The other I decided to record everything Annabelle ate (she is a vegan toddler aged 21 months between) to measure how much calcium she had over the course of the day. As a mum and nutritionist I like checking my kids get enough calcium, protein, iron, zinc once in a while. (I used the free app called cronometer to record her food intake).

Toddlers need 700mg of calcium daily. Older children will need 1000mg/day and women need 1000mg per day until the age of 50 and then 1300mg after that.
In my nutrition practice I see too many women, mothers and children not meeting their calcium requirement on a vegan diet. This is often due from not using calcium fortified plant milks. Using calcium fortified plant milks or soy milk is a must for children and women on a vegan diet. Too many people assume they get enough calcium from eating broccoli a few times per week and using a drizzle of tahini in salads. Sadly this is not enough to cover the big demand for calcium for children and women.
The best calcium food sources in a vegan diet are:
- calcium fortified plant milks (I recommend 2 serves per day to cover half of the requirement daily)
- Tofu
- calcium fortified orange juice
- adzuki beans
- tahini and sesame seeds
- almond butter and almonds
- broccoli
- leafy greens
- sultanas
- tempeh
- navy beans
- black strap molasses
- chia seeds
- oats
I shared everything Annabelle ate and she got over 800mg of calcium that day.
She had:
– berry smoothie
– black bean quesadilla
– almond butter toast + soy milk
– tofu, brocoli and rice for dinner.
I adjusted her intake based on how much she left on her plate.


If you liked this type of vegan nutrition post I share more vegan and kids nutrition content on my new Instagram @healthy.little.tummies and you can also find out more about plant based nutrition for children in my online program Nourishing Plant-based Kids.
Check out my post on iodine, omega-3s and the best plant milk for children too.
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