Benefits of family-style meals! Learn why we like offering these types of meals in our homes and how they can support a child’s growth and relationship with food. What is a Family-Style Meal? A family-style meal is an approach to serving meals where dishes are placed in the center of the table, and everyone serves themselves. This allows everyone, kids and adults alike, to share the same food from the same serving dishes (on a level playing field if you will). Everyone has the chance to choose what foods they want to eat, including the portions they want and what they might want seconds of aft ..read more

Did you know you can cook a sweet tater in the microwave in just 8 minutes?! It’s a busy parent’s back-pocket meal saver and a great way to get your daily dose of “carotene queens” (vitamin A) in your kiddo’s diet. To Cook a Sweet Potato in the Microwave: Wash and scrub your sweet potato. Pierce it with a fork to let steam escape. Wrap in a damp paper towel and microwave for 8-12 minutes, depending on the size of the potato. Once it’s squishy, carefully remove it and slice it up. That’s it! In less than 15 minutes, you can have a soft, juicy sweet potato all ready to go for whatever recipe s ..read more

This Broccoli Pesto Pasta is an extra-nutritious take on the traditional pesto recipe. The broccoli provides calcium, vitamin C, and vitamin K while the nutritional yeast is a great source of vitamin B12. Our kids love this simple, healthy pasta recipe! When Whitney and I first started Plant-Based Juniors, we knew we wanted to create an inclusive community that focused on getting MORE plants on the plate for ALL kids. When talking with parents, one of the most common questions we get is— how can I get my kids to like more vegetables? As dietitians, we don’t believe in hiding vegetables b ..read more

Dairy-Free Alfredo Sauce! It has all the creaminess of cheese but it’s made with cashews. This is the most luxurious, subtly sweet cream sauce! This recipe comes from our Learning Center Co-Director and Pediatrician Dr. Reshma Shah and is part of our brand-new course, Plant-Based Nutrition for Kids: Your A to Z Guide. It is currently the most comprehensive course on plant-based diets for kids that you can find. The course includes a 30-recipe ebook featuring recipes like this one. We’ve heard great feedback from those who have started the course. We encourage you to check it out! You can learn ..read more

This sweet, creamy smoothie is loaded with fall flavor and packed with vitamin A, an important nutrient for supporting your kiddo’s immune system during sick season. The secret to this extra creamy sweet potato pie smoothie? Frozen taters! Frozen sweet potato gives bulk to this frozen beverage without the need for a base like bananas that might have overpowered the flavor. The result is the most luxurious fall sip packed with immune system supporting carotenes – AKA plant-based vitamin A. Tips for Success Do cook your sweet potato before freezing it (don’t freeze it raw). Then your sweet pota ..read more

Got leftover cranberries? Make this easy, healthy cranberry orange oat bake! It takes about 5 minutes to toss together and leaves you with several days of delicious breakfasts. Made with rolled oats, fresh orange juice, and cranberries, it’s a scrumptious, nourishing, and zesty breakfast option that is easy to meal prep and serve all week long. It got my cranberry-skeptical son downing this sweet and sour fruit! Simply mix all your ingredients together, add your berries, and bake! Then serve with your favorite toppings – maple syrup, peanut butter, or whipped cream all taste great! Why We Lov ..read more

Do your kids love Brussels sprouts? No?! Neither did ours until we made these Crispy Smashed Brussels Sprouts. Get your kids involved in the fun and create a pressure-free opportunity to expose them to this frequently avoided vegetable. This recipe is the first to get my kiddos to TRY and actually LIKE this funky veggie! The secret to easy smashing for crispy sprouts is using a meat tenderizer. Trying to smash them with a cup is a difficult and slippery process! Make sure to get your kiddos in on the action – it’s a fun activity that provides a pressure-free exposure opportunity to this frequ ..read more

You know we love beans in our no-bake balls! This Black Bean Walnut Brownie Balls recipe comes from our Learning Center Co-Director and Pediatrician Dr. Reshma Shah and is part of our brand-new course, Plant-Based Nutrition for Kids: Your A to Z Guide. We are SO excited about finally being able to offer this course! In addition to being the most comprehensive course on plant-based diets for kids out there, it also includes a 30-recipe ebook featuring recipes like this one. The feedback from those who have started it has been great. You can learn more about the course here. Why We Love This ..read more

The greenest spaghetti in all the land! Which we’re calling MONSTER PASTA because it’s just more fun. Broccoli + peas + kale pesto is what’s in this but any green works! Sub regular pesto, the kale lemon sauce from our book, The Plant-Based Baby & Toddler, or try chopped kale or spinach or broccoli in place of the broccoli or edamame or lima beans for the peas. It’s a customizable type of recipe! Why We Love This Recipe Making a healthy, nutrient-dense, plant-based recipe doesn’t have to be complicated. This recipe uses frozen peas and store-bought pesto sauce – and that’s okay! You don’t ..read more

Made with sweet potatoes, broccoli, bell peppers and your favorite veg sausage.  One pan and easy clean up — now that’s our kinda weeknight meal.  If you’ve got thirty minutes, then you’ve got this easy sheet pan dinner. Made with sweet potatoes, broccoli, bell peppers and your favorite veg sausage. This sheet pan supper is so easy to make. Start by chopping all your veggies, then tossing with oil of choice, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. Roast those until tender, then add in sliced vegan sausage and cook until browned and crispy. What Kind of Vegan Sausage Is Best? We’re fans ..read more