Raising a bilingual child takes a lot of dedication and focused effort to make sure the language is being used on a consistent basis. Language is best learned through interactions with native speakers but other methods of exposure help solidify the language.

My son is being raised bilingual English/Spanish so many of these suggestions are for that language. Most of the toys come in other languages as well.

Below are the best gifts for bilingual children that come in a variety of languages, not only Spanish.

This post may contain affiliate links. That means if you purchase an item through these links, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Please read the full disclosure policy for more info.

Want quick access to the toys? Check out all the recommended bilingual toys here!

1) Bilingual & Target Language Books

Bilingual books have both English and Spanish language translations. This allows the adult or child reading the book to pick up on new vocabulary through the translation.

Books written in the target language are completely in that language without translation. This allows the reader to be fully immersed in the language without a crutch of the more familiar language on the same page.

Money-Saving Tip: Buy Used Bilingual Books

Another great place to source your target language’s books is your local library. Focus on libraries in an area whose patrons have a high concentration of second-language speakers. Many times they have a section of books in that language.

I’ve visited those library’s book sale events and picked up a stack of bilingual children’s books for $1 each book. Most children do not care if a book is used or new.

2) Audiobooks/ Audible

Listening to books being read by native speakers allows children to hear the proper pronunciation. Children can even read along while they listen for a more immersive experience.

Passive listening alone won’t lead to a level of fluency. It must combine with an active activity in order for there to be an effect.

If you already own the book in your target language, read along with the audiobook. Audible allows you to slow down the reading to half speed and quickly rewind 30 seconds.

For every word or sentence you don’t understand, look up the meaning. If you’re listening to a well-known book in your native tongue, you’ll quickly pick up vocabulary words in your target language since it’s familiar.

How To Save On Audiobook Costs

Audiobooks tend to cost more than the book does due to increased costs to produce. An Audible membership is an economical choice if you plan to listen to audiobooks consistently.

A membership costs a set price each month for 1 credit (= 1 book). Surprisingly, even a more expensive $30 audiobook can be chosen for that monthly book credit.

3) Bilingual Music

There is a large amount of bilingual and target language of children’s music. Some of our favorite artists are 123 Andrés, José Luis Orozco, Sonia de los Santos, and Mister G.

What I love about these songs are the catchy beats and lack of annoyance for adults that a lot of children’s music has.

Again, the key to music is to turn it into an active listening activity. As you’re listening to the songs, a catchy chorus may come on. Singing along with your child turns this into an active activity.

Some of the albums have both an English only and also a Spanish rendition. Your mind starts making the connection and picks up on the vocabulary.

Don’t forget to check the artist’s website. The lyrics for the songs and their translations will be there. Some even have music videos and other activities for increased learning fun.

4) Board Games

Board games get the entire family involved in the language. Choose the Spanish version of a well-loved favorite or try something new.

Weekly family game nights are a great way to make the target language ingrained into your routine. It will probably be helpful to have a bilingual dictionary on hand in the beginning.

5) LingoBus/ iTalki Credits

Conversing with a live native language speaker is the best way to acquire a language. It is completely active and is the fastest way to fluency.

Lingo Bus is a live immersive Chinese language class. The teachers are native Chinese and teach in a fun game-based way. Lingo Bus is for children between 5-12 years old.

Their teachers are college-educated and many have years teaching. Lingo Bus is highly selective about who they hire to teach. They also follow a curriculum.

The great thing about iTalki is that you can pretty much find someone for any language. It’s great for conversation practice as well as lessons. In the “Find A Teacher” search you can go to the “Skills” section and click “Children” to find a teacher who works well with children.

If you’re wanting to work from a specific curriculum, some teachers have textbooks on hand. You can also send them a PDF file copy of what you’re working on at home. Perfect for a homeschooler or after school supplement.

Both of these programs have the option to purchase gift cards or lessons. Typically the larger the amount you purchase, the less expensive each class is.

6) Blocks

A great company named Uncle Goose makes these bilingual blocks in numerous languages. Located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, they use local resources and are 100% made in the USA.

One side has an animal picture with the name in the target language, another side has numbers/math symbols, and the other sides have letters.

Uncle Goose currently has blocks in American Sign Language, Arabic, Braille, Danish, Chinese, Dutch, Cherokee, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Maori, Norwegian, Persian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swahili, Swedish, and Ukranian.

7) Flashcards

While traditional flashcards sound more like work than fun, game based flashcards are a great option. There are games that you can play using the flashcards such as snakes & ladders, bingo, and tic tac toe.

Linguacious comes in 55 different languages. The topics are “animals”, “around the home”, “food & drinks”, or “shapes, colors & numbers.”

They state it’s for ages 1 year and older. Each card has a QR code that will give the pronunciation once scanned with a phone.

8) Disney Movies

Did you know that many Disney DVDs and BluRays come with the option to change the language? Check the product description before purchasing.

Usually, you can change the language option to Spanish or French. Subtitles in other languages are often included as well.

Check the product description to see if the movie has multiple language options. It’ll be listed under “subtitles” and “dubbed.”

Watching movies in the target language is pretty passive but a good addition to other active language learning methods.

It’s mainly helpful for hearing how things are pronounced. A small amount of vocabulary will likely be picked up.

Here are a few of my favorite Spanish dubbed Disney movies.

9) Puzzles

Bilingual puzzles or puzzle maps of the world are another way to engage kids. Perhaps it’ll inspire your child to delve more deeply into learning about those areas of the world. Learning about the countries that speak the target language offers an insight into various cultures.

Combine this with an explorer’s hat and you could have the next Lewis or Clark.

10) Magnetic Poetry

Lastly, for older learners, a set of magnetic poetry would be a fun option. These come in a variety of languages. Some have vocabulary geared towards younger kids.

The backside of each magnet has an English translation. It’s fun to leave short messages to one another on the side of the fridge.

Bilingual Gifts Overview

Overall the best thing for language learning is to immerse one’s self actively in the language as much as possible. Using toys and books are a great way to do this since they come in many target languages.

Let me know in the comments how you liked this list of the best bilingual gifts for children. I’d love to know of any other bilingual gifts you’ve purchased that help your child learn a new language.

Stephanie Mantilla

Plant-Based Diet & Vegan Lifestyle Expert

Stephanie is the founder of Plant Prosperous, a plant-based vegan living, and parenting blog. She has been eating a plant-based diet for over 24 years along with a B.S. in Biology & Environmental Science. She also has over 14 years of experience working in the environmental and conservation sectors. Stephanie is currently raising her son on a plant-based diet and hopes to help others who are wanting to do the same. You can read more about her here.

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Teach Your Child A Second Language Using Bilingual Children’s Toys

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Everyone desires to get what is best for their children, and it all starts with a multivitamin to make sure your child is getting all the nutrients they need.

There are endless choices on the market, making it tough to decide which one is right for your kids. If you prefer vegan products or live a vegan lifestyle, it’s even harder to get the right items.

Most multivitamins have gelatin and GMOs included. They help to bind the product together, but they aren’t vegan. Instead, you want something that features no GMOs, is gluten-free, and vegan. This is why MaryRuth’s Kid’s Multivitamin Gummies are so great. 

Kids can chew them up easily because they look and feel like gummy products. However, they are pectin-based instead of made with gelatin and non-vegan ingredients.

I’m going to discuss this product at length to help you understand why it’s a great option for vegan and non-vegan kids.

This post may contain affiliate links. That means if you purchase an item through these links, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Please read the full disclosure policy for more info.

Gummy Flavor Choices

Kids are well known for liking fruity sweet tastes. This gummy uses that love of fruit tastes in order to get kids to not realize they’re eating vitamins.

The gummies come with three different gummy flavors all in the same bottle. Super punch, papaya, and strawberry are all delicious and there aren’t any added sugars. I know my child loves eating them all and can’t pick a favorite.

Benefits of MaryRuth’s Kids Vegan Gummies

So many children’s vitamins are filled with fillers and other unnecessary ingredients. Children’s digestion systems are typically more sensitive than adults’ so it’s important to give your child something you’ll feel good about.

The thing I like most about these vegan children’s gummies is all the ingredients that are missing.

MaryRuth’s kids gummy vitamins are without:

• Gluten
• Dairy
• Nuts
• Soy
• Corn
• Nightshades
• Gelatin
• Added Sugars
• Carrageenan

Go here to try them out with your own kids. I’ve tasted a gummy myself and they’re delicious!

Are MaryRuth’s Kid’s Gummies Gluten-Free?

Yes, these gummies are completely gluten-free. Many people have gluten sensitivities or just prefer to eat gluten-free. If your child has Celiac disease or gets an upset stomach when using gluten, there is nothing to worry about.

Those with Celiac disease should consider using a multivitamin because they may not get all the nutrients they need from food.

Likewise, children who live a gluten-free and vegan lifestyle may need help getting complete nutrients in their diet. This product isn’t going to upset your stomach and can give you the right things to live healthily and be happy.

No Dairy or Nuts

When it comes to picking a multivitamin for your kids, it’s hard to choose. You want something that is going to be safe for their immune system and digestive tract.

Often, manufacturers include ingredients that could give your child an upset stomach or have other issues. Parents of children with nut allergies or lactose intolerance are going to like these gummies from MaryRuth’s.

They don’t contain any dairy or nuts and are made at a GMP facility. A Good Manufacturing Practice facility ensures that its products adhere to the strictest of quality standards.

Everything is controlled so that it can consistently produce the best items. This helps to minimize the risks that are often involved with producing pharmaceuticals. 

While gummy vitamins aren’t considered medication, it’s a step in the right direction when companies use GMP facilities. 

Sometimes, parents want to limit exposure to nuts because they’re unsure if their child is sensitive or allergic. Some of these allergies can be severe and include anaphylactic shock.

It is always wise to use a controlled environment when adding new things to your child’s diet. You shouldn’t have any problems but work with your child’s pediatrician before giving any vitamins.

You can be watchful and mindful until you are sure that your child isn’t going to have any adverse reactions.

No Soy or Corn

While many vegans do incorporate soy into their daily diet, soy in multivitamins might not be ideal. It’s often introduced during the processing of the product.

Generally, a binding agent has to be used to ensure everything stays together. Soy lecithin and soybean oil are the preferred ingredients of choice for most manufacturers.

If your child is sensitive to soy or you just don’t want them to get their soy from vitamins, don’t worry because these gummies are completely soy-free.

Corn is another food type that can be delicious and has a lot of health benefits. Still, as a filler or binder in another product, it isn’t good for you. Therefore, the MaryRuth’s brand doesn’t include corn in its multivitamins for kids. 

Corn can also take the form of corn syrup, which is sugary, sweet, and ultimately bad for you. If your child is allergic to corn, then this brand of vitamin may be a good option.

Nightshade Free

Did you know that nightshade vegetables are often used in multivitamins? Tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, and peppers are all healthy for you however, when they are processed and added to multivitamins, they can lose most of their nutritional benefits.

The makers of this gummy product believe that it is better and safer for your children to eat these vegetables raw. Therefore, you’re not going to find any nightshades in the ingredient list.

Nightshades can contain solanine, which is a chemical that can cause inflammation or aggravate arthritis. Though your child probably doesn’t have arthritis at such a young age, inflammation can cause severe stomach upset.

If your child has Celiac disease, high blood pressure, or diabetes, extra inflammation is never a good thing. It’s often best to limit these food sources, and you don’t want to find it in your child’s multivitamin.

No Gelatin

For vegans, gelatin is a sticky subject, quite literally. It is found in many products, including most gummy products.

However, it is made from pigs or cows. Generally, the tendons, skin, bones, and ligaments of these animals are boiled with water to create the sticky substance.

If you live a vegan lifestyle and want that for your children, you need to stay away from gelatin-based products – which includes multivitamins.

Luckily, many manufacturers and brands, including MaryRuth’s, understand this issue and make sure that their products don’t contain gelatin. 

