Plant Based JuniorsPlant Based Juniors

Two Registered Dietitian Nutritionist helping you raise your plant-based babies, toddlers, children and teens.

  • About
  • Books
    • Easy Dinners for Busy Parents
    • Plant-Based Juniors: Pregnancy Guide
    • PBJ’s Nut-Free Plant-Based Lunch Box Book
    • Batch Cook Ebook
    • First Bites
    • The Plant-Based Baby and Toddler Book
  • Resources
    • Recipes
    • Pregnancy & Prenatal Nutrition
    • Infant Feeding
    • Baby Led Weaning
  • Courses
    • Plant-Based Nutrition for Kids: Your A to Z Guide
    • Pediatric Nutrition for Health Professionals
  • Resources
  • Shop
  • Certified Practitioners
  • Learning Center
  • Login

Let’s get more plants on the plate.

Most kids aren’t eating enough plant foods. We provide evidence-based guidance to help you fill that gap.

We’re Whitney and Alex – pediatric dietitian nutritionists, best-selling authors, and most importantly moms.

Mealtimes should be joyful and feeding kids should be fun. We’ll teach you how to foster healthy eating habits so you can stress less and enjoy more.

The PB3 Plate

Take a free course with us.

Join our community and get a free 5-day mini course on pediatric nutrition for parents. You’ll also get access to our most popular downloads — including our PB3 Plate, Meal Builder, Food Focus Guide and our easy to follow Supplement Guide.

Popular resources

  • post featured image
    Baby Led Weaning

    10 Best First Foods For Plant-Based Baby-Led Weaning

  • post featured image
    Plant-Based Kids

    10 Healthy Plant-Based Meals for Kids

  • post featured image
    Nutrients

    3 Common Nutrition Mistakes Parents Make (And How to Fix Them)

  • Let’s face it: feeding little ones is a challenge and confusing! I love that Alex and Whitney share the answers to oodles of baby and toddler feeding questions, in a warm and non-judgemental way, while offering a variety of choices for a parent’s unique needs…

    Angela Liddon
    New York Times bestselling author of the
    Oh She Glows Cookbook

  • While never too late to invite the great advantages of lifestyle as medicine into our lives, the earlier the better…Whitney and Alexandra provide everything needed to make optimal diet a birthright—to the benefit of mother, baby, and family alike. The balanced, evidence-based guidance here should be a standard of prenatal care.

    David L. Katz, MD, MPH
    past president
    American College of Lifestyle Medicine

  • An absolutely essential read for anyone wanting to feed their little ones a plant-based diet. With a thoughtful layout from building your baby’s first plate to sample feeding schedules for toddlers, this book prepares you for the whole journey.

    Ali Maffucci
    New York Times bestselling author and founder of Inspiralized

The Plant-Based Baby & Toddler

We translate nutrition information in a practical non-anxiety-inducing way and provide everything you need to raise healthy, conscious kids.

Find a health professional.

We know finding a health professional who understands pediatric nutrition can be overwhelming. Practitioners in our directory are accredited in their field and have completed and passed our Pediatric Nutrition for Health Professionals Course.

Follow us on Instagram
@plantbasedjuniors

Exposure isn’t just about eating! 🌲 You may Exposure isn’t just about eating! 🌲 

You may have heard that it takes numerous “exposures” before a child will try a new food. And when it comes to regularly eating and enjoying that food? It can take years 🤦‍♀️ 

But “exposure” involves so much more than just consuming a food.

It’s seeing 👀 , touching 🖐️ , smelling 👃 , and listening 👂- we use all of our senses when experiencing a food. 

The crunch of a crispy carrot 🥕 , the zesty aroma of a fresh orange, the fuzzy skin of a summer peach, and the unique bushy appearance of a tree-like broccoli head 🥦 

Even if you kiddo rejects a food 🤢, continue exposing them to it! If you don’t, they lose the opportunity to eventually enjoy this food in the future. The more you avoid serving it, the less familiar the food becomes and the less likely they are to enjoy it in the future 🔄

And though presentations like this can seem contrived, they may can provide a fun opportunity for your kiddo to engage with a “learning to like” food 👍

Here’s how to make this broccoli Christmas tree 👉
1️⃣ Trim the stems of three small heads of broccoli and connect them with toothpicks, stacking the largest on the bottom and smallest on the top. 
2️⃣ Decorate your “tree!” We used diced bell peppers for ornaments, cherry tomatoes for presents, a cookie cutter shaped carrot for the star, and a bed of ranch dressing “snow.” ❄️ 

If you try this, snap a pic and tag us @plantbasedjuniors 📸
Peppermint Black Bean Brownie Bites! Our popular b Peppermint Black Bean Brownie Bites! Our popular black bean brownie bites got a seasonal make-over! 

You need a mini muffin tin for this recipe— the brownie bites are dense and fudge and won’t work in a regular muffin tin. 

