Parents – Try these 5 vegan meals from India for your little toddler

Raising a baby can be a tough task and some days the process of thinking vegan meals for our little ones can be daunting. It’s not like there are not enough options out there but just choosing food from your menu and being sure that it is well suited for your baby’s age can sometimes be quiet a task!

I remember thinking, if the piece size is too big or small for my baby? Is it too hard? Can she choke on something like this? Am I holding her back from exploring new textures and self-feeding? And the list could go on.

Well, whatever I read and did, something definitely went right out there cz my baby (20 month now) is a great eater today. Give these 5 meals a try and tickle those tiny little taste buds.

• Veggie rice – Add veggies to your rice and it’s a perfect meal. Use vegetables like peas, carrots, broccoli, spinach, potatoes, tofu and beetroot (along with iron, it gives a very nice color to the pulao).
• Upma – This savory treat using semolina and adding finely chopped veggies make for a high in fiber and nutritional value meal. A variation of this could be offering uttapam or appe (it is semolina and non-dairy yogurt mixed with finely chopped veggies). You could make this with flattened rice, it’s called Poha and my 2yr old loves it!
• Semolina or Wheat flour halwa – This semolina/wheat flour (wheat flour has more of a nutty flavor than semolina) pudding with grated almonds and chopped raisins is a delicious treat which also happens to be pretty filling and nutritious.
• Chilla – Lentils soaked overnight, rinsed and blended in the morning (consistency thinner than pancake batter). Add some finely chopped onions and cilantro and make thin pancakes.
• Dosa – This savory crepe made from a batter using lentils and rice) and an optional potato or veggie filling makes it a complete meal even for adults.

To make it fun for the baby, offer the meal to them and sit beside them with your own meal, watch them trying to copy you and making attempts to self-feed.

Fear post meal clean ups, just spread out a shower curtain under the high chair and plan bath time post meals 😉