Though it is a binder, pectin can often be used instead. Pectin is another binding agent, but it consists of dried apple pomace or citrus peels.

When juice is made, the pomace and peels are the by-products left behind. It’s a plant-based binder, which means it is safe for vegans to consume. Of course, everything should be eaten and taken in moderation.

It’s true that high amounts of pectin can cause stomach distress in various ways. However, if you limit pectin use and only allow your child the recommended serving of multivitamins each day, there should be no problems. Still, if you’re worried, you can consult with your child’s pediatrician to find out more.

Sugar-Free

When it comes to a multivitamin, you may not realize that many brands contain a lot of sugar. Though they may taste fruity, it’s derived from the added sugar and not natural fruit juice. The MaryRuth brand focuses on a sugar-free multivitamin gummy for children.

While everything can be enjoyed in moderation, you may want to limit how much sugar your children consume. Sugar has high calories and doesn’t give you any health benefits.

In fact, it can raise blood sugar and can lead to heart disease. Most parents want their children to eat healthily. You may let them have sugary treats every now and then, but you don’t want them to consume hidden amounts.

With this brand of gummy vitamin, you don’t have to worry. There are no extra sugars added to the product. In fact, the only sweetener comes from the fruit juice used to make the flavors and a safe sugar alternative.

Carrageenan

Carrageenan is a gelling agent that is used in many vegan products. Specifically, it’s used in many vitamin soft gel coatings.

Carrageenan is a derivative of seaweed but has been shown to cause intestinal inflammation among other issues. There’s a lot of controversy surrounding carrageenan in the scientific community but as of 2016, all products labeled USDA organic must be carrageenan-free.

Thankfully, MaryRuth products are organic so none of them will contain carrageenan.

Now that you know how amazing these vegan gummy vitamins are, check them out for yourself.

What Vitamins Are Included?

As a multivitamin, the product contains many nutrients that your child needs. For example, vitamin E is designed to strengthen your immune system. This ensures that your child can fight off illnesses, such as the flu or the common cold.

Vitamin C is also included, which promotes healthy muscle development. Everyone wants their children to grow up big and strong, and the way to do that is by ensuring that their muscles grow and are strong enough to support them in whatever they do.

Vitamins A and D3 are also ingredients. They are both designed to promote bone growth and health. Vitamin D3 helps with calcium absorption. Vitamin A helps with bone health as well but too much can actually have the opposite effect.

B vitamins are included, as well. Vitamin B, in its various forms, is designed to boost energy levels. Vitamin B12 is an essential vitamin and MUST be supplemented in vegans since there’s no natural plant-based source.

You may notice – with time – that your kids seem to be more energetic. They play for longer periods and seem to enjoy life more fully. This is because they have the right energy for the day.

There’s also a whopping 260 mcg of Methylfolate, which is designed to boost energy levels, as well. With the two mixed together, your kids are going to be unstoppable and can take on whatever life brings them every day.

Other vitamins and minerals can include zinc, iodine, biotin, folate, potassium, and more. These are all designed to give your child what they need throughout the day. 

Everything is organic, so you can be sure that you’re not putting anything unhealthy into their bodies. Plus, it tastes great, and they are going to want to take them every morning!

About MaryRuth’s Organics And Their Philosophy

MaryRuth’s Organics was founded by Mary Ruth Ghiyam, who is a Certified Health Educator, Nutritional Consultant, and Culinary Chef.

The founder’s family had a series of family tragedies that led her on a path in nutrition to help people live longer, healthier, and happier lives.

As a company, MaryRuth’s Organics uses only non-GMO, plant-based, vegan ingredients and stay away from common allergens. Their philosophy is to promote wellness over products.

As a vegan with a plant-based family, I’ve been extremely impressed by their ingredients and product quality. They also offer a 100% happiness return policy where you can get a refund if you’re dissatisfied.

How Much Do MaryRuth’s Kids Multivitamin Gummies Cost?

Currently, the price for a bottle of 60 gummies is $25.95. Keep in mind that the length of time this will last depends on the age of your child since the manufacturer recommends children aged 2-3 yrs only take 1 gummy a day but ages 4 and up take 2 per day. In general, a bottle should last you between 1-2 months per child.

This equates to 43 cents per gummy bear or less than $1 a day if taking 2 gummies. I find that to be an excellent price based on the ingredients and company quality standards.

If you want to save even more money, choose the subscribe & save option. This will automatically save you 10% off your recurring order.

For your subscription, you have the option of choosing between 30, 45, 60, or 90-day intervals. I love that the entire process is hassle-free.

You can change your products, change the frequency, skip intervals, and even cancel orders without being stuck on customer service hold. It’s super easy!

Why Choose Gummy Vitamins?

Most parents realize that it’s hard for children to swallow pills. They could get stuck in your child’s throat, and there’s a higher risk of choking involved.

When you choose a gummy, it is easy to chew and swallow. Therefore, your kids are going to want to take their vitamins each day. In fact, they may remind you of them if you forget.

It’s a fun way to take a vitamin, and it tastes like candy. Your kids think they are getting a special treat every morning when they are actually getting something healthy.

How to Take Them

Make sure that your child can safely chew and swallow whole foods, especially sticky foods. Per the bottle, it’s recommended to give the gummy vitamins to kids who are at least two years old.

You may want to talk to your pediatrician to determine how many to take. Otherwise, the manufacturer recommends that your child chew two of them each day if they are over four years old. Ages two and three can take a single gummy a day.

It’s essential to keep this product away from your pets. It contains Xylitol, which is a plant-based chemical compound designed to taste like sugar. In fact, it tastes just like sugar, though it’s a little less sweet.

Humans have no issues eating xylitol, but dogs will get quite sick and even die if they eat it.

Also, it’s important to remember that your children are going to like the way these vitamins taste. That’s good because they want to take them, but that can mean they might seek them out, thinking that they are candy.

Make sure you keep the gummies away from places your children can easily get to and talk to them about the dangers of eating too much of anything.

How to Store Them

Every ingredient is safe without refrigeration. It’s a shelf-stable formula, which means you can keep it in a cabinet.

However, it shouldn’t be heated, so make sure it is stored away from high humidity levels and heat. Keep the bottle away from the bathroom and stove areas. 

Daily Value Percentages Explained

Something should be said about the daily value (DV) percentages. Some of the numbers are less than 100 percent, which can be confusing to some parents.

Generally, fat-soluble vitamins are less than 100 percent because they get stored in the body. If your body stores up too much of them, it can create a toxicity issue.

However, water-soluble vitamins, such as the B Vitamin class, just get expelled from the body if too much is taken. 

Generally, your child’s diet makes up the rest of the numbers so that everything equals 100 percent. If you’re worried about this, you can talk to your child’s doctor and find out the right amounts for a daily multivitamin. 

Conclusion

If your child is picky, it can cause them to get inconsistent amounts of daily vitamins and minerals. To offset this, a multivitamin can help.

Children enjoy the taste of MaryRuth’s Kids Multivitamin Gummies. I, as a parent, like that it doesn’t contain gelatin, dairy, nuts, soy, corn, gluten, sugar, or nightshade.

I also love that the vitamins are completely vegan, plant-based, and carrageenan-free. Try these vegan gummy vitamins out for your family and let me know if they love them as much as mine.

Stephanie Mantilla

Plant-Based Diet & Vegan Lifestyle Expert

Stephanie is the founder of Plant Prosperous, a plant-based vegan living, and parenting blog. She has been eating a plant-based diet for over 24 years along with a B.S. in Biology & Environmental Science. She also has over 14 years of experience working in the environmental and conservation sectors. Stephanie is currently raising her son on a plant-based diet and hopes to help others who are wanting to do the same. You can read more about her here.

The post MaryRuth’s Kids Multivitamin Gummies Review: Good For Vegan Kids? appeared first on Plant Prosperous.

Getting your child to eat vegetables and other unfamiliar foods is tough. It can cause a lot of struggle at mealtimes.

The following steps are intended to help you transition a child of any age over to being more accepting and adventurous when it comes to new foods, especially vegetables.

This is an easy guide on how to get your child to eat vegetables without tears and fighting.

This post may contain affiliate links. That means if you purchase an item through these links, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Please read the full disclosure policy for more info.

How To Start A Baby On Solids So They’ll Love Vegetables

It’s between you and your pediatrician as to when they recommend starting solids.  A baby’s first food needs to be soft. Typically first foods are puréed completely with little texture.

Baby-led weaning is becoming more common as well. This involves giving baby much of the same food you’re eating but with appropriate softness and sizing.

A baby’s gag reflex is triggered further forward in their mouth the younger they are. Up until 4-6 months old, this includes a tongue thrust motion that isn’t compatible with eating solid food.

Once a little older, a baby may not have teeth yet but they’re strong gums are more than enough to chew softer chunks of vegetables.

Tip: These are my essential baby feeding supplies.

1. First Foods For Baby: Skip The Rice Cereal

Whether you breastfeed or formula feed, usually a suggestion from a well–meaning person is to start your baby on rice cereal.

For our parents and grandparents, this was the typical first food. Nowadays it’s being recommended less and less.

Rice cereal is nutritionally devoid. It is usually made from white rice that has had hull removed. This hull has a lot of vitamins. The hull also takes longer to digest which prevents a blood sugar spike.

With white rice, you get that spike. Manufacturers add synthetic vitamins to try and make up for the lack of nutrition. Many of these synthetic vitamins do not absorb as readily as vitamins found in real food.

Rice cereal is also extremely bland. You want your baby to get used to expecting flavors when they eat instead of a tasteless porridge.

Does Baby Rice Cereal Have Arsenic?

Yes, baby rice cereal has been shown to contain arsenic.

Rice readily absorbs many heavy metals from the soil. Even with organic versions, pesticide runoff contaminates the soil.

High arsenic levels are found in rice grown on land that use to be used for cotton crops. This makes sense since cotton production uses the highest levels of pesticides for any crop.

Thus, all of these heavy metals accumulate in the soil. So even if pesticides haven’t been used at that location for years, the rice has some of the highest arsenic levels due to the soil.

Heavy metal toxicity causes serious damage to a body. It takes a lot less arsenic to cause damage in a baby vs adult.

2. Mimic Nature: Breast Milk Is Sweet

Take a cue from nature. Breast milk contains a high concentration of lactose. Lactose is a sugar and tastes sweet. Breast milk also contains a lot of fat.

The flavors of breast milk change based on what the mother has eaten. This gives breastfed babies a slight leg up when it comes to their age of first tasting complex flavors, spices, fruits, and vegetables.

This doesn’t mean that formula-fed babies can’t learn to love more complex flavors. They just aren’t used to it yet since formula will typically taste the same every bottle.

The natural sweetness of breastmilk predisposes babies to like sweeter tasting solid food. This can be used to the parent’s advantage when adding in new foods.

Tips For Getting Your Child To Start Eating Vegetables

Whether you have a baby or an older child, these tips can be used interchangeably in order to get them to enjoy the flavor of vegetables. You can also check out my list of the best kid-friendly vegetables.

1. Mash Vegetables With Avocado

My favorite fast and easy tip is to steam frozen vegetables and mush with avocado. I usually start with peas and cauliflower.

Cauliflower is pretty neutral and peas have a slight sweetness. Avocado is a healthy fat full of vitamins.

Avocado doesn’t have a strong taste which won’t overwhelm your child’s palate.  They’re used to drinking high-fat milk.

My son took to eating this quickly. If your child doesn’t like it immediately, keep offering it once to a few times a week. Their taste buds will adjust.

Tip: Creating your own baby food is easy with these supplies.

2. Use Sweeter Vegetables To Your Advantage

Sweet potatoes, carrots, and beets are sweet vegetables and are a perfect lead-in. These can be bought fresh or frozen and steamed.

If making a larger amount of food, break it into smaller portions. Flavor each portion slightly different and put in a 4 oz jelly jar to freeze.