I used @guittard dark chocolate for this recipe and it was nice and rich! You can use any chocolate chips of choice— from regular to darker chocolate, though the more dark you use, the less sweet these will be. I don’t recommend a very dark chocolate as I think it’s too bitter with only a light sweetener used. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a mini muffin tin with cooking spray. 
Place 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips in a glass bowl with 3 tablespoons coconut oil or other oil. Microwave for 30 seconds. Remove and stir, repeating until melted. 
Place 1/2 cup oats in bottom of blender and puree until a flour forms. Add in chocolate plus 1 can rinsed no-salt-added black beans, 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract, 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons maple syrup and 1/2 cup soy milk. Blend until smooth. 

Portion in mini muffin tin and bake for 10-12 minutes. Remove. 

Melt more dark chocolate and crush candy canes. Dip baked and slightly cooled brownie into chocolate and top with crushed candy canes! 

————————————————————————————————————————————————
#plantbasedjuniors #blackbeanrecipes #eatmorebeans #kidfriendlyrecipes #plantbasedrecipes #predominantlyplantbased #plantbasedkids #christmasdessert #dessertrecipes #toddlerrecipes #kidfriendly #recipeshare #dietitiansofinstagram
🙅‍♀️ While supplementation is part of a w 🙅‍♀️ While supplementation is part of a well-planned plant-based diet, you likely don’t need the MANY supplements that are marketed towards kids.

🗣️ We just updated our FREE supplement guide that goes into our various recommendations as dietitians, step-by-step. Comment SUPPLEMENT and we’ll DM you to grab your copy. 

Protein powders, greens powders, various “boosters” and hydration/electrolyte powders are  not necessary for most kids— save your 💰 

While there are a few specific strains of probiotics that may be beneficial for certain conditions, general probiotics for healthy kids are not necessary. 

☝️ Not every child needs a multivitamin. 💊 If you have a child with selective eating, food allergies or sensitivities that limit food intake, health conditions that limit micronutrient absorption or a diet that limits several key nutrients, then a multivitamin can be helpful. 

So— what should you consider!? 💁‍♀️

🌱 For plant-based and predominantly plant-based kids, we recommend universal supplementation of B12 and likely Vitamin D, iodine, and DHA as well.

☀️ Most kids regardless of diet can benefit from a vitamin D supplement, unless able to get it completely from fortified foods or sun exposure. Even with 3 cups of fortified milk or cows milk, the main dietary sources, it’s still not enough to meet the RDA.

🧂 If you are using iodized salt at home, or a multivitamin with iodine, then you likely don’t need additional iodine. 

🌊 We recommend DHA for kids under 2 years of age who don’t consume fish. Older kids can certainly take it too if it fits your family’s budget.

For more, make sure to check out our FREE supplement guide— 🔝 linked in profile, or comment SUPPLEMENT. 

PS— are you’re a health professional looking for guidance on how to answer these questions? Then make sure to grab our FREE guide— The Most Common Questions Parents Ask Providers— Answered. Link is also in our profile! 👆

———————————————————————————
#plantbasedjuniors  #predominantlyplantbased #dietitian #rdchat #dietitiansofig #dietitianapproved #supplements #supplement
Cranberry Orange Oat Bake 🍊 Got leftover cran Cranberry Orange Oat Bake 🍊 

Got leftover cranberries? Make this easy, healthy oat bake!

It takes about 5 minutes to toss together and leaves you with several days of delicious breakfasts 👍

It got my cranberry skeptical son downing this sweet and sour fruit!
 
Here’s how to make them! 👉

1️⃣ Preheat oven to 375.

2️⃣ In a large bowl, mix together:
2 cups rolled oats
1 tablespoon chia or ground flaxseed
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

3️⃣ In a medium-sized bowl, mix together:
1.5 cups soy milk
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 tablespoon vanilla
1 tablespoon orange zest (optional)

3️⃣ Add wet and dry ingredients together, then fold in 1 cup of fresh or frozen cranberries.

4️⃣ Pour into a greased 8x8 dish.

5️⃣ Bake for about 40 minutes, uncovered. 

6️⃣ Allow to cool, then serve with your favorite toppings - maple syrup, peanut butter, or whipped cream all taste great! 🥜 

Let us know if you try it 🙌
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Work With Us
  • Our Blog
  • Course
  • Free Supplement Guide
  • Favorite Products
  • Certified Practitioners
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
  • Subscribe
  • Meet the team
  • Faculty & Partners
  • Become Certified
  • Find a Practitioner
  • Contact Us
  • FAQs
  • Join our list
  • Plant Based Juniors

© 2023 Plant-Based Juniors | Design by Katelyn Gambler | Development by Made to Thrive

  • About
  • Books
    • Easy Dinners for Busy Parents
    • Plant-Based Juniors: Pregnancy Guide
    • PBJ’s Nut-Free Plant-Based Lunch Box Book
    • Batch Cook Ebook
    • First Bites
    • The Plant-Based Baby and Toddler Book
  • Resources
    • Recipes
    • Pregnancy & Prenatal Nutrition
    • Infant Feeding
    • Baby Led Weaning
  • Courses
    • Plant-Based Nutrition for Kids: Your A to Z Guide
    • Pediatric Nutrition for Health Professionals
  • Resources
  • Shop
  • Certified Practitioners
  • Learning Center
  • Login