{"id":26653,"date":"2026-05-13T10:00:03","date_gmt":"2026-05-13T14:00:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vrg.org\/blog\/?p=26653"},"modified":"2026-04-28T11:46:51","modified_gmt":"2026-04-28T15:46:51","slug":"what-should-i-look-for-in-a-plant-milk-for-a-vegan-toddler","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vrg.org\/blog\/2026\/05\/13\/what-should-i-look-for-in-a-plant-milk-for-a-vegan-toddler\/","title":{"rendered":"What Should I Look For in a Plant Milk for a Vegan Toddler?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD<\/p>\n

We recently received this question from a reader:<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m planning to introduce my vegan toddler to a plant milk after their first birthday. Right now, I am breastfeeding, and I plan to continue that. I\u2019d like to gradually introduce a plant milk to replace the breast milk my child is getting in a bottle while I\u2019m at work. What should I look for in a plant milk?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

First, a caution, plant milks should never be used to replace infant formulas or breast milk for children under a year old. Plant milks are not suitable for use as a primary beverage for children under a year of age.<\/p>\n

After the first year (or later) vegan infants who are growing normally and eating a variety of foods can be transitioned to soymilk or pea protein-based milk fortified with calcium, vitamin B12, and vitamin D. Low-fat or non-fat soymilks should not be used before age 2. Milks based on rice, oats, hemp, almonds or other nuts, and coconut are not recommended as a primary beverage for infants and toddlers as they are often quite low in protein and\/or calories.<\/p>\n

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends<\/a> \u201ccontinue breastfeeding up to two years or beyond, as long as mutually desired by your and your child.\u201d They also advise<\/a> that children age 12-24 months drink whole cow\u2019s milk with soymilk as an acceptable alternative. While they don\u2019t mention pea protein-based milk, this milk is nutritionally similar<\/a> to soymilk (1). Our reader\u2019s plan to gradually introduce a plant milk while continuing to breastfeed is reasonable.<\/p>\n

For a toddler, soymilk or pea protein-based milk should be fortified with calcium, vitamin B12, and vitamin D. Ideally the milk would be unsweetened or, at least, low in added sugars. Are some products better than others?<\/p>\n

There are two categories of products that we\u2019ll examine: Fortified soymilk and pea protein-based milk providing a similar amount of protein to cow\u2019s milk (around 8 grams of protein per cup) and plant milks designed for children.<\/p>\n

Fortified Soymilk and Pea Protein-based Milk<\/strong><\/p>\n

We identified 5 brands of soymilk or pea protein-based milk, not specifically designed for children, that had 8 or more grams of protein in a cup and were fortified with calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin B12:<\/p>\n