3. Add In Spices (Not Spicy)

Eating the same vegetable daily doesn’t have to be boring. The flavor can be changed up using a variety of spices from the pantry.

If using sweet potatoes, one portion might have cinnamon, another rosemary or thyme. Stay salt-free though since too much salt is not good.

If you prefer not to make your own baby food, choose store–bought baby food with no added sugar that also features some vegetables.

The food can be mashed as smooth or chunky as your baby will eat as long as the size of the chunks aren’t choking hazards.

4. Combine Fruits With Vegetables

Smoothies are an effortless way to add greens into your child’s diet. An overripe spotted banana will cover the taste of spinach in a smoothie.

Blend frozen fruit with banana and whatever greens you have on hand. I’ve used romaine, spinach, kale, and Swiss chard. Add more water if it’s too thick.

I place smoothies into a straw cup for my child. These cups are actually my favorite for giving smoothies.

Smoothies turn brown as they oxidize so drinking them fresh is preferred unless you don’t mind the color.

5. Offer Fresh Vegetable Juice

The saying “Blend your fruits, juice your vegetables” can be used here.

Fruit has high sugar content. When you juice fruit you get a blood sugar spike. Fruit needs the fiber to slow down the digestion process and prevent the spike.

Vegetables can be juiced without getting that spike.  You don’t have to juice but if you do, it’s a nice concentration of vegetables.

My favorite juicer is always out and used daily.

An easy juice blend contains greens, celery, carrots, apple, and lemon. The majority of the juice is from greens and celery with only one apple and ½ a lemon.

If that combo isn’t sweet enough, add in more apple. You can slowly start decreasing the amount of fruit as they get used to drinking it.  

Juicing produces a concentrated flavor that really young children may not be ready for.

6. Use Pasta As A Healthy Vegetable-Filled Option

Use different types of pasta like lentil and chickpea. Pasta is a staple in our house.

The shapes are small and perfect for self-feeding.  Grocery stores today have many types of pasta.

Instead of white pasta try wheat, brown rice, chickpea, black bean, green lentil, red lentil, or adzuki bean pasta.  Each will have a different texture and taste.

Create Sauces For Pasta

Since pasta is such a hit, use that to create vegetable-packed sauces.  

The great thing about sauce is it can be blended so that you can’t see the individual ingredients anymore.  This is my favorite way to blend with minimal mess.

Your child probably will not notice cooked carrots blended into marinara. Spinach and chickpeas can also be blended effortlessly.

7. Cook With Your Kids To Get Them Interested In Vegetables

Involving your child can do wonders with their willingness to try new foods.  If your kid grocery shops with you, let them pick out one vegetable they want to try that week.  

If it’s an ingredient you’ve never used before then find a recipe together that sounds tasty.  Curate curiosity in the kitchen and involve them as much as possible, even if it’s only to rinse lettuce.

What little kid doesn’t like buttons?  It seems that children have a tracking device to find buttons to press.  Use this to get the child excited about using the blender and juicer.

If age-appropriate, your child can help chop and prepare the produce.  Young kids can dump a bowl of frozen berries into a blender easily.

A set like this is perfect for letting your child help in the kitchen.

The point is, let them get involved and give them the autonomy to make choices.  Let them choose what type of smoothie they want today.

8. Don’t Snack: Stick To Planned Meal Times

When I’m out at a store, over half of the children I see tend to be eating something.  Usually small crackers or cereal.

They’re being pushed along, mindlessly eating. If you ate bits of food all day, you wouldn’t be hungry for actual meals.

Our household follows three meals a day and 2 snacks. Breakfast, 10 AM snack, lunch, dinner, and a snack around 3 PM. My child can, of course, have water to drink any time he wants but finger foods are limited to mealtimes.  

Breakfast is usually oatmeal, a smoothie, or bagel with avocado. The before lunch snack is often fruit or a smoothie. Lunch is pasta with sauce, puree, or some of what I’m eating. Sometimes all 3 if he’s hungry.  

His snack is when he wakes from napping. We may make vegetable juice, another smoothie, or some fresh fruit. Dinner is our family meal.

By keeping mindless eating to a minimum, you’ll ensure your child is hungry during mealtimes. They’re more likely to try out and eat the vegetables you’re serving if they aren’t already filled up on crackers.

Benefits Of Family Meals

Our child eats with my husband and me at the table.  He gets whatever we are having that night that is child safe.  Dinners are where we have the most variety.

When our son sees both his dad and mom at the table eating the same food he’s being offered, he warms up to it quickly.  

It’s biological that our children look to their parents and mimic. His seeing us eat the food tells him that it is safe to eat and affects his outlook on different types of food.

Side Note: There was one evening when our son was 8 months old.  My husband and I were eating Indian curry. We had puree and some pasta for our son.

He refused to eat any of his food and kept reaching out towards our plates of curry. We relented and gave him some.  

He loved it! Lentil curry is now one of his favorite foods. Really hit home the power of a child’s mimicking nature.

Watch The Meal’s Salt And Spice Content

I love spice.  Much to my husband’s dismay, whenever I cooked food early on in our marriage his eyes would start tearing up from the heat.  

I’ve since mellowed out how much spice I add to a dish. Now with a child eating it, I include even less heat.

I mention this because children’s taste buds need time to get used to the various flavors and spices you add to their diet.

Sometimes going lighter on the flavoring is helpful for getting your child to take to the food quicker.

It’s alright to add normal amounts of herbs and spices but definitely limit the salt and heat-inducing spices. You can add those after the food is served so that it isn’t too much sodium or heat for your child.

9. Creating Healthy Eating Habits: The Trap Of Dessert

I often hear about parents telling their kids that if they don’t eat their vegetables then they can’t have dessert.  

While this initially sounds like a good way to get them to eat their veggies, the problem is in the long term.

Do this frequently and you’re teaching your child that vegetables are bad or taste gross.  You have to bribe them in order to make them sound appealing.

It isn’t wise to leverage dessert for compliance. Instead, take an approach where dessert is fruit only. Dessert isn’t supposed to be equivalent to a second meal’s worth of calories and a sugar rush.  

If you start having choices of fruit as the option for dessert, then you satisfy any sweets craving but it’s much healthier.

10. Don’t Give Up: Keep Offering The Same Foods Many Times

If you’re starting with an older child or your baby doesn’t seem to enjoy a particular food, that doesn’t mean to stop offering it.  

Overly sweet, salty, and greasy foods are biologically addictive. Taste buds need time to adjust and appreciate the flavors of produce.

When I first gave my son avocado, he hated it.  As soon as it touched his tongue he started gagging like he was going to vomit.

Mind you, no avocado actually made it into his mouth.

How could he not like avocado? Avocado is a food group in our family.  It took 13 additional tries of avocado before he started eating it.

The key is to not continue offering it the same way time after time. Throw in some variety!

Offer avocado mashed in potatoes, mixed with salsa for guacamole, as avocado pesto sauce for pasta, with peas mixed in, on a piece of bagel.  You get the idea.

Don’t let one, or even 12, dislikes of a certain food indicate you should give up. Your child’s taste buds adjusted and eventually, they’ll get excited when they see food they once hated.

11. Don’t Make A Separate Meal

Make it easy on yourself.  Dinner is what’s for dinner.

Everyone in the family is eating what is made and must take at least one bite of everything.  There’s no negotiating because there are no other options.

While this may seem harsh, it’s a boundary that you can easily set with your children. Otherwise, you’ll spend your evening being a short-order cook and will get burnt out making everyone different meals.

Concluding Tips

If you were wondering how to get your child to eat more vegetables, it boils down to a little planning and persistence.

Getting your child to accept a variety of tastes, flavors, and textures take time and consistency. If you methodically introduce food items repeatedly, your child’s taste buds will have time to adjust.

Try to eat as many meals together as you can to encourage the trying of new food items. Avoid bribing your child with sweets or offering to prepare a separate requested meal.

By slowly incorporating these tips, you’ll get your child eating a wider variety of vegetables without mealtimes being a battle.

Share with me in the comments ways you’ve gotten your child to eat more vegetables.

Related Articles:

• 19 Creative Ways for Hiding Vegetables in Food

Stephanie Mantilla

Plant-Based Diet & Vegan Lifestyle Expert

Stephanie is the founder of Plant Prosperous, a plant-based vegan living, and parenting blog. She has been eating a plant-based diet for over 24 years along with a B.S. in Biology & Environmental Science. She also has over 14 years of experience working in the environmental and conservation sectors. Stephanie is currently raising her son on a plant-based diet and hopes to help others who are wanting to do the same. You can read more about her here.

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Successfully Get Your Child To Eat More Vegetables

The post How To Get Your Child To Eat Vegetables appeared first on Plant Prosperous.

Crib?… Check

Diapers?… Check

Baby’s domain name?…

While I’m neither famous nor am I trying to raise a future celebrity, I still registered my baby’s name domain.  

At first, my husband thought I was following a strange trend but after I stated my case he was on board.

There are a few benefits for registering your baby’s domain name while they’re young.

Below I’ll cover the 3 main reasons why reserving your child’s domain name is a great idea and walk you through step by step on how to reserve a domain name.

This post may contain affiliate links. That means if you purchase an item through these links, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Please read the full disclosure policy for more info.

1. Names Are Intelectual Property

The internet became available to the public in 1991.  I was in middle school during this time and grew up with AOL chat rooms and Hotmail accounts.  

The internet was new and really only tech-savvy people were creating websites or online stores.  

There have been a few generations since then that have grown up only knowing ONLY time with the internet.  It has become a part of their identity and one’s digital fingerprint starts at an early age.

With internet access becoming faster and cheaper, it’s easier for remote and less affluent areas of the world to now be online.  

More People Are Using The Same Names

There’s a finite number of single words in the English language. The name possibilities increase if you start a company from a made-up word.

You won’t be able to get a domain such as Kate.com or Thomas.com, or if you can you’ll have to pay a lot to a domain squatter.  Domains are issued on a first-come first-reserved basis.

The fact that domains are relatively inexpensive make it attractive for squatters to register many domains in the hopes someone will pay them a high price for the domain.  

Children with common names like John Smith probably won’t be able to find a .com available.  If your child has a slightly unique name or nickname Lastname combo, it very well could be available right now.

.Coms Are Becoming Scarce

Around 4 million babies are born in the United States each year.  Today’s parents are trending towards more unique names.

Even so, if you wait until your child is in middle school before registering their name, 48 million children have been born in the United States by the time your child is 12.  

If your child ends up being someone who wants to have a YouTube channel or child started non-profit, having their name as a .com will be invaluable.  

Try entering a famous person’s name as a .com in the address bar and you’ll see how few people own their own name’s domain.

Even now, my maiden name and married name are taken.  Luckily my nickname wasn’t so I snagged that for myself.

.COM Domains Are The Best

Once a domain is registered, it isn’t likely to become available in the future.

As .coms are becoming more scarce, additional top-level domains (TLD) are becoming available.  TLD’s are the ending to the web address such as .com, .org, .edu, and .net.

It’s safe to say that .com is the most desired since people will assume that’s the ending.  Novelty TLDs are available such as .baby, .family, .social, .travel, and more.

As the population grows, more people will resort to those as .coms are unavailable.

2. Domain Registration Has Benefits For The Future

Even if your child never becomes famous or the owner of a company, a .com can help them in their job search.  

Prospective employers typically do a search of a person’s name to see what comes up. It’s better to control the content that shows on your domain name.

You wouldn’t want your baby’s domain name to be associated with a company that isn’t in line with your morals.

Domain Names Aren’t Public Profiles

The good thing is that you can leave your baby’s domain name parked for years without content. You don’t even need to register for hosting for the domain if you don’t plan on using it.

You can simply save it for your child’s future use. When they’re older they can decide how they’d like to use the domain.

Beneficial Uses Of A Domain Name:

• A writer could start a blog or have an author’s homepage.

• An artist can have an online gallery and portfolio.  

