Kiddipedia
By Tammy Fry, Global Brand Lead for leading plant-based food brand Fry’s
Following a plant-based diet can have many health benefits for yourself and your children. Research has shown that people following plant-based diets tend to be healthier than meat-eaters. However, parents often wonder if their kids are getting enough protein to grow up healthy and strong. After raising two happy and healthy kids on a plant-based diet, here are my top tips to keep your kids healthy on this diet.
Tip #1: Variety is key
I am often asked if children can derive sufficient protein on a plant-based diet, which is understandable given the importance of protein for a growing body. It’s important that you ensure that your child eats a well-balanced diet and gets all the essential vitamins and minerals they need by offering them a wide range of plant-based foods, including beans, legumes, nuts, broccoli, and whole grains. Look for foods with extra calcium like orange juice, cereals and soy milk and consider using
Tip #2: Keep it kid-friendly
There are lots of plant-based meals in the market that appeal to children, such as plant-based chicken fingers, veggie burgers, and meatless sausages that kids love! When looking at a ready-made meat alternative, soy protein provides the same quality protein as meat and contains all the same essential amino acids that children need to grow up healthy and strong.
Raising your kids on a plant-based diet is much the same as if you were raising them on meat. If your kids don’t love a certain veggie, become a master of disguise and blend or hide it in their meals to ensure they’re getting all their important nutrients. Regular snacks are important for all children, no matter their diet – so be sure to have some on hand! If you’re ever not sure of what to feed your child to keep them healthy, reach out to your doctor or dietitian for advice.
Tip #3: Make it part of your lifestyle
Cooking with your kids and talking about the food you have made teaches your children about the health benefits from eating a plant-based diet, while also introducing the conversation around where our food comes from.
Eating plant-based at home is one thing, but when your kids go to school events, get togethers and kids’ parties, it can be hard to navigate for your little ones. I always pack some options for my kids, like plant-based sausage rolls so my children don’t feel left out. However, I always let my children make their own choices while out with friends, as I am there to guide and inspire them, not control them. Remember, your children are not you. It is up to you to teach them the value that you hold as a family unit. If they make different choices as they get older, don’t take it personally or as a sign that you have failed. We are all on different journeys!
About Fry Family Foods
It all began in the Fry family kitchen in South Africa over three decades ago, where Wally and Debbie Fry learnt how to make delicious meat-free burgers and sausages to feed their family.
Debbie and her daughter Tammy (both born vegetarians) had persuaded Wally (an avid meat eater) to give up meat. On a mission to find nutritious and satisfying meat alternatives for his family, Wally started experimenting in their kitchen.
30-years later, the Fry family are now living in Australia and the Fry’s award-winning range of vegan products is available all over the world. The brand, under the continued guidance of Tammy and Hayley (second generation Fry family), has pioneered the plant-based food space by making tasty meat-free alternatives that are simple and fuss-free.
The Fry’s range of vegan food was awarded Best Vegan Meat in the VegFest Awards in the UK two years in a row (2020 and 2021). In 2021 the brand’s Chicken-Style Burger was the only plant-based chicken burger to make it onto abillion’s Top 10 Plant-Based Burger list and their ‘beefy’ Big Fry Burger won the inaugural Plant-Based Food Award at the Symrise Food Review New Product Competition. In 2022 Tammy Fry’s cookbook, Made with Love and Plants, received a prestigious Gourmand World Cookbook Award.
In 2020, The Fry Family Food Co. joined forces with LIVEKINDLY Collective as part of a leading global movement to make plant-based living the new norm. This unique collective is now on track to become one of the world’s largest plant-based food companies.
