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Daycare Menus, Breakfast, Lunch and Snack Ideas>Vegetarian
Danie362 10:06 AM 12-14-2012
I have two children who's parents are Vegetarians. Can any one share ideas in meals for the children cause I am lost. Confused (Can't do vegetable and fruit all day!) Never cared for children who are Vegetrians
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e.j. 02:34 PM 12-14-2012
What type of vegetarian are they? I think a lot depends on what they eat/don't eat. I had a little boy who was a vegetarian but he could eat eggs, dairy and fish. He was part time so it was easy enough to serve those foods plus peanut butter and grilled cheese sandwiches and yogurt on the days he attended and save the meat based meals for the days he didn't attend.
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Meyou 02:40 PM 12-14-2012
My veggie kids eat fish so we do things like tuna sandwiches, baked salmon or haddock, eggs in multiple forms, quiche, veggie soups, pasta sauce with no meat, alfredo pasta peanut butter, sunbutter, almond butter, grilled cheese and avocado, meatless fajitas and enchiladas and cheese pizza.

I often pull out two or three portions of something like pasta sauce before I add the meat. This works with soups too if you change to veggie stock from beef and chicken.

If the kids are having chicken dinner I give the veggie kids the same thing just without the chicken and add a piece of cheese.
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Blackcat31 02:58 PM 12-14-2012
Have the parents supply you with a list of foods they do eat (or dont eat) which ever list is shorter.

If they are vegetarians, vegans or just specific about what they feed their children, they also have to be prepared to let others who are caring for their kids know what is and isn't appropriate or acceptable.
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Edmund 09:26 AM 01-24-2013
For very young children don't recommend strict vegan diets. For most healthy children, vegetarian diet can provide a nutritious alternative to a diet that includes meat, special care require to the children who depend on all vegetarian diets.
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daycare 01:58 PM 01-24-2013
I am vegan and would never let my kids eat this way. Aults ok, kids no.

Like BC said, find out how strict they are and what type. A list is good and you can always google all kinds of vegg foods.

they can eat pasta right?
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Brooksie 03:15 PM 01-24-2013
Definitely find out how strict/what kind of vegetarian they are. But some great option that are good with most types are quinoa, brown rice, pastas, hummus and pretzels, fresh veggies (which all kids should be getting!), Potatoes almost every way, Quesadillas with beans and cheese, grilled cheese with tomatoes, PBJs... there are a ton of great options. My roommate and her son are vegetarians so between them and my daughters food allergies we have really explored our options
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daycarediva 03:30 PM 01-25-2013
Aside from what pp said:

Bean burritos, same as tacos, just beans.

Cheese quesidillas
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daycare 04:15 PM 01-25-2013
Originally Posted by daycarediva:
Aside from what pp said:

Bean burritos, same as tacos, just beans.

Cheese quesidillas
you need to check the beans as not all beans are vegetarian.
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canadiancare 10:50 AM 02-01-2013
Moosewood has some great cook books
We are not veggie but we eat meatless often

We do chickpea curries here (I make a batch for the family and serve out a portion that is less spiced for the kids)

Saag Paneer (spinach and paneer cheese with spices) on Naan bread

If they eat eggs quiche with tons of veggies is a nice alternative

quesidillas as someone else mentioned

Hummous and pita and veggie sticks

lots of soups and grilled cheese

I love the Yves products if you wanted to feed them something similar to what the other kids were eating.
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jamiem 06:20 PM 03-22-2013
I serve quite a bit of vegetarian dishes. Beans are a cheap, easy, versatile and yummy vegetarian protein. You can add them to rice or pasta dishes with veggies. Many mexican dishes are also easily made with black beans instead of meat. There are also pretty good vegetarian meat subsititutes for chicken breast and hamburger which you can use just like the real thing in recipes. It is more expensive but not terrible at least in my city. Cheese is also an easy go to vegetarian (not vegan obviously) protein-cheese pizza, grilled cheese, cheese quesadillas, cheese enchiladas, cheesy rice, cheese ravioli, cheese stuffed shells, etc.
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jannereeves 03:26 AM 03-28-2013
I look after two kids who are vegetarian which means simply vegetarian, no fish, no egg just green vegetables. I usually serve them spaghetti with plain tomato sauce (sometrimes with chickpeas), Curried Pasta with Cauliflower, mashed potatoes and peanut butter. They love these foods especially made by me.
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MrsSteinel'sHouse 11:04 AM 03-28-2013
We eat very little meat. Beans.. Baked beans, make your own refried beans, my kids like white beans just by themselves, chick peas too. If they eat cheese even easier... Cheese and veggie pizza, string cheese, Mac and cheese etc. so here is what it might look like..
String cheese, fried rice with no egg or meat with veggies ( you could cook meat on the side for the others) I would add a plain veggie like peas on the side and oranges.
Refried beans and fresh spinach in a whole grain tortilla, corn and apple
Mac and cheese, garbanzo beans, broccoli and grapes
Veggie soup with barley and beans, carrot sticks and peppers, apple.
Yogurt, PB on bagel, carrots and cantaloupe.

The possibilities are endless. The secret is being sure you have awesome grains. The need the bulk.
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MrsSteinel'sHouse 11:05 AM 03-28-2013
http://www.superhealthykids.com/heal...en-nuggets.php
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LK5kids 03:12 PM 03-28-2013
Originally Posted by MrsSteinel'sHouse:
http://www.superhealthykids.com/heal...en-nuggets.php
Thanks for this link. I am a vegetarian ( lacto/ ovo) and serve very little meat.
Chicken or turkey once a month
No ground beef- a roast usually

It's always great to get kid friendly vegetarian recipes! Fried rice is a great idea! An easy and loved recipe I like to make is a hash brown skillet dinner....I bake three baking potatoes & grate them. I then sauté them in a skillet till browned, add grated cheese and a few beaten eggs. Kids love it and it's so easy! I wonder how a mix of sweet potato hash browns & regular hash browns would be?

Thanks!
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Unregistered 05:42 PM 11-12-2013
Originally Posted by Edmund:
For very young children don't recommend strict vegan diets. For most healthy children, vegetarian diet can provide a nutritious alternative to a diet that includes meat, special care require to the children who depend on all vegetarian diets.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19562864

It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that appropriately planned vegetarian diets, including total vegetarian or vegan diets, are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. Well-planned vegetarian diets are appropriate for individuals during all stages of the life cycle, including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, and adolescence, and for athletes.
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Rachel 12:22 AM 11-13-2013
Falafal! You can make it in batches and flash freeze. I've also done lentil burgers. Yummy & cheap.
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Unregistered 08:35 AM 02-14-2014
Sigh. Are the parents of the children who eat fish really identifying the children as "vegetarian"? Eating an animal means that one is not a vegetarian. They can say pesceterian if they really want a label, but vegetarian is NOT an appropriate one.
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Tags:parental life choices, regulations, vegan, vegetarian
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