• A musician can have embedded videos of them playing.

• A graphic designer can showcase themselves with samples of their work.

• A college applicant can have a landing page for all of their various projects and accomplishments.

3. Domain Name Registration Costs Hardly Anything

The internet is likely to only become more important in the future.  I purchased my domains from Namecheap since they’re easy to use as a parking website.  

Domain Names Are An Affordable Investment

They’re also very inexpensive. It only cost $8.88 for a year’s registration. Later on, you can add domain hosting if you’d like to use the domain name.

WhoIsGuard is free forever using Namecheap which other platforms charge for.  

WhoIsGuard keeps your registration information private so that people can’t see your name, email, address, and phone number that is on the domain registration.   This is especially important for cybersecurity purposes.

If you reserve your child’s domain name until they’re 18 yrs old, that will cost you around $180 total.  

Domain name registration is a surprisingly great gift for tech parents or if you’re looking to gift something unexpected. In the grand scheme of things, $180 is a very inexpensive gift that your child will appreciate.

How to Register A Domain Name The Easy Way

I recommend Namecheap since they’re easy to use and inexpensive.  From their main page, you can type in the name you’d like to use in the search.  It will come up with a list of available domains.

Alternatively, you can go to the “Domains” menu at the top.  Select “Personal Domain” in the dropdown. This will also do a search of available names and give alternatives.  

Once you find the domain name you’d like to register, add it to your cart.  In the cart, toggle “Auto-Renew” for both the Domain Registration and WhoIsGuard.  

Enter any promo codes before confirming your order. You may even get it for less if you order during a promotion.

Auto-Renew is the easiest way to register your domain.  

There are some domain squatters that will wait for a recently expired domain to become available and snap it up.  

They hope that the person who forgot to renew will end up paying them to get the domain back.

Giving The Gift Of A Domain Name

Reserving a baby’s .com name is a unique and forward-thinking gift. The usefulness can’t be understated in today’s technological world.

This is a gift that no one else will think of and is perfect for technologically inclined parents.

Did you decide to register your child’s domain name? Let me know below.

Stephanie Mantilla

Plant-Based Diet & Vegan Lifestyle Expert

Stephanie is the founder of Plant Prosperous, a plant-based vegan living, and parenting blog. She has been eating a plant-based diet for over 24 years along with a B.S. in Biology & Environmental Science. She also has over 14 years of experience working in the environmental and conservation sectors. Stephanie is currently raising her son on a plant-based diet and hopes to help others who are wanting to do the same. You can read more about her here.

Pin For Later:

Baby Domain Name Registration Is A Smart Choice For New Parents

The post Why You Should Register Your Baby’s Domain Name (Before It’s Gone) appeared first on Plant Prosperous.

In my experience, getting children to eat vegetables in their natural forms is like pulling teeth. So, it’s important for those preparing meals to get a little creative for the sake of their little ones.

Below is a look at eight kid-friendly vegetables that you may find genuinely surprising. Apart from the vegetables themselves, using a variety of preparation techniques will also help your child love them.

Hopefully, you learn a couple of recipes to incorporate into your family’s meal time.

This post may contain affiliate links. That means if you purchase an item through these links, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Please read the full disclosure policy for more info.

1) Zucchini

I’ve realized that this summer squash type doesn’t get its respect, despite that kids can love it in so many ways. While they may not look at it and eat it as is, there’s so much that you can do to get the little ones into it.

A great idea is to use the zucchini in something sweet. If there’s one thing I’ve seen in every generation of kids, it’s that distinct sweet tooth.

Zucchini banana bread or muffins are a prime example. Banana bread is an almost universally adored pastry, and you can add a shredded handful of zucchini to the mix for the little ones.

Zucchini chips are also amazing, and this is one of my personal favorites for the young ones. You can start by slicing the zucchini into thin pieces.

Get your baking sheet, and coat it in some olive oil. Flavor the meal by adding your favorite seasonings and spices. Next, bake them at 200 degrees Fahrenheit for about 45 minutes.

Finally, rotate the sheet, and bake them for another 30 minutes. The chips should have a crisp, brown look once you’re done.

2) Cabbage

This one may make your scratch your head and it’s such a common vegetable too. The best part about cabbage is the multiple nutrients that it packs into one convenient place.

Kids can get astonishing amounts of fiber, vitamin C, and vitamin K from eating cabbages. So, what do you do with them to make them more appealing for the younger food connoisseurs among us?

Cabbage can be eaten in both a cooked and raw form. Thankfully, this helps give it versatility.

A leaf of cabbage makes a good taco substitute or lettuce wrap cup. You can fill it with your child’s favorite taco fillings.

Feel free to get creative and include their favorite beans, cherry tomatoes, etc. Here’s a recipe that uses a teriyaki chickpea filling.

Of course, you could also use the cabbage to make a salad. I know most people wouldn’t even think of putting “children” and “salad” in the same sentence.

Still, all you need is your finely chopped cabbage, a couple of carrots, a finely chopped apple, a bit of baby spinach, lemon juice, some vegan yogurt, and your favorite sweetener.

Whisk the yogurt and lemon juice, and place the other ingredients into another container. Once you’re done whisking, pour the dressing over the salad. 

3) Bell Peppers

Somehow bell peppers manage to taste great in their raw state. It’s one reason I love them so much, and I’m sure there are many adults out there who agree with my taste buds.

As you may know, these peppers have a very brilliant color that you can’t miss from a mile away. That look indicates that they are filled to the brim with anti-oxidants for the little ones.

The first suggestion is simpler than you can imagine. Get some of your favorite vegan ranch dip, allow your kids to dip the bell peppers in it.

You can also use hummus and make an easy crudites platter to snack on. You’d be surprised just how enjoyable such a simple snack can be.

How about kicking up the complexity a bit? If you’re game, you can try making stuffed peppers.

You’re going to need a mixing bowl, some foil, and a casserole dish for this one.

You’ll also need uncooked rice, a diced red bell pepper, a diced onion, a couple of diced tomatoes, a bunch of green onions, vegetable broth, some frozen corn, three large red bell peppers, drained and rinsed black beans, cilantro, and taco seasoning.

Cut the three large bell peppers in half, and remove the seeds and membrane. Make the cuts lengthwise.

Stir together your vegetable broth, rice, the diced bell pepper, the onion, the green onions, the tomatoes, and the taco seasoning in a large skillet. When it comes to a simmer, cover, and allow it to cook for 20 minutes on the low setting.

After the cooking, add your corn and black beans. Use a fork to fluff the rice mixture.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Fill your peppers as much as you can with the rice mixture. Once you’re done, put it all in your baking dish and bake for 30 minutes covered.

Bake for another 10 minutes after removing the cover. Top it with some fresh cilantro, and serve it to the kids.

4) Asparagus

I love asparagus on my salads, and you probably do too. The problem is children may not be too fond of it in the same way adults would.

Be that as it may, I strongly believe that kids should eat asparagus, as it’s one of the best sources of folic acid available.

Now, I must give you a disclaimer for those who have worries about asparagus’ “bitter” taste. You only get this taste if you overcook it. The trick is to cook it until it’s just al dente. 

The first suggestion I’m going to make is a little recipe called Twigs in a Blanket. You see, kids tend to judge their meals on both taste and appearance.

This recipe gives off a nice flavor, and it’s more than interesting to look at. You’re going to need some vegan bread dough for this one.

Take the dough and wrap around the asparagus in a spiral pattern. Bake them until the bread is cooked.

For an even simpler option, try roasted asparagus. Put the asparagus in a pan. Add a dash of salt and two tablespoons of olive oil.

Roast for about 10 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s all there is to it!

5) Winter Squash

Listen, I know that winter squash can be a super intimidating thing to cook, but there’s nothing for you to worry about. Remember what I said about kids loving meals with an appealing appearance?

Well, you can go wild here because here’s a vegetable that allows you to make custom shapes in your meals. What more could you want?

Roasted butternut squash is a dream for kids, and the best part is that you don’t have a lengthy ingredient list to worry about. All you need is the squash and some olive oil.

While you can use a whole squash, I’d suggest starting with buying some precut squash to get the hang of things.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. You want the skin gone as you only want to work with the outer layer, so get peeling.

Cut away the thin part of the squash, and get rid of the seeds from the thicker part’s middle. Cut the thick part into rounds, and the thin part into half-rounds.

Cut everything into cubes next. You can use cookie cutters for shapes or a zig-zag slicer for the shape of fries.

Toss in a bowl with the olive oil. Next, line your baking sheet with oil and add whatever spices you may desire. Bake the squash for between 18 and 22 minutes until just soft to the touch.

6) Mushrooms

While technically a fungus and not a vegetable, this one is too yummy to leave off the list.

It’s sometimes very hard to see how mushrooms could be appealing to children, but there’s a lot that you can achieve if you go about preparing them the right way.

Unfortunately, it’s not very hard to overcook mushrooms, and when you do, you can say goodbye to their flavor. 

The best option here is meatless Bolognese sauce, which is a favorite among meat-eaters. Thankfully, you can use mushrooms to make a vegan alternative that is just as tasty for your kid’s favorite pasta.

Here’s an easy bolognese recipe. You can swap out diced mushrooms for the TVP or use them both.

The trick is to use your child’s favorite vegan pasta sauce, which disguises the mushrooms. Just in case they’re not fans of a chunky sauce texture, you can blend it to perfection.

To bring a mushroom bolognese recipe to life, you are going to need some pasta sauce, chopped mushrooms, half a chopped sweet onion, half a chopped bell pepper, some finely chopped walnuts, a bit of tomato paste, some Italian seasoning, some garlic powder, a little sugar, some fennel seeds, and olive oil.

Start by toasting the walnuts in a pan using medium heat. Continue until fragrant, and then you can set it aside.

Add olive oil to the pan, along with the chopped onion, and cook until tender. Proceed to add the bell pepper and mushrooms to the saucepan.

Stir while cooking for eight minutes or until the water from the mushrooms is cooked off. Now add the pasta sauce, tomato paste, Italian seasonings, fennel seeds, walnuts, and garlic powder.

Mix the ingredients well, and reduce the heat to a low setting. Let the sauce simmer for five to eight minutes. If the sauce seems too acidic, you can add a pinch of sugar.

7) Kale

I’m not sure how much time you spend reviewing nutrient rankings, but you are likely to see kale dominating a few charts where nutrient density is concerned if you are about that life.

It’s packed with vitamins A, C, and K, as well as high amounts of sulfur to promote healthy liver function.

There are even anti-cancer qualities, anti-inflammatory benefits, and anti-oxidant properties latent within the vegetable. In short, kale is something too nutritious not to be eating. 

Of course, you can’t feed your kids kale as is. Technically you could, but it may not go down as well as you’d hope. So, how about I help you add some flavor to the mix?

My first suggestion is kale chips, which are surprisingly easy to make. All you need is a bunch of kale, a little grapeseed oil, a little lemon juice, and a couple of pinches of salt.

Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and chopping your kale into small parts. Put all the ingredients into a bowl, and use your hands to massage the salt, lemon juice, and oil in with the kale.

Use parchment-lined baking sheets, and place your pan into the oven for 12 minutes. The green appearance may make your kids a bit skeptical, but one taste is all they need to get with the program. 

8) Green Peas

I’m concluding the list with an often overlooked but incredibly child-friendly option. Of all the alternatives I’ve presented, not many can be as readily eaten as green peas.

Kids are so taken by the peas that they are willing to eat them directly from the bag, even in their frozen state.

Green peas are great, as they contain several different vitamin B types, and they contribute to the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.

I’m going to leave you with a simple arrangement that is known as a finger snack. In its simplest form, it’s just a bowl of green peas. Your kids don’t need a fork, which is the reason for the name.

You can modify this salad to make it even more appealing to your little ones. Consider adding grapes, carrots, apple slices, etc. into the mix. You are likely to be very surprised and have a good laugh at how your children attack the bowl.

