Hi!
As promised, I am back with calcium-rich foods for vegan and plant-based kids. We talked about iron-rich foods last time, so be sure to check that out if you missed it. But today it is all about that calcium because PSA: milk/dairy does not do the body good and is not the only way to get enough calcium. It’s 2020, people.
I think we all know why calcium is so important in our growing kids’ diets. Those growing bones need all the strengthening. But don’t worry if your child doesn’t eat dairy because there are a number of delicious foods that do provide calcium.
Here are some calcium-rich foods to incorporate into your kiddo’s diet:
- Fortified non-dairy milks
- Kale
- Tofu
- Beans
- Lentils
- Almonds
- Fortified coconut yogurt
- Fortified orange juice
- Sweet potato
- Oranges
- Broccoli
- Edamame
- Collard greens
- Fortified cereal
- Almond butter
- Tahini
- Chickpeas
- Chia seeds
- Blackstrap molasses
- Coconut yogurt
- Figs
Breakfast
- Cheerios mixed with coconut yogurt & topped with fruit (pictured above)
- Tofu scramble
- Breakfast burrito
- Chickpea egg breakfast sandwich
- Chickpea egg omelet
- Chia pudding
- Toast with almond butter
- Fortified cereal with fortified non-dairy milk
- Coconut yogurt with fruit & granola
- Smoothie with banana, orange/orange juice, yogurt, kale, and chia seeds
- Tofu breakfast sandwich
- Sweet potato breakfast bowl
- Broccoli & cheddar tofu quiche
- Waffles or pancakes topped with coconut yogurt & fruit
Lunch/Dinner
- Red lentil or chickpea pasta with sauce
- Broccoli & cheddar soup
- Lentil stew
- Broccoli calzone/pie
- Coconut lentil stew
- Broccoli mac salad
- Tofu nuggets
- Beans and rice (recipe for my slow-cooked beans)
- Greens and beans (kale or collard greens)
- White pasta with a lentil red sauce (you can blend or leave chunky)
- Green pasta (pesto made with kale and almonds)
- Veggie stir fry with broccoli & edamame over grain
- Sweet potato fries or chips
- Baked sweet potato topped with tahini
- Lentil fritters
- Roasted chickpeas
- Chickpea salad
- Chickpea noodle soup
- Pasta e ceci
- Kale chips
- Baked tofu bites
- Bean & cheese enchiladas
- 10-minute bean salad
- Creamy tofu scramble
- Roasted broccoli with hummus to dip (made with chickpeas and tahini)
- Bean & cheese quesadilla (pictured above)
- Tofu & cheese quesadilla
- Almond butter & jam sandwich
- Lentil bolognese
- Lentil “meatloaf”
- Hummus with pita or hummus sandwich
What did I tell ya? Plenty of options. Your kiddo is bound to like something here, right? ;)
I hope this helps and stay tuned for next time. I’ll be covering protein or healthy fats… any preference on which one first? Comment or shoot me a message on IG. x
