Those of you with veggie toddlers?

[Rhian82]

What do you do to make sure they get enough iron?

DS (1.2) does seem to have a fairly healthy diet, though he probably eats more jacket potatoes than I previously thought possible. However I'm conscious of iron being a tricky one and want to be sure he's still getting all he should. I remember the HV talking early on about lentils being the best source, but we never seem to end up making them.

So what do other people make their young kids? He's always been breastfed so I have an aversion to that advert that shows them getting it all through follow-on milk.

I do:

Lentil based dishes (dhals)
Pasta with tomato based sauces and lots of veggies (including brocolli and spinach, always)
Chick peas, curried
Black-eyed beans with rice

Also HV gave me some vitamin drops to add to DDs milk/food.

Breakfast cereals also a good source. We do eat lots of lentils/beans and green leafys too. Try not to have them drink milk with iron rich foods as it inhibits absorbtion, orange juice on the other hand helps absorbtion.

I'm thinking dried apricots are a good source. Did I dream that? At anyrate, simmered to a pulp and put in yogurt or porridge, or chopped and slung into stews/curry/ etc they are lovely.

If he likes jacked potatoes what about lentil bolognese on them?

Stuffed tomatoes or peppers stuffed with a mix of rice/lentil or rice/spinach
(you combine iron with vit c from the tomatoes, so more iron abssorbed)

Yes Tacky, dried apricots very good

i second apricots, i read that 3 dried apricots a day is enough to cover an adults iron requirements, ds has 2 most days.

3 dr apricots?? Are you sure?

Hmmm, I think we tried apricots a while ago and he wasn't keen, worth giving it another go though! He has porridge for breakfast so maybe worth stirring some in.

He has a lot of pasta with tomato-y sauces, hadn't thought of adding broccoli and spinach though, thanks.

Can you add the vitamin drops to their food? The ones I got were apparently supposed to be droppered into his mouth... no chance.

well 3 was the adult amount

maybe wrong, i just googled and veg soc says 8 a day, again that is for adults, i wouldnt fancy that mmany a day myself

mine loved spinach soup, lentil and other pulse dishes. Slipped green leafy veg into anything I could eg stir fry, risottos, pizzas, quiches etc
Made apricot puree and slipped that into many things too puds as well as savoury dishes.
Squeezed lemon juice onto pulses just before serving as rec by my kids veggie cookbook

mufti I wouldn't fancy too many either. It was too good to be true

Yep - my vitamn drops can be added to DDs food or drink.

Perhaps worth changing brand to one you could add to DSs dinner?