Final Thoughts

There’s nothing magical about the vegetables listed above. They’re simply healthy and easy to blend and hide into other meals.

If your child likes noodles, have your child use a spiralizer to help make some zoodles. Chopped mushrooms make a great ground beef replacement.

The key is to keep tyring different versions and ways to prepare vegetables. It can take a few times of trying something before your child gets a like for a certain flavor.

What are the vegetables your kids like the most? Let me know in the comments below.

Related Articles:

• Tips for Hiding Vegetables for Picky Eaters
• Getting Your Child to Eat Vegetables Without A Tantrum

Stephanie Mantilla

Plant-Based Diet & Vegan Lifestyle Expert

Stephanie is the founder of Plant Prosperous, a plant-based vegan living, and parenting blog. She has been eating a plant-based diet for over 24 years along with a B.S. in Biology & Environmental Science. She also has over 14 years of experience working in the environmental and conservation sectors. Stephanie is currently raising her son on a plant-based diet and hopes to help others who are wanting to do the same. You can read more about her here.

The post Eight Kid-Friendly Vegetables That May Surprise You appeared first on Plant Prosperous.

Young babies seem to put everything in their mouths. Unfortunately, many baby toys have surprisingly high levels of toxins.

Despite laws being in place regulating the amount of lead and other toxic materials in children’s toys, they are too frequently being recalled for containing too high levels of toxins by the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Baby safety is the number one reason for being discerning with your baby’s toys. Below, I cover the best non-toxic baby toys and toy brands. Better yet is that they can easily be ordered from Amazon and do not cost a lot of money.

This post may contain affiliate links. That means if you purchase an item through these links, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Please read the full disclosure policy for more info.

The Best Non-Toxic Baby Toy Brands Found On Amazon

Here are the best non-toxic baby toy brands that you can find on Amazon (in alphabetical order). These toy brands don’t contain BPA or toxic paints or dyes.

1. Green Toys

The only plastic toy company on the list. They are a California based company whose toys are made out of recycled milk jugs. Free of BPA, phthalates, lead, and other harmful substances. Made in the USA.

2. HABA

A German toy company that makes mainly wooden toys. Instead of paints, they use safe, non-toxic, water-based lacquers on their products.

3. Hape Toys

Make toys from sustainable materials and are eco-friendly.

4. HEVEA

Sustainable natural rubber products.

5. John N Tree Organic

Made in South Korea. Organic dye-free cotton toys.

6. Maple Landmark

Made in Vermont. Making eco-friendly wooden toys since 1979.

7. Plan Toys

Sustainable, eco-friendly wooden toys from rubberwood trees that no longer produce latex. Water-based dyes and organic color pigments.

8. Under The Nile

Soft Egyptian organic cotton toys. Sustainable and certified Fair Trade.

How To Choose Safe Baby Toys

There are many more toy brands than what is listed above. It can be overwhelming to try to remember each and every brand of non-toxic toy so I wrote up some easy to remember toy tips.

The following guidelines will help you assess if the toy is a safe non-toxic option:

• Look for toys that are sustainably made.
• Choose water-based, non-toxic paints.
• Choose plant-based dyes.
• Opt for wood or natural cloth toys (organic if possible).
• Look for toys that are EN71 certified since Europe’s toy safety laws are more strict than the United States’ CPSC.

Best Non-Toxic Safe Baby Toys Reviewed

I focus on toys that expand your baby’s world. This can be done through textures and shapes with a few bright colors.  

Below I review the best non-toxic baby toys I tried out with my son.

1. Green Toys Baby Starter Set

This toy set comes with keys, star stacking cups, and a rolling elephant. I gave my baby the keys starting at 3 months old.

Even now that he’s a toddler he is still playing with this set daily. The star cups come with us to the beach to build sandcastles.

This is a great starter set of toys that are versatile and still fun as your baby grows. These are made in the USA from recycled milk jugs so are BPA free.

2. HABA Discovery Ball

This ball has been a favorite toy for over a year.  The tags and textures keep babies interested in it.

As your child grows, they can throw the ball without worrying about damaging anything since it’s so soft.

This ball is durable and has held up well after going through the delicate wash cycle in the washing machine.

3. HABA Kringelring Wooden Rattle & Clutch Toy

This rattle is easy to grip and makes a nice clinking noise when shaken. This toy is easy to hold even for young babies.

There is a stretchy piece of elastic that goes through all the wood pieces. This does eventually wear down so I removed the toy from rotation after a year and a half.

It held up nicely until then and was a great teether.

4. HABA Roly Poly Dragon

This dragon was a reach toy during tummy time. during tummy time.  It is effective at keeping baby’s interest with the wobbling action.

The base is weighted and inside is a softly jingling bell. The dragon part is soft plush.

5. HEVEA Natural Rubber Star Ball

Soft all-natural rubber design that is easy to grip and safe to chew. This ball is easy for a young baby to hold onto.

The design of this ball allows for it to be clipped onto handles and strollers for a travel toy.

6. John N Tree Organic Kitty & Bear Rattle Set

This set includes two small bear rattles and a larger kitty rattle. The scarves around the necks of the animals can be removed.

The material is soft and easily washed. Dye-free and made from organic cotton.

7. Maple Landmark Oval Bell Rattle

Used as a rolling toy during tummy time to keep baby’s attention. It’s a little hard for a baby to grip at first due to the width.

This bell rattle is made out of unfinished wood that is very smooth. Handcrafted in Vermont from maple.

8. Plan Toys Sensory Tumbling Baby Toy

Comes with three wooden wobbling balls in the set. There’s a different sensory aspect to each wobble ball.

One has a mirror, one a soft cotton to feel, and the other has small balls that rattle. The majority of the balls are made out of smooth wood with non-toxic paint coloring the top.

These toys are made from sustainably harvested wood.

9. Under The Nile Toy Lion Doll

This adorable grey lion is made out of organic terrycloth fabric. Baby’s find the texture interesting and it’s small size makes it easy to hold.

Since this is entirely fabric, it can be cleaned on the gentle cycle as needed. The entire size is about that of a washcloth.

This is a fun toy even as your child grows. It’s easy to carry with you and makes a nice napping companion once older.

10. Manhattan Toy Skwish (Natural) Grasping Toy

You may have noticed that Manhattan Toys wasn’t listed in the non-toxic toy brands list above. This natural Skwish is exceptional that I didn’t want to leave it out.

It’s made from sustainable rubberwood, dye-free, and sealed with a non-toxic water-based sealer.  This toy is larger than expected and lots of fun.

It ages well with a growing child and bounces erratically when throw.

Safe Baby Toy Thoughts

You can’t really go wrong when choosing a non-toxic toy. Any of them are better than cheap plastic toys or toys with questionable paints.

I’ve found it easiest and least expensive to order my baby’s non-toxic toys off of Amazon. It’s easy to create a toy wish list for friends or relatives who ask what your child would like.

Let me know what toys your baby likes in the comments.

Stephanie Mantilla

Plant-Based Diet & Vegan Lifestyle Expert

Stephanie is the founder of Plant Prosperous, a plant-based vegan living, and parenting blog. She has been eating a plant-based diet for over 24 years along with a B.S. in Biology & Environmental Science. She also has over 14 years of experience working in the environmental and conservation sectors. Stephanie is currently raising her son on a plant-based diet and hopes to help others who are wanting to do the same. You can read more about her here.

Pin For Later:

Baby Approved Toxin-Free Toys

The post Best Non-Toxic Baby Toys: Natural, Organic & Safe Baby Gifts appeared first on Plant Prosperous.

I was very fortunate that I had very few problems with breastfeeding.  In fact, by the time my baby was 7 months old I had donated over 1,000 ounces to other babies in need.  

By the time he was 11 months old, I no longer had an oversupply but made enough for him alone. I don’t say this to brag, far from it.

I say this in the hopes to help other moms out who are having trouble increasing their breastmilk. I believe that part of the reason my breastmilk supply was plentiful was due to my diet.

Below I list several vegan foods to increase breastmilk supply. All of them are considered galactagogues which is a substance that increases milk supply.

*Please note that I’m not a medical doctor and am only sharing my experiences. You should consult your own doctor for approval.

This post may contain affiliate links. That means if you purchase an item through these links, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Please read the full disclosure policy for more info.

Best Vegan Foods To Increase Milk Supply Fast

1) Oatmeal

There is currently not a clear reason why eating oatmeal increases milk supply in some women and not others.

Whether it’s due to its high iron content or its cholesterol-lowering abilities, it is effective and delicious.

For a daily milk boost, I try to eat one bowl of oatmeal for breakfast.  Instant oats, rolled, steel cut – it didn’t seem to matter what kind.  

Variety is key when it comes to food so you don’t get tired of it and give up. For some ideas, here is a list of ways to sweeten your oatmeal without sugar.

One trick to sneak in TONS of oats is to make banana bread that uses oats instead of traditional flour. This freezes wonderfully as well.  

Overnight oats are a cool refrigerated option for the hot summer. If breakfast smoothies are more your thing, add the oats to the smoothie and blend them right in.  

A major benefit of oats is that they are far less expensive than many lactation supplements.

2) Coconut

Whether you prefer coconut meat, coconut milk, coconut water, or coconut oil, they all seem to have a benefit.  

Too much saturated fat is associated with raising bad LDL cholesterol that causes heart disease.

What makes coconut oil different than the saturated fats in butter and lard is that over ½ of it is medium-chain fatty acids (MCTs) are in the form of lauric acid.  

This may account for the boost in good HDL cholesterol that occurs after eating coconuts.

Lauric acid is associated with boosting immunity and fighting viruses and bacteria. Coconuts also contain antioxidants and essential fatty acids.

These are all components of breast milk.  

Coconut oil is the most concentrated coconut fat and should be used sparingly out of this list of foods.  I use it for cooking.

Coconut milk is great at thickening soups or in smoothies. Coconut water is a refreshing electrolyte drink that’s not full of added sugar and dyes.

Coconut meat is good in smoothies, baking, or a snack.  

3) Moringa Leaf Powder

Moringa Oleifera is a tree native to India.  Each part of the tree has different uses in traditional herbal medicine.  

The leaves, in particular, have extremely high nutrient values. They are usually dried and ground into a powder.  

High antioxidant levels work against free radicals in the body. Moringa contains a lot of iron which many new moms are low in after giving birth.  

A study in The Philippine Journal of Pediatrics showed moringa powder increasing breast milk output by day 4 of ingestion. That’s really fast!

While their sample size was small, the hypothesis is that the moringa increases prolactin production which creates its lactogenic effects.  

This is the exact brand that I use and love.

I add a heaping tablespoon of moringa leaf powder to my daily green smoothie.  It has a “green” taste but is easily masked with an over-ripe banana blended in.  

How To Sustain Increased Milk Supply Naturally?

Eating galactagogues alone will not create a sustained milk supply increase.  

Pairing these with other natural ways with help increase your milk supply over a longer timeframe.

Here are a few things you can do to increase your milk supply fast naturally:

These suggestions get your baby or your breast pump to stimulate more milk production.

Increased nursing and pumping tells your body to produce more milk, like when your baby goes through a growth spurt.

Ensuring proper latch from your baby with a lactation consultant makes sure your baby is eating effectively and able to get all of the milk out.

If your baby is eating ineffectively and leaving lots of milk, that is telling your body to make less milk so its important to make sure that isn’t happening.

My pediatrician’s office had a lactation consultant come in once a week for appointments that were covered by my health insurance. I was able to go a few times to get better latching and nursing holds.

If you’re having trouble with milk supply, this is an option that may be available at your child’s pediatrician.

My Vegan Breastfeeding Diet

I consider the foods listed above as being breast milk boosters. I use them temporarily in order to get an increase in breast milk supply.

Once my breastmilk increases in production, I taper down those foods to a maintenance amount.

Here is the diet I eat in order to have optimum nutrition and health while breastfeeding.

