Very much a work in progress, this page is intended as an aide-memoire and lists the foods that have proved most popular with my mostly vegan kids and their mostly non-vegan friends. Of course, just because it’s vegan doesn’t necessarily mean it’s good for them, but I hope this list demonstrates that there are plenty of things vegan kids can eat and enjoy so that they don’t have to feel like they’re missing out, and you never have to coax and cajole them into eating a plate full of lentils.
Meals popular with vegan kids:
Jacket potato & baked beans
Baked beans, broccoli & chips
Birdseye vegetable fingers, potato waffles, and mixed vegetables.
Bung-it-in bean burgers (with hidden veg)
Cream of Tomato Soup & bread
Easy vegan pizza
Fry’s chicken-style nuggets, chips & peas
Kids’ curry & naan
Roast potatoes, vegetables, Linda McCartney sausages and gravy.
Sesame-sprinked potatoes with baked beans and broccoli.
Tomato & Sweetcorn pasta
Tofu & Mixed Veg Stir Fry (with garlic and soy sauce).
Vegan Sausage Casserole
Snacks popular with vegan kids:
Fresh fruit – grapes, strawberries, apple, banana, clementines, kiwi, peach or melon always seem to go down well.
Cucumber or carrot sticks – with or without hummus to dip them in.
Apple slices or cucumber sticks with peanut butter to dip them in.
Cherry tomatoes
Homemade popcorn
Hummus and toast “soldiers”
Dried apricots
Pecans & raisins
Unsalted cashews
Unsalted pistachios
Crispy Kale ‘Chips’
Cakes & desserts popular with vegan kids:
Jam tarts
Soya yoghurt
Banana & Alpro custard
Strawberries & Alpro or Oatly single cream
Swedish Glace icecream
Fruit salad
Products popular with vegan kids:
New York Bakery Co. Bagels – including plain, sesame, or cinnamon & raisin
Crumpets (Warburtons, Sunblest, Co-op own brand… check the label but most are suitable)
Baked Beans
Linda McCartney sausages
Linda McCartney sausage rolls
Birdseye potato waffles
Birdseye vegetable fingers (supermarket own-brand versions may not be vegan so do check)
Fry’s traditional burgers – not as cheap as homemade burgers but universally popular even with non-vegan kids.
Fry’s chicken-style nuggets
Swedish glace – a non-dairy icecream available in vanilla, raspberry, chocolate or neapolitian
Strawberry- or chocolate-flavoured non-dairy milks – Alpro do a flavoured soya milk and Kokos make a coconut-based version)
Vanilla-flavoured creamy soya desserts – though beware, these contain the natural colour annatto which is on the list of additives that the Hyperactive Children Support Group advise can cause problems for some children.
Pringles original (the red packet – and some other flavours – Pringles tubes have two little check boxes on the label next to the words “vegan” and “vegetarian” – just make sure that the little box next the word “vegan” has a tick in it)
Co-op jam or custard doughnuts – yes, the custard ones are vegan too. Doughnut from other companies may not be vegan, so please check.
Jammy Dodgers (original – though these do carry a “may contain milk” warning as they’re made in a factory where dairy is used, so check with the child’s parents that they’re happy with that, especially if there is a risk of allergies).
Jam tarts (check the label, but many are suitable for vegans)
Foxes’ Party Rings.