Is your kid turning vegetarian? While some do so simply because they’re following in the footsteps of Mom and Dad, other kids choose to go veggie for environmental reasons or because they’re animal lovers (younger kids simply might not like the texture of meat). If you’re worried they’re not getting adequate nutrients, relax. Doctors and dietitians say you can raise healthy herbivores at any age, even from birth. The American Academy of Pediatrics says it’s OK as long as the diets are supervised by a doctor and not too restrictive. In fact, plant-based diets can be lower in cholesterol and saturated fats and higher in fiber than carnivorous fare. And vegetarians tend to reduce their risk of obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and some cancers.

Vegetarian kids can get protein from eggs, dairy products, soy, seeds and nuts. Vitamin B12, found naturally in meat and dairy products, can come from fortified foods like cereal. Omega-3 fatty acids, found in fish, also come from canola oil and walnuts. For extra insurance, ask your pediatrician about adding a multivitamin.

Just make sure that if your child is eliminating meat, he or she is substituting with something healthy, not meatless junk like cookies. For recipe ideas, log onto vrg.org and veganlunchbox.com. Then chill out. “There are many cultures in the world that are primarily, if not exclusively, vegetarian, and the kids do fine,” says Oak Park, Ill., mom Sharon Bloyd-Peshkin, whose two adolescents are lifelong herbivores. “The average American diet is unbelievably unhealthy.”

—Karen Springen