What To Eat While Vegan Breastfeeding

Breastmilk is made up of the nutrients that you eat. If your diet is crummy, your milk may be lacking in nutrient density.

More likely, YOU may be lacking in nutrients since your body is putting them all into the breastmilk for your baby, leaving you with whatever is leftover.

In order to sustain a healthy breast milk supply while on a vegan diet, I made sure to eat plenty of the following:

1. Water

Drinking lots of water is one of the easiest things to do to increase your milk supply. Many people go about their days not realizing they’re dehydrated.

Breastmilk is mainly made up of water so it makes sense that if you’re low on water, your milk supply will go down.

In order to stay hydrated, I carry around a 40 oz water bottle wherever I go.

I make a point to drink one bottle from the time I wake up to before lunch, a second bottle between lunch and dinner, and close to half a bottle in the evening.

2. Multivitamins

By the recommendation of my doctor, I continue to take a daily prenatal multivitamin, B12 spray, Vitamin D3 with K2 drops, and prenatal DHA while I’m breastfeeding.

When my breastfeeding journey ends, I’ll switch over to a regular multivitamin but still take weekly B12 and the Vitamin D3 with K2 daily in the winter.

All of the vitamins & supplements I use can be found listed here.

Ask your doctor about these vitamins and supplements before starting them for yourself.

3. Dark Leafy Greens

I try to eat at least one meal a day containing dark leafy greens. This can be spinach, Swiss chard, kale, or collard greens.

The easiest way to get my greens is by making a green smoothie. I usually include spirulina or chlorella in there for added bonus greens.

The reason greens are such an important part of a breastfeeding mom’s diet is the sheer amount of nutrients they contain. Greens are high in iron, vitamin K, vitamin C, calcium, folic acid, fiber, and antioxidants.

All of this goodness gets passed into your baby through your milk.

4. Avocados

In my household, avocados are practically a food group. Thankfully we live in the south so avocados are plentiful without exorbitant pricing.

Avocados are an extremely healthy fat-filled superfood. High in vitamin K, potassium, and fiber, avocados can help lower cholesterol.

Eating healthy fats with your meals helps in nutrient absorption. I probably eat equivalent to half an avocado a day paired with salads and other vegetables where it may assist in nutrient uptake.

5. Nuts and Seeds

Seeds and nuts are antioxidant powerhouses. They are concentrated energy sources for plants that growing sprouts would live off of in the beginning.

A handful of nuts and seeds are all I have in a day. My favorites are pumpkin seeds, walnuts, and almonds.

6. Legumes and Beans

While listed last on the list, legumes are some of my most favorite foods. Beans are a staple of any vegan’s diet, with good reason.

Lentils, chickpeas, black beans, peas, and tempeh make up the majority of the protein I eat. With so many options and varieties, it’s tough to get tired of them.

Aside from protein, legumes and beans contain many vitamins and fiber that digests slowly to keep you full longer.

Vegan Breastfeeding Overview

I focus on using a vegan diet to naturally increase my milk supply instead of complex supplements. A vegan diet while breastfeeding done right is a great way to get lots of nutrients and antioxidants into your breastmilk.

I hope my list of vegan foods to increase breastmilk was helpful. If you have any other suggestions for foods that increased your milk supply, let me know in the comments.

Related Articles:

• Is Breastfeeding Actually Vegan?

Stephanie Mantilla

Plant-Based Diet & Vegan Lifestyle Expert

Stephanie is the founder of Plant Prosperous, a plant-based vegan living, and parenting blog. She has been eating a plant-based diet for over 24 years along with a B.S. in Biology & Environmental Science. She also has over 14 years of experience working in the environmental and conservation sectors. Stephanie is currently raising her son on a plant-based diet and hopes to help others who are wanting to do the same. You can read more about her here.

 Pin for Later:

Vegan Foods That Increase Breast Milk Supply Naturally

The post Vegan Foods To Increase Breastmilk: The Exact Foods I Ate To Boost My Milk Supply appeared first on Plant Prosperous.

Moms-to-be and new moms often need a multivitamin to help them get the nutrients they require. Many times, pregnant women have cravings that do nothing for their nutritional needs.

Doctors recommend giving in to those cravings of pickles and ice cream, but ultimately want you to eat healthily. If you can’t do that or don’t get enough of the right vitamins, it could cause you not to have enough of the right nutrients for your unborn baby.

This makes having a multivitamin extremely important but the choices are numerous. While options are great, it also makes it harder for you to find the right one. 

With the MaryRuth’s brand, you can choose a prenatal and postnatal multivitamin that is liquid-based. Often, pregnant women and those who just had a baby find that it is hard to swallow pills.

You may have more mouth dryness or have a gag reflex that is now worsened. Regardless of your reasons, the liquid option can help. I’m going to review this vitamin option at length to help you find out if it’s right for you.

This post may contain affiliate links. That means if you purchase an item through these links, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Please read the full disclosure policy for more info.

A Liquid Multivatiman Formulated For Prenatal And Postnatal Moms

The tricky part of any prenatal vitamin is that it has to give your body what it needs to grow another human inside of it. Still, the ingredients have to be safe for your unborn baby.

Ultimately, your baby is going to take those nutrients and use them to develop their brain, heart, lungs, and all the other important organs – including the skin. 

In fact, you could start taking this multivitamin before you get pregnant. It’s an excellent way to build up the right nutrients that your body needs to conceive and grow a baby.

Once you give birth, this multivitamin is designed to provide you with the nutrients you require after your little one arrives. If you choose to breastfeed, the ingredients are not going to harm the baby.

This means that it’s possible to use the same vitamin before, during, and after birth. Yay for not having to go through the process of researching another vitamin for each stage of the process.

Yes, I’d love to use the same vitamin!

Benefits Of MaryRuth’s Prenatal + Postnatal Liquid Multivitamin

This liquid multivitamin has so many positive features. One of the reasons I love it for the flavor and everything it’s made WITHOUT. You won’t find fillers and other harmful substances in this vitamin.

Liquid Formula With A Berry Flavor

Many women dislike taking pills or find it hard to swallow them. Gummies can be a little too sweet or sugary.

What else is left to take? The makers of the MaryRuth’s brand came up with a liquid multivitamin, which is easy to swallow. Plus, it tastes good and features a berry flavor.

Those who have severe morning sickness may find it easier to swallow a liquid than to chew and swallow a gummy or take a pill.

Organic

When a product is labeled as organic, that means various things. For one, each ingredient used is organic. It has not been treated with chemicals during the growing process and can be found in nature.

There are no synthetic materials or ingredients used during the manufacturing process or the growing process.

Since it is manufactured without any chemicals, it is considered organic, as well. You aren’t going to find any odd ingredients.

There are still preservatives used, but they are safer for your body. Since nothing used is man-made (fertilizers and pesticides), you know that no animal products have been used.

If you’re vegan, this is imperative. Many non-vegans still prefer organic products because they know it is healthier and more suitable for their bodies. You’re not going to introduce any harmful toxins to your baby or your body while using this product.

Some of the MaryRuth’s Organics products are USDA Organic but this liquid multivitamin isn’t yet. To get certification from the USDA, it’s a long and expensive process that MaryRuth’s is currently working on.

Non-GMO

Vegans and non-vegans alike tend to prefer non-GMO products. This means that no genetically modified materials were used to produce or grow the ingredients, make the product, or were part of the manufacturing process.

The producers at these facilities must have yearly inspections to prove that they are compliant with the standards from the non-GMO project. Though this isn’t the same as organic, many companies and manufacturers are utilizing both features.

For organic products, the makeup of the item has to be free of chemicals and can only contain five percent of non-organic items.

The USDA lists permissible products that are appropriate. If anything else is found, it cannot be certified as organic. Generally, GMO’s aren’t permitted on the list, but there can be exceptions, such as soy lecithin and corn starch.

When it’s listed as non-GMO and organic, that means there isn’t any corn or soy, but it also indicates that no chemicals are used during any of the processes of growing the ingredients or making the product.

Vegan

One thing I love about MaryRuth’s Organics is that ALL of their products are vegan.

Many people don’t realize what vegan means. It generally indicates that you don’t eat meat products or anything derived from animals. This includes eggs, dairy products, and the like.

However, many products hide animal by-products, such as gelatin. It’s often made of cow or pig skin, bones, tendons, and other parts of the animal. When you eat it, that means you are eating something made from an animal.

Going vegan can be hard to do because it’s easy to fall into eating convenient junk food and not get the right nutrients. As a way to combat this, many women prefer to use a multivitamin.

When you’re pregnant, it’s even more important to choose a vitamin that is going to help you get all of the nutrition you require, especially if you can’t eat healthy foods because of cravings or morning sickness.

Ready to try it out for yourself? Click here to order yours.

Dairy-Free

It seems that almost everyone has some sensitivity to dairy. Called lactose intolerance, it can cause significant cramping and gas when you ingest it. Some people also get rashes and other skin irritations.

Regardless of what you see when you eat dairy, it’s essential that you protect your body. You’re already going to feel sick to your stomach due to pregnancy nausea.

You don’t want to deal with diarrhea and other stomach problems. Plus, pregnant women often worry about cramping.

It’s hard to tell the difference between a stomach issue and a pregnancy issue. Therefore, it’s best to reduce your risk of having stomach distress from food. Cutting as much dairy as you can is essential.

The issue is that dairy can provide you with protein and calcium. But you can get protein from many other vegan-friendly food sources, and calcium is included in the multivitamin.

Many people associate getting calcium from dairy products, not realizing that there are non-dairy sources of calcium that are just as good.

Nut Free

Nuts are an excellent way to get protein from alternative sources other than meat. However, many people have nut allergies.

Your multivitamin doesn’t need to provide a lot of protein for your day. You can get enough of that through other means. Instead, the multivitamin is designed to give you nutrients like Vitamin C, B, A, and D3. 

Since many Americans have a sensitivity to nuts or are deathly allergic, it’s often best to choose a manufacturer and brand that doesn’t use nuts or produce the products on conveyor belts that do provide nut-based products.

When a brand like MaryRuth’s labels its vitamins as nut-free, that means no nuts are used in the facility in which the multivitamin is made.

Gluten/Wheat-Free

Though most manufacturers of medication and vitamins do not use gluten, traces of this substance can still be found in some products. If you’ve got a gluten sensitivity or Celiac disease, your body has trouble digesting gluten.

In fact, doctors recommend that these people never eat gluten or come into contact with it.

You can rest assured that MaryRuth’s brand of products are never going to contain gluten. It’s made in a gluten-free facility, so there isn’t a way for it to get into the production line.

This gives you peace of mind to know that you aren’t taking your health for granted or risking your body’s comfort while you are pregnant.

Corn Free

Corn is often used in a variety of ways in products, such as with corn starch or corn syrup. As a sweetener, corn syrup is thick, gooey, and has no nutritional value. It can also clog the arteries and contains high amounts of fat and sugar.

Corn starch isn’t often bad as a thickening agent, but it is usually considered a genetically modified product. Corn is one of those things that are always changed to help boost the production of animals.

Since the company focuses on non-GMO ingredients of an organic nature, that means you aren’t going to find corn as an ingredient. That way, the producers know for sure that no GMO corn sneaks in because corn isn’t used for production or as an ingredient at all.

Soy Free

We talked earlier about soy often being genetically modified as a plant source. Though it is made of plants, the modifications can include almost anything. It’s impossible to know how it was changed, so it’s usually best to stay away from soy and corn.

Because of that, the manufacturers of the MaryRuth’s brand choose not to use soy as a binding agent or within the manufacturing process.

It’s a safety concern that no one wanted to deal with and worry about, which means you can rest easy knowing that your products are safe from GMOs, gluten, dairy, and so much more.

Nightshade Free

There are many vegetables that belong to the nightshade family, such as tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, and potatoes. They can be healthy in your diet at times, but they can house harmful substances called solanine.

