clove garlic

1 tbsp. chili powder

2 tsp ground cumin

1 - 1 ½ tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1 19 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained

1 19 oz can cooked lentils, drained and rinsed

1 cup tomato sauce

½ cup unsweetened pineapple juice

1/4 cup chili sauce

1 tbsp brown sugar

1/4 cup chopped, fresh cilantro

For garnish: low fat sour cream (if your child eats milk products)

Heat olive oil in large pot over medium heat. Add onions, celery, green pepper, carrots, and garlic. Cook and stir for 5 minutes, until vegetables begin to soften.

Add chili powder, cumin, oregano. and cinnamon, Cook and stir for 1 more minute. Add all remaining ingredients except cilantro and sour cream. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring once in a while.

Stir in cilantro. Remove from heat, ladle into serving bowls and top with sour cream, if desired.