How to feed your vegetarian baby

Here's our helpful guide to vegetarian weaning to ensure your baby gets a balanced diet.

What is a vegetarian diet?

Vegetarians do not eat meat, fish or animal by-products such as gelatine. Some people eat fish but not meat (they are known as pescatarians) and some people exclude some but not all types of meat or fish from the diet.

This article focuses on vegetarian diets that do not include any meat, fish or animal by-products but do include dairy foods and eggs.

Make sure your vegetarian baby eats foods from all 4 food groups

Vegetarian diets can be very nutritious, as long as you ensure your baby gets a balanced diet with lots of variety. Not only will this mean your baby enjoys a wide range of tastes and textures, it also provides a good range of nutrients to help them grow and develop. Try to offer a variety of foods from each of the 4 groups:

• Starchy foods like bread, potatoes, pasta, rice at every meal - white versions are fine, as it's best not to give a high fibre diet at this stage. Too much fibre can make babies get full too quickly and can also stop some essential nutrients, such as calcium and iron, being absorbed.
• Fruit and vegetables at every meal - these are a great source of vitamins and minerals. Try to introduce a wide range of different coloured fruit and vegetables to your baby to get them used to the different tastes and textures. This will also provide a wider range of nutrients.
• Dairy foods - milk is still an important source of nutrients for your baby, so while weaning, you should still provide at least 500ml breast milk or follow-on formula. Other dairy foods you can offer include cheese and yogurt or fromage frais.
• Protein foods twice a day - examples include eggs (make sure they are cooked through), beans, pulses, soya and nuts (whole and chopped nuts are a choking hazard, only use ground nuts or smooth nut butters).

Make sure you provide enough calories, protein, iron, calcium, vitamin B12 and vitamin D

• Energy - some vegetarian diets can be very low in calories. To provide enough energy for your baby to grow and develop, try to include some healthy fats from foods like avocado, full fat yoghurt, olive oil and smooth nut butters.
• Protein - babies need protein to grow. Most of what they need is provided by breastmilk or follow-on formula but you can also introduce foods like eggs, beans, pulses, yogurt, cheese and soya. Try to give a variety of these foods in a day to provide all the essential types of protein, rather than just relying on cheese, for example.
• Iron - this mineral is essential for the development of the brain and is mainly found in red meat. Non-meat sources of iron include apricots, lentils, fortified baby cereals and baby foods and green vegetables like broccoli. To help your baby to absorb this iron, try to include a source of vitamin C with meals, such as a diluted fruit juice.
• Calcium - this mineral is needed to help bones to grow and is found primarily in milk (breastmilk or follow-on formula) and other dairy products like cheese and yoghurt.
• Vitamin B12 - this vitamin is only found in animal products, including milk, cheese and eggs. However, it is also present in fortified baby cereals. The main function of vitamin B12 is to keep the nervous system healthy and to make red blood cells.
• Vitamin D - this is needed for healthy bone growth and can be found in eggs, dairy products and fortified baby cereals. Most babies would benefit from a vitamin D supplement and drops containing vitamins A, C and D are recommended by the Department of Health. Your healthcare professional can tell you more about these.

What should I feed and when?

Can I give my baby a vegan weaning diet?

The Food Standards Agency does not recommend a vegan diet for young babies as it is difficult to give them enough calories and nutrients. However, with the right advice from a professional and careful planning to provide the right nutrients, a vegan diet may be suitable.