If you have an inflammatory bowel disease, a disease that causes inflammation to flare up, or an autoimmune condition, these vegetables can trigger a negative response.

It’s often best to choose a multivitamin that doesn’t have any traces of nightshade within. That way, you can control how much of the substance you consume each day.

With MaryRuth’s brand of prenatal and postnatal vitamins, you don’t have to worry. No nightshades are found in the ingredient list, which means you can keep inflammation at bay and reduce your risk of having stomach or digestive problems.

Sugar-Free

Sugar is another ingredient that most women don’t want in their multivitamin. While you may crave sweets, you don’t need excess sugar from other sources. It’s usually better to choose a sugar-free option.

Since it’s a liquid multivitamin, you are going to taste the natural fruit flavors instead of added sugar. Keep in mind that a sweetener is used called Xanthan Gum. It’s a non-GMO product, and it allows for the sweet taste you experience without the added sugar.

Suitable for Keto Diets, Celiac Disease, and Bariatric Surgery Patients

If you’ve had bariatric surgery, you are likely on a strict diet. Patients can’t usually consume sugar, gluten, dairy, and other items.

Good news! According to MaryRuth’s, this vitamin is safe for you to use. It’s also suitable for those with Celiac disease because it doesn’t contain gluten. Always double-check with your doctor first to be sure.

The Keto diet focuses on lowering carbohydrates. Since there aren’t any nightshades, it is easier to do that. Fat is the primary goal for this diet, and there isn’t much fat within the multivitamin. Still, it isn’t going to raise your carb intake.

Made At A GMP Facility

Generally, a GMP facility is one that produces pharmaceutical products and clinical trial materials. The Good Manufacturing Process system ensures that the products made at the facility are controlled and consistently produced following all quality standards.

This reduces the risks involved in the production of the products. While a GMP facility isn’t required for vitamins, it shows how serious MaryRuth’s takes their product’s quality.

Now that you know all of the wonderful benefits, try this vitamin out for yourself.

Ingredients

The MaryRuth’s Prenatal + Postnatal Liquid Vitamin contains all the vitamins that a pregnant and breastfeeding mom need to pass along to their baby.

Vitamins A, C, E, D3, and B12 are the basics needed. Vitamin B12 is especially important to supplement as a vegan since it isn’t found in plant sources.

You are also going to find Thiamine, Riboflavin, biotin, folate, iodine, calcium, and more. Folate is included which is important for a growing baby. The liquid also contains a fruit blend that is high in antioxidants.

Per the bottle, all of your daily needs can be taken in 2 tablespoons.

What Don’t I Like About This Vitamin

Even though I’ve been singing this vitamin’s praises, nothing is perfect. There are a few things that I don’t love about this vitamin.

For one, I like that the bottle is glass, but it is larger than I was expecting. It’s not a huge problem because you’re getting a good amount for the price.

If you’re clumsy then you may be worried about dropping and breaking this bottle. If you’d prefer a plastic bottle, then check out MaryRuth’s liquid morning multivitamin.

Also, since this vitamin has to be refrigerated after opening, you need to find room in the fridge for the bottle to stand upright.

Secondly, even though the liquid has a fruity flavor, I can still taste the vitamins. It’s not too bad but some days I need to mix the liquid into a glass of juice or smoothie to cover the taste. This mainly depends on your palate though.

Conclusion

If you’re planning to get pregnant, are pregnant, or just gave birth, you may have trouble swallowing pills. MaryRuth’s Prenatal + Postnatal Liquid Vitamin has appropriate levels of the basic nutrients, minerals, and vitamins that your body might be missing.

It tastes great and is safe for those with Celiac disease. This liquid vitamin is one of the best vegan vitamins around and won’t make you gag like so many others. I hope you like it as much as I do.

Stephanie Mantilla

Plant-Based Diet & Vegan Lifestyle Expert

Stephanie is the founder of Plant Prosperous, a plant-based vegan living, and parenting blog. She has been eating a plant-based diet for over 24 years along with a B.S. in Biology & Environmental Science. She also has over 14 years of experience working in the environmental and conservation sectors. Stephanie is currently raising her son on a plant-based diet and hopes to help others who are wanting to do the same. You can read more about her here.

The post MaryRuth’s Prenatal + Postnatal Liquid Multivitamin Review appeared first on Plant Prosperous.

Like myself, those who follow a vegan lifestyle realize that the question posed is more complicated than a simple assumption. 

The good news for mothers-to-be and breastfeeding vegan moms is that breastfeeding is indeed vegan and will not break any of your ethics or values. Let me explain in detail:

This post may contain affiliate links. That means if you purchase an item through these links, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Please read the full disclosure policy for more info.

What’s Veganism?

To understand why breastfeeding is vegan, you first must understand the definition of veganism. Veganism isn’t just a plant-based diet, but that’s part of it.

Typically, vegans don’t eat animals or their byproducts. Some vegans go a step further by not wearing animal products or utilizing them in personal care items, as well.

A strict vegan doesn’t eat meat, of course, but they refrain from many other things. They don’t use moisturizers that have been tested on animals, wear leather, or consume foods that exploit the animal, such as eggs or milk.

The main idea of veganism is to not do anything that exploits animals.

There are a few different types of vegans which I’ll explain below:

• Dietary vegans tend to avoid any products that exploit animals for human consumption. The primary focus here is on drinks and food. They often choose such a diet to help with health conditions.
• Ethical vegans typically follow the same food rules as dietary vegans, but they take it one step further. They don’t use products in their daily lives that could involve an animal for human needs or requirements. They don’t attend cat and dog shows, and the like. These vegans focus on reducing animal suffering to benefit humans.
• Environmental vegans choose the vegan lifestyle to lower their carbon footprint and help the planet. And going vegan for this reason has a drastic impact. You can check out how drastic by using this free environmental impact calculator.

On all three vegan levels, breast milk is vegan.

Why Is Breastfeeding Okay for Dietary Vegans?

There are differences between cow’s milk and breast milk for human consumption. You might be considered an animal, but no one is exploiting you to get the milk.

In fact, you’re producing and offering it to your offspring for their health.

Mammals produce milk that is uniquely and perfectly suitable for their young. It has all the nutrition the baby needs.

A vegan doesn’t believe that the milk produced for a calf is suitable for a human baby for health reasons.

This overlaps with ethical reasons since the calves are removed prematurely from their mothers to boost the supply of commercially-produced milk for human consumption. 

Dietary vegans can rest easy knowing that their breast milk is healthy and best for their baby. Breast milk has various health advantages, such as:

• Antibodies to protect your baby from infections
• Appropriate nutrients
• Reduced risk of obesity for babies and young children

If done with the guidance of your doctor and a nutritionist, vegan diets are generally healthy for any stage of life, which includes infancy and lactation. Some vegans don’t get enough nutrients, so they should supplement in a vegan-friendly way to ensure that their milk is healthy and safe for their babies.

Why Is It Okay for Ethical Vegans to Breastfeed?

I’ve already explained that breastfeeding is your choice and doesn’t exploit animals, which humans are considered part of, so there’s no issue there. In a sense, there isn’t a moral dilemma when you choose to breastfeed your human baby.

Ethical vegans have another part of the equation because they want to show compassion to every living thing.

If you take milk from the calf and give it to a human to consume, this isn’t compassionate. Primarily, the cow and its young can’t give you consent to do this.

Breastfeeding your baby is the ultimate act of compassion and you’ve given consent for it to happen.

Those who cannot breastfeed for various reasons can use donor milk and keep their morals and ideals. Donor milk comes from a woman who consented for it to be taken and used by human babies.

Why Is It Okay for Environmental Vegans to Breastfeed?

Environmental vegans focus on sustainability and how your food choices can affect the environment. You’re reducing the environmental impact by breastfeeding because it’s free as long as you consent.

Of course, you’re only producing breast milk as your baby needs it, so you’re not draining resources, making it environmentally sustainable.

Those who follow an environmentally vegan lifestyle aren’t going to increase their food consumption enough to impact the environment.

Most doctors recommend having another 500 calories each day to create enough breast milk. This is a small amount, so it’s not going to hurt the planet or any animals.

Is Breast Milk Considered Dairy?

Technically, yes, breast milk is a dairy item. The term ‘dairy’ refers to any products that are produced from a mammal’s milk, and you’re considered a mammal.

This fact doesn’t change the verdict of breast milk being vegan here. Veganism isn’t just about following rules.

Vegans don’t want to consume other mammal’s milk but your baby can drink yours because you’re of the same species.

Is There Lactose in Breast Milk?

Yes, there’s lactose in breast milk. But, even if you have lactose intolerance it doesn’t mean your baby will.

Infants usually produce enough lactase to digest breastmilk and it may be food sensitivities to something you ate instead that’s the issue.

Conclusion

Breast milk is vegan so you don’t need to feel guilty giving it to your infant. It doesn’t go against the idea of veganism since you consented to the milk that you’re giving your baby.

You’re not considered less vegan by breastfeeding, and your baby can start life out as a vegan, too. Whether or not they continue doing so is up to you, their doctor, and them.

Related Articles:

• Exact Foods I Ate To Increase My Breastmilk Supply

Stephanie Mantilla

Plant-Based Diet & Vegan Lifestyle Expert

Stephanie is the founder of Plant Prosperous, a plant-based vegan living, and parenting blog. She has been eating a plant-based diet for over 24 years along with a B.S. in Biology & Environmental Science. She also has over 14 years of experience working in the environmental and conservation sectors. Stephanie is currently raising her son on a plant-based diet and hopes to help others who are wanting to do the same. You can read more about her here.

The post Is Breast Milk Vegan? [Answered Once and for All] appeared first on Plant Prosperous.

I find myself reaching for a tasty vegan brownie rather than a carrot stick, so I’m in the same boat.

For health-conscious parents, it’s a challenge to get their kids to eat vegetables. Even if you put it on their plate, they might play with it or ignore it.

Eating vegan doesn’t require you to skip your favorites, such as macaroni and cheese, but it might mean you have to get creative. It’s possible to eat veggies in mac and cheese and brownies!

Below I’ll go over how to hide vegetables in foods, even for picky eaters so you can eat healthily and not fight during mealtimes.

I’ll cover classic foods, smoothies, desserts, dips, sauces, and more. Your child likely enjoys most of these foods already. I’ll show you how you can add extra veggies to the mix.

This post may contain affiliate links. That means if you purchase an item through these links, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Please read the full disclosure policy for more info.

1. Butternut Squash Macaroni and Cheese

Most kinds of boxed pasta are vegan, so you don’t have to substitute anything. Instead of using dairy-filled cheese, you’ll use pureed butternut squash, acorn squash, or pumpkin in the sauce.

The addition of nutritional yeast to the sauce makes it take on that cheesy flavor that kids love. The macaroni ends up being very creamy and only takes 15 minutes total to make. Check out the recipe here.

You can add other vegetables to the sauce like cauliflower. All the veggies get blended up into a smooth sauce so there are no veggie chunks to pick at.

2. Mashed Potatoes

Of course, potatoes are a vegetable already, so you might think you are done with just that. Potatoes are nutritious because they have a lot of Vitamin C and potassium with fiber and complex carbs.

During the mashing process, consider adding some steamed or riced cauliflower to the mixture. This makes them taste better and have more nutritional value.

You can try adding steamed broccoli and leafy greens, but it changes the color of the potato mixture. I find it’s easier to hide similar-colored veggies.

Yellow squash might be another option. Puree it, and it looks like you buttered the mashed potatoes.

3. Red Sauce

You can make a red sauce with just about anything. Of course, it does have tomatoes, but those are technically considered a fruit.

Add carrots, leeks, onions, zucchini, and bell peppers for flavor and to give a healthy kick of vegetable goodness in each bite. I’m giving you some bonus points if you can use zucchini noodles, spaghetti squash, or chickpea noodles!

