Vegetarian Diets in the WIC Program

Presentation is sponsored by the Vegetarian Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group.

Presentation Date: Tuesday, May 4, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. CST

Vegetarian and near vegetarian diets are becoming increasing popular in the United States and are recognized as healthy eating patterns. This session will explore nutritional needs of vegetarians during pregnancy, breastfeeding, infancy, and early childhood with a focus on the population served by the WIC program. Sources of key nutrients will be identified with consideration given to economic factors. Strategies for effective counseling of WIC participants about benefits of meatless meals and about nutrient needs of vegetarians will be discussed.

• CPEU: 1.25

Learning Objectives
1. Describe key nutrients for vegetarians at various stages of the life-cycle (pregnancy,
breastfeeding, infancy, and early childhood).
2. Identify acceptable sources of these key nutrients including those found in foods available through the WIC program.
3. Illustrate ways to maximize the nutritional benefits for vegetarians of the WIC program
through food choices.
4. Develop strategies for educating WIC participants about benefits of meatless meals and about nutrient needs of vegetarians.

• 2.1.3 Tailors message to meet the needs of the target audience.
• 4.1.1 Demonstrates effective problem solving and professional judgment to address a need.
• 8.1.3 Integrates knowledge of macronutrients and micronutrients for absorption, digestion and metabolism throughout the life span in practice.
• 8.1.4 Demonstrates knowledge of nutrient requirements throughout the life span and their role in health promotion and disease management.

Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

Reed Mangels is a Nutrition Advisor for the non-profit, educational Vegetarian Resource Group as well as a regular columnist and Nutrition Editor for the quarterly publication, Vegetarian Journal. She is a co-author of The Dietitian’s Guide to Vegetarian Diets (the 4th edition will be published this fall) and of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics 2009 and 2003 position papers on vegetarian diets. She is a past Chair of the Vegetarian Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group. She has written numerous articles and book chapters for professionals and the public on vegetarian nutrition in the life-cycle. Reed has authored several books for the public including Your Complete Vegan Pregnancy and Simply Vegan. She recently retired from the University of Massachusetts Amherst where she was an adjunct associate professor in the Department of Nutrition. She lives in Santa Cruz, California.