As back-to-school is quickly approaching, I find myself asked by many moms on social networks what my children eat during the day. Since my family is vegan, I think people want inspiration, and would like to ensure that their children are not missing anything if they are eating vegan. Before sharing with you what is a typical day meal-wise for my children, it is important to emphasize that, even if we adopt a healthy diet that is vegan and organic, we have to supplement it with vitamins. My children take daily doses of vitamins B12 and D, probiotics and a Samuraw green vegetable powder. They supplement their diet to prevent deficiencies. As for their menu for a typical day:
Morning
- Smoothie (they sometimes drink up to two cups);
- recipe idea:
- 1 frozen banana
- 1 cup (250 ml) of spinach
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of hemp seeds
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of almond butter
- 1 cup (250 ml) of coconut water
- 2 dates
- If it’s not a smoothie, it’s either a bowl of oatmeal with banana and berries or a bowl of granola with coconut yogurt.
- Sometimes, my daughter likes kamut bread toast with peanut butter and homemade strawberry jam.
Snacks during the day
- Fresh fruit and vegetables with hummus
- Homemade cereal bars
- Dates
Lunch
- Assortment plate
- Cubes of vegan pâté
- Steamed broccoli with nutritional yeast and olive oil
- Legume salad
- Quinoa or rice
- Minestrone soup with GoGo Quinoa gluten-free pasta
- Dessert: My son is not a big fan of desserts, but my daughter likes to eat a little something sweet, a gluten-free chocolate cookie, also from GoGo Quinoa.
Dinner
My children like vegetables, but like many children, they love pasta. My trick is to make this type of meal more nutritious by adding plenty of good vegetables in the sauce or making spiral zoodles (zucchini noodles) and adding them to brown rice spaghetti for a bit more freshness and nutrients.- Spaghetti with tomato sauce and vegetables, served with sliced cucumber and avocado
- Vegan shepherd’s pie
- Buddha bowl (base of quinoa, buckwheat or rice with lots of veggies, tofu and legumes, served with a cashew nut-based or nutritional yeast sauce)
- Desserts: sorbet, vegan ice cream or mini chocolate fondue with plenty of fresh fruit
