Vegetarian and vegan complementary feeding: how to do it safely

Can a baby follow a vegetarian or vegan diet?

Yes, with a plan and appropriate supervision. Scientific societies do not fully agree. Some consider a well-planned vegetarian or vegan diet suitable at every stage of life, including breastfeeding and childhood [3]. Others consider it appropriate for babies only with medical or dietetic supervision. A vegan baby needs follow-up from a paediatrician and a dietitian. The family must understand the serious consequences of not following supplementation advice [1].

The Spanish Association of Paediatrics takes the most cautious position. It considers an omnivorous or at least an ovo-lacto-vegetarian diet preferable for infants and young children [2].

Regarding growth, a 2025 review of data from around 1,500 vegan children found no significant differences in height or body mass index compared with omnivorous children [4]. Even so, the authors call for caution. The evidence is not yet conclusive, and diet, growth and key nutrients need close monitoring [4].

The timing and approach to starting complementary foods are the same as for any baby. You can find them in our guide and schedule for complementary feeding from 6 to 12 months. Here, we focus on what is different.

Which nutrients need attention in a vegetarian or vegan baby?

Vitamin B12: always, as advised by the paediatrician

This is the one point without exceptions. Vitamin B12 must be taken as a supplement at any age by people following vegetarian or vegan diets, and babies are no exception [2]. The paediatrician decides the dose and how to give it, based on the baby’s age and milk intake. See “Egg, fish and gluten in your baby's diet”.

If you are vegan and breastfeeding, your baby receives your B12 through breast milk. For this reason, the Spanish Association of Paediatrics advises the mother to take a regular B12 supplement, prescribed by her doctor or dietitian [2]. The midwife or doctor assesses whether she needs an iodine supplement. Avoid seaweed while breastfeeding. The healthcare team will also assess whether omega-3 is needed [2].

Iron and zinc, with vitamin C in the same meal

At around six months, the iron a baby is born with starts to run low, and milk alone is no longer enough to meet their needs. That is why first foods need to provide iron [1]; it is the first thing to pay attention to when starting complementary feeding.

In a vegetarian diet, iron and zinc come mainly from pulses, tofu, grains and seeds. Plant-based iron is less readily absorbed, so it is helpful to include a vitamin C-rich food in every meal [2]. For example, tomato, broccoli or pepper in a purée, or kiwi or orange for dessert.

Iodine: use iodised salt when appropriate

In a vegan diet, iodised salt is a reliable source of iodine [2]. Seaweed, on the other hand, should be given cautiously to infants and young children because its iodine and arsenic content varies widely [2]. Do not add salt to a baby’s food during the first year, so most iodine comes from milk. Once the baby starts eating food with salt, use a small amount of iodised salt.

Omega-3 and vitamin D

The plant-based omega-3 is alpha-linolenic acid. The body converts it, inefficiently, into the form used by the brain. It is found in ground walnuts, ground flaxseed and flaxseed oil; flaxseed oil can be alternated with olive oil in purées two or three times a week.

The healthcare team assesses whether the mother needs a DHA supplement, a long-chain omega-3, during pregnancy and breastfeeding [2]. For the baby, this is considered when they are not breastfed or when breast milk provides less than half of their daily energy [2]. The paediatrician decides whether it is needed and how to give it. Vitamin D supplements may also be needed, for vegetarian and non-vegetarian babies alike [2].

Energy and protein for a small stomach

Plant foods are filling but provide relatively little energy per spoonful, and a baby’s stomach can only hold so much. That is why it is important to ensure enough protein and calcium [4]. In practice, offer pulses or tofu in the main meal, add a drizzle of olive oil to each purée, and stir a teaspoon of nut or sesame paste into porridge. Avoid offering more fruit than fits, as it is filling and provides little energy.

How to offer pulses and tree nuts without a choking risk

Pulses can be offered from six months; there is no need to wait until the baby is one, as was previously advised [2]. To start, one tablespoon of raw red lentils, about 10–15 g, cooked with the vegetable purée is enough. Or offer 15–20 g of tofu cooked with the vegetables. Red lentils are easy to digest.

Two other combinations for the first few weeks:

• Purée of potato, onion, broccoli and tofu
• Chickpea and sesame hummus, to spread on strips of bread once the baby starts chewing

With whole pulses, texture is what matters. At first, cook them well and mash them with a fork; once the baby can squash them with their gums, offer them whole and soft.

Tree nuts are a different matter. They provide energy, protein, iron and healthy fats in a small volume, but whole nuts are among the foods that cause the most choking incidents. The Spanish Association of Paediatrics recommends always serving them ground or as a spread, and highlights the danger of offering them whole [2]. Our guidance is not to offer them whole or in pieces before age 5.

Ground nuts can be sprinkled over pasta, vegetables or fruit. Nut butter, with no added sugar or salt, can be mixed into porridge or spread in a thin layer on bread.

Can a baby have soya, oat or almond drink instead of milk?

Not as their main milk. During the first year, a baby’s main food is breast milk or, if they are not breastfed, infant formula. If the family is vegan and the baby is not breastfed, soya-protein-based infant formula is available and is considered suitable in these cases by the Spanish Association of Paediatrics [2].

Plant-based drinks are low in energy and protein, and take up space in the baby’s stomach that is needed for more important foods. Calcium-fortified drinks can occasionally be used in cooking, but not as the main drink, at least until age 2–3 [2]. This includes soya drink, even though it is the most nutritionally complete of them. Rice drink should not be given before age 5.

If the family follows an ovo-lacto-vegetarian diet

Egg makes things much easier. It can be introduced from 6–7 months, well cooked at first, in the purée instead of pulses or as an omelette once the baby is chewing. It can be offered up to 3–4 times a week.

Dairy is the opposite of what many people think. During the first year, the baby’s milk should be breast milk or formula, and other dairy products should be given in small amounts. They contain very little iron, and too much can contribute to anaemia. Around 9–10 months, the baby can have plain, unsweetened yoghurt or a little fresh cheese.

If you’d also like to review the diet of the rest of the household, see our guide to planning vegetarian and vegan diets well.

What mistakes do we often see in consultations?

These are situations that come up repeatedly in consultations, often in families who are doing almost everything else well.

• Giving B12 only now and then, or stopping it once the baby eats a variety of foods. Follow the paediatrician’s full instructions.
• Filling the plate with vegetable purée but no pulses or tofu. It looks like a lot, but falls short on protein and iron.
• Switching to oat or almond drink when the baby turns one, thinking it is time. It is not a substitute for milk for a baby.
• Delaying pulses and tree nuts for fear they will not agree with the baby. Well-cooked pulses and ground or spreadable tree nuts can be introduced from six months [2].