Hi guys!
Whenever I take to IG to find out what you want to hear more about, many of you ask about Willow and her diet, what she’s eating, etc. While I am always compiling what she has been eating lately (you can find all of those posts compiled here), I don’t usually talk candidly about it.
What kind of milk does she drink? Does she eat eggs? Has she tried meat? What are her favorite meals? All questions that I have been asked and I thought now was a good time as any to compile some of these answers in a post and just give you a quick update on her eating habits at nearly 18 months old.
I just want to make a note that I am not a doctor. I just do what I feel is best for my daughter. I can’t give specific medical or health advice and you should always speak with your pediatrician if you have questions about a plant-based/vegan diet for your little sun.
You can also read more about our specific decision to raise Willow plant-based until she is old enough to make her own decision. My husband and I came to this decision before she was born and, as with all parenting choices, this is a personal choice. Please be kind and understand that we are doing the best we can to raise a healthy, animal-loving, and food-conscious child.
Onto the questions!
What kind of milk does Willow drink?
Willow is currently drinking about 15-18 oz a milk a day. We rotate often, but it is a blend of Ripple pea protein milk, coconut milk fortified with B12, and cashew milk. I like the idea of rotating because she gains different nutrients and vitamins from each. Plus, she gets to taste and enjoy variety.
Does Willow eat eggs?
Yes and no. Yes, Willow has tried eggs. No, I do not routinely serve eggs. Let me explain.
I internally debated for a while introducing eggs to Willow. To be honest, if you read our last FAQ post, I didn’t plan on giving her eggs at all. I personally do not feel like she needs eggs. However, egg allergies are very real and scary and with that, we decided to at least expose her to them. With our decision to allow her to make her own decision when she is old enough, I wanted to make sure she was exposed to eggs early and to simply find out if she were allergic in the first place. I bought organic eggs one week and made her scrambled eggs for a grand total of 3 times. The first time, she ate most of it. No rash or issues. The second time, she picked at it but mostly ate the fruit off her plate. No issues. The third time, she threw it on the floor. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t happy about it, lol! But again, no issue. I know that allergies can come up at any time, but I did feel better knowing that she didn’t have any issues now. So hopefully in the future if she does decide she wants to have a dessert with eggs or just eat eggs with her Dad (which she very well might) then she will more than likely not have any allergic reaction or issue.
That’s a long-winded response, but I hope that you understand. This “test” was probably around 14 months and she hasn’t had eggs since. Time will tell if she decides she wants them. And if she does, we’ll be making sure to grab them local. But until then, she is still eating plant-based/vegan.
Has Willow tried meat?
Nope. We don’t cook a lot of meat, anyways (my husband does occasionally for himself). But Willow eats whatever I make/eat, so there really is no need.
What are Willow’s favorite meals?
We have a lot of go-to meals for her and I share some of my favorite meals for toddlers here, but I’ll outline some of our her favorite breakfasts, lunches, and dinners below. (To be honest, if that kid could eat rice and beans 3 times a day, she would.)
Breakfast:
- Pancakes
- Tofu scramble
- Whole wheat toast with either peanut butter, almond butter, cream cheese + tomato, or avocado
- Frozen waffles with yogurt and blueberries
- Oatmeal with nut butter
All her breakfasts are accompanied with two sides of fruit (usually whatever is in season).
Lunch:
- Peanut butter or almond butter + jelly sandwich
- Chickpea noodle soup
- Veggie burger
- Cream cheese and tomato or cucumber sandwich
- White bean or chickpea salad sandwich
- Lentil stew with rice
Lunch is honestly usually leftovers from dinner, so it can vary a lot. But I always serve with two sides of veggies. She loves sweet potato fries, roasted red peppers, roasted cauliflower, peas, corn, and sometimes broccoli if it’s a good day.
Dinner:
- Vegan mac + cheese
- Black bean quesadillas (her all-time favorite)
- Slow-cooked rice, beans, and tortillas (her other favorite)
- Vegan shepherd’s pie
- Roasted tempeh, mashed potatoes, and veggie
- Cashew cheese pizza
- Pasta + vegan meatballs with red sauce
What are her favorite snacks?
Willow is a snack girl like her mama. She gets 2 snacks a day (morning, around 10 and after her afternoon nap, around 3). The morning snack is usually a green smoothie of some sort or some fruit. The afternoon is a bit more to keep her satisfied until dinner at 6. Some of her favorite snacks include:
- Vanilla coconut yogurt with unsweetened cocoa powder + cheerios
- Fig bars (love this brand)
- Homemade muffins (I usually just find recipes on Pinterest based on ingredients I have lying around)
- Oat cookies (just oats, mashed banana, and some chocolate chips)
- Veggie straws
- Annie’s chocolate bunny snacks
- Animal crackers
- Peanut butter + banana
- Roasted cauliflower
- Smoothies
- Fresh fruit
- Crackers with nut butter
What gear do you use?
Listing some of the items that we use most often while feeding/eating below.
- High chair – we have this one, but are going to be starting her on a booster seat soon, which brings me to…
- Booster seat
- Replay plates
- Fork + spoon set
- Catch-all bibs
- Water bottle
- Milk sippy
- Smoothie cups
What does Willow’s eating schedule look like?
I am going to be sharing a look at our daily routine soon (currently putting that together) but as far as food goes, her schedule looks like this:
- Milk #1 – 7 AM
- Breakfast – 7:45 – 8 AM
- Snack – 10 AM
- Lunch – 11:30 AM
- Milk #2 – 12:30 PM
- Snack – 3 PM
- Dinner – 6 PM
- Milk – 6:45 PM
I hope that the above shined some light on where we are at in Willow’s plant-based journey. I have shared FAQs for her in the past here, if you are interested in checking that out.