You can add vegan proteins to the sauce like tempeh or TVP to make it chunky like ground beef. This is considered a bolognese sauce but is quite delicious.

Related: Protein-Filled Bolognese With Zoodles

4. Vegetable Cheese Bake

Even as a child, my favorite way to eat vegetables was smothered in a cheese sauce. While dairy-filled sauces aren’t the healthiest, this dairy-free version lets you enjoy the classic veggie cheese bake, guilt-free.

A veggie bake works great as a side dish but you can make it your meal if you’d like. Use whatever vegetables you like or have on hand.

For a crunchy crust, top the bake with bread crumbs before putting it in the oven.

5. Veggie Burgers

You can make delicious veggie burgers using lentils, chickpea flour, black beans, and even ground meat alternative products.

While you’re making the burger patties, blend in some carrots, zucchini, spinach, corn, beets, or whatever vegetable would go well with the flavors.

You can top the burgers with ketchup or avocado slices for extra veggies.

6. Fruit Smoothies

Smoothies are a great source of nutrition and kids like them because they taste sweet. In fact, you can use this to your advantage because you can add vegetables without them realizing it.

Smile wide each time they take a sip, knowing that you threw in some healthy veggies. I find it best to use frozen fruit because it eliminates the need for extra ice.

When making a smoothie with greens, use an overripe spotted banana. Those bananas are sweeter and you won’t taste the greens at all.

Here are some of my favorites:

Mango Banana Avocado Smoothie

It’s always a good idea to use green ingredients in your smoothie, such as avocado. This fruit pairs well with many others but it turns the concoction green.

That way, you can easily add green veggies, such as kale, broccoli, and spinach without fuss from your kids.

If your picky child doesn’t want to try it, tell them it’s edible slime or something else that they’re into. This could be the trick to getting them to try it.

Once they taste how delicious it is, they’re going to ask for it time and again.

Blueberry Banana Spinach Smoothie

Pair some bananas and blueberries together for a tasty smoothie. Toss in some spinach and zucchinia.

You’ll never taste it. All you’ll notice is the fruitiness of the blueberries and the thickness of the bananas.

Your kids are going to love this option, and you can toss in some green vegetables to bulk up the veggies.

Banana-Free Smoothie

I use overripe bananas in most of my smoothies because it adds the creamy texture and masks any veggie taste. That way, I don’t need vegan milk or anything else.

But, some kids don’t like the taste of bananas. You can find many recipes without them.

One option is using Medjool dates, avocado, and mango chunks. You get the same creaminess and can add green vegetables without your child noticing.

7. Zucchini Muffins

Make your favorite version of muffins with applesauce in place of the egg. Use your favorite plant-based milk and toss in some grated zucchini.

We love these zucchini banana muffins since they’re quick and easy to make.

Your kids are going to really go nuts over them and you snuck in some healthy vegetables. No one’s going to complain and the whole family is sure to fight over the last one.

These freeze well so it might be best to make a double batch!

8. Black Bean Brownies

I know how it sounds, but the black beans here add a fudgy texture that you don’t find with other brownies. Plus, they’re healthy, have plenty of sweetness, and uses an entire can of black beans. (You can’t taste them, I swear)

This is the recipe I use and my kiddo loves. Even better is that they’ll be ready in 30 minutes so you don’t have to wait long to satiate your chocolate craving.

Once your brownies are baked and have cooled, crush up some walnuts or pecans to sprinkle on top for a health boost and some crunch. Those who prefer even chocolatier treats can add additional dairy-free chocolate chips on top.

9. Banana Bread

Banana bread is the perfect dessert to hide extra veggies in. You don’t need to add extra sugar either.

The bread gets its sweetness from overripe bananas. I like to finely grate zucchini or carrots into the batter. You can’t even taste it.

Here’s my favorite banana bread recipe. It’s not dry like some, can be made oil-free, and only takes 10 minutes to prep.

10. Cream Sauces

I already talked about red sauces, but some kids prefer cream sauce. You may decide to make Alfredo with the wider noodles one night for a change of pace.

Regardless, there are plenty of cream sauce recipes out there, and adding vegetables to them isn’t as hard as you think.

Related: 20 Minute Creamy Spinach Artichoke Pasta

Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce

Most white sauces contain milk or cream, but you can find vegan versions that use coconut milk or cashews instead. It’s entirely possible to make it without the use of vegan butter or cheese.

If you add tons of cauliflower to the mix and a touch of oil, it creates the consistency of a butter- or cream-based sauce. Pour it onto your fettuccini without the guilt.

Watch your kids lick the plate clean and smile, knowing it’s full of healthy vegetable goodness.

Green Pesto Pasta

Pesto is an excellent way to get your veggies. Most kids eat it because of the pasta, but they find it tastes great, too. Most store-bought pesto products contain pine nuts, garlic, basil, and various cheeses.

While healthy, there is a way to add more vegetables and dump the cheese. Use an avocado for creaminess, and add some baby spinach to the mixture for more vegetables.

Pumpkin or other seeds are great additions, too. I prefer to use nutritional yeast in place of the cheese, but you can use vegan-friendly parmesan.

11. Nuggets

Veggie-filled nuggets are surprisingly easy to make. You combine all the nugget ingredients together, form them into nugget shapes, and bake them.

The resulting nuggets hold up great for dipping into sauces (that also contain vegetables).

I like these baked quinoa cakes as a base where you can easily add other blended veggies. Kids love dipping them into sauces.

12. Dip Into A Veggie Dip

Most kids don’t mind dipping their vegetables in a special dip, but vegans have to be careful. Many store-bought products contain dairy and other non-vegan ingredients.

You can recreate queso and many other children-friendly favorites.

Vegan Queso

Rather than using various cheeses and cream, make Queso with carrots and potatoes. It’s very creamy, and the entire thing is made of vegetables.

For those kids who just aren’t going to hold a vegetable in their hand, there’s no guilt giving them pita chips or bagel chips for dipping.

If you can, put out some celery sticks, more carrots, and broccoli to see if your little ones are going to take the bait.

Peanut Dipper

Peanut butter is healthy, provides protein, and is usually vegan. You can use straight peanut (or another nut) butter and provide bell peppers, carrot sticks, and celery for dipping.

Most kids enjoy nut butter with vegetables. If that doesn’t work, try mixing the peanut butter with some pureed butternut squash. They’re both the same consistency, and the peanut butter hides the vegetable easily.

Now, let them dip pita or bagel chips into it.

Chocolate Hazelnut Dip

Okay, I’m going a little off-topic here because no child ever is going to dip vegetables into chocolate, or maybe they will. If yours is a bit adventurous, you can try experimenting with that together.

This chocolate hazelnut dip is made by blending hazelnuts, dates, and chocolate. It makes a large enough batch to last your family a week or more.

I’ve been talking primarily about veggies, but kids need enough fruit in their diet, too. Make a vegan-friendly Nutella copy-cat dip and use apples, pears, and other ‘hard’ fruits. 

13. Veggie Chips

I’m not talking about deep-fried potato chips. Instead, I’m talking about different types of vegetables you can make into a healthy chip through baking or dehydrating.

There are tons of nutritious vegetables out there, so try to mix things up a little. 

Kale Chips

I really enjoy the taste of kale, but many kids don’t. You can turn it into a child’s favorite when you fry (or bake) it and turn it into nachos.

Most people shy away from anything cheesy. Vegan cheese can be expensive, but it can be a lifesaver when you’re trying to get kids to eat their vegetables.

The best thing here is that you don’t actually use cheese to make cheese sauce! You can use nutritional yeast, sunflower seeds, cashews, cayenne pepper, garlic pepper, and salt by pulsing it until it’s well-blended.

Add your kale into the cheese and toss everything to coat it evenly. Put it on a baking sheet and bake it at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for about five or 10 minutes.

When it comes out, it looks and tastes cheesy, so your kids aren’t going to notice. While the chips are dark green, they’re sure to enjoy the crunch and forget about the color or what might be in the recipe.

This is a great trick to get your kids to eat leafy greens without the hassle.

Other Chip Vegetables

You can use other vegetables as chips, too. They include:

• Sweet potatoes
• Butternut squash
• Parsnips
• Radishes
• Eggplant
• Spinach
• Turnips
• Tomatoes (yes, they’re technically a fruit, but they deserve an honorary mention.)
• Beets
• Carrots
• Zucchini 

14. Vegetable Fries

Just as you can use tons of vegetables to make ‘chips,’ you can make French fries with other things than a potato or sweet potato. I like baking my ‘fries,’ but you can fry them and create a vegan-friendly batter for coating, as well. 

Carrot Fries

Cut your carrots into fry-like pieces. Toss them with your favorite flour and add black pepper, garlic powder, thyme, salt, and onion powder with a little olive oil (or oil of your choice).

Make sure the carrots are fully coated and lay them on a baking sheet in a single layer. Put them in a 450-degree oven for about 30 minutes.

You might want to flip them over about halfway through cooking so that they brown evenly.

Other Fry Vegetables

Though carrot fries are quite popular with many kids, you can try many vegetables. If you can cut them into the fry shape, you can have baked ‘fries’ with almost anything.

These are my favorites:

• Eggplant
• Turnips
• Jicama (root vegetable from Mexico)
• Plantain 
• Butternut squash
• Rutabaga
• Green bean fries
• Zucchini 
• Bell pepper

15. Pizza Crust

Cauliflower pizza crust has been quite trendy recently. If your kids don’t mind green foods, you can blend in spinach and broccoli as well.

These vegetable crusts are typically thin crust. If you prefer thicker crusts, blend the vegetables into the pizza sauce instead.

16. Juice

Drinking too much fruit juice is a sugar rush and not the healthiest. Instead, I’m talking about green juice.

The majority of the juice will be made up of greens, celery, and carrots. It’s sweetened with a green apple and a shot of lemon or ginger.

Green juice is an acquired taste. I recommend making it slightly sweeter at first and then making it have a higher ratio of veggies over time.

17. Popsicles

If you’re already making a batch of green juice, save some to make into popsicles. You can pour the juice into reusable popsicle molds to always have a healthy, nutritious treat on hand.

You can significantly change the taste of your popsicles depending on what veggies you use in the juice. For a refreshing summer treat, I recommend a blend of cucumber, lemon, and spinach.

18. Scrambles

If you dice up some vegetables, you can toss them into a scramble where everything blends together. You can use chickpea flour to make a batter that you cook like traditonal scrambled eggs.

Or you can buy pre-bottled vegan eggs to cook the same way. Chopped peppers, spinach, and mushrooms taste great in a scramble covered with vegan queso.

19. Chili/ Stew

Chilis and stews can hide a lot of vegetables inside. Use an immersion blender to lightly blend some of them up while still keeping the stew chunky.

Chili is perfect for adding in carrots, peppers, and zucchini. Use the chili as a topping on a baked potato.

Conclusion

As you can see, you’ve got many options to get your children to eat vegetables. Don’t feel bad that you’re ‘hiding’ them in regular foods.

You’re not hurting your child and are actually focused on their well-being and health. When they get a little older, they’re sure to ask you for the recipe, and you can surprise them with the veggie goodness they never knew they loved.

It’s important to have balance, and there might be times where your picky eater just doesn’t want to deal with veggies.

Eating vegetables is important, but you might have to throw caution to the wind and let them eat something else. Keep trying; your children are going to thank you for it when they’re older.

Related Articles:

• Tips For Getting Your Kids To Like Vegetables
• List of the Best Kid-Friendly Vegetables

Stephanie Mantilla

Plant-Based Diet & Vegan Lifestyle Expert

Stephanie is the founder of Plant Prosperous, a plant-based vegan living, and parenting blog. She has been eating a plant-based diet for over 24 years along with a B.S. in Biology & Environmental Science. She also has over 14 years of experience working in the environmental and conservation sectors. Stephanie is currently raising her son on a plant-based diet and hopes to help others who are wanting to do the same. You can read more about her here.

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