My 15-month-old is boycotting meat! I have tried everything. I have pureed it and tried slipping it into mashed potatoes--you name it, I've tried it. It has been about three weeks. She eats everything else just fine. What can I do?
Kids can certainly grow well without meat. They do need protein, but there are plenty of non-meat sources. If kids get 12 to 16 ounces of milk per day, then about 2 ounces more of high-protein food should be plenty. Yogurt is one good, high-protein alternative. Also, while vegetables and whole grains don't have enough protein to count as high-protein foods, they do have enough protein to make a difference.
I also like a multivitamin with iron as a safety net for toddlers. Pure vegetarians usually get more vitamins from their diets than do other kids, but it is still common for them to become B12 or folate deficient.
