General diet - vegetarian including milk and eggs
This document is part of the ACI Diet Specifications for Adult Inpatients. It is not to be used for patient education.
Aim
To provide a nutritionally adequate diet for people who do not eat any animal flesh foods.
Characteristics
A diet strictly eliminating foods and beverages containing any meat, poultry, fish, and gelatine foods and products.
Indications
Lacto-ovo vegetarians.
Nutritional adequacy
May not be nutritionally adequate unless fortified foods (eg cereals) are used to provide adequate iron and zinc. High-protein plant foods should be available at each meal.
Precautions
Care should be taken to read all product ingredients to look for ingredients of animal origin, eg gelatine. Food items which are compliant to a vegetarian including milk and eggs diet but which include a ‘may contain’ allergen statement, are allowed to be provided on the diet.
Paediatrics
Suitable for use in paediatrics when combined with an age-appropriate diet.
Specific menu planning guidelines
| Allowed | Not allowed | |
|---|---|---|
| Hot main dishes | Dishes specially prepared for vegetarians based on beans, peas, tofu, textured vegetable protein (TVP), lentils, nuts, milk, cheese and eggs (At least one Band 1 choice per day, providing at least 15g protein per serve; others Band 2) | Any dishes containing meat, poultry or fish |
| Sauces, gravies | Sauces without meat fats or juices; butter acceptable | Stocks and gravies made with meat or animal products |
| Starchy vegetables / pasta / rice | All prepared without lard, but including vegetables in white sauce with cheese | Vegetables prepared with lard |
| Vegetables | All | Vegetables prepared with lard |
| Soups | Vegetable soups made without animal-based stocks | Soups prepared with meat, poultry or fish |
| Sandwiches | Peanut butter, cheese, egg, salad (All band 1, providing at least 10g protein per serve) | Sandwiches with meat, poultry or fish |
| Salads, dressings | Beans (chickpeas, kidney beans etc), pasta, potato, rice, plus other vegetables All dressings (including mayonnaise) Band 2, providing at least 10g protein per serve) | - |
| Breads, cereals | All breads, cereals, pasta and noodles | - |
| Spreads | Jam, peanut butter, Vegemite™, margarine, butter, honey | Meat and fish spreads |
| Hot breakfast choices | Eggs, baked beans in tomato sauce, mushrooms, tomatoes, spaghetti in tomato or cheese sauce, creamed corn | Meat (eg bacon) Baked beans in ham sauce |
| Fruit | All fruits, fresh or canned | Jellied fruit (if made with gelatine) |
| Yoghurt | All yoghurts without gelatine | Yoghurts containing gelatine |
| Desserts | Fresh and canned fruit Jellied fruit prepared with agar or vegetable gums Custard, ice-cream | Desserts containing gelatine or rennet |
| Milk and cheese | All, including soy milk and cheese | - |
| Beverages | Milk, juices, soft drinks, cordial, tea, coffee | - |
| Biscuits | All | - |
| Miscellaneous | Nuts and seeds Cream | - |
References
- Dietitians Association of Australia. Nutrition manual. 8th ed. Canberra: DAA; 2009.
- Craig WJ, Mangels AR, American Dietetic Association. Position of the American Dietetic Association: vegetarian diets. J Am Diet Assoc 2009;109:1266-82.
- Marsh K, Zeuschner C, Saunders A, Reid M. Meeting nutritional needs on a vegetarian diet. Aust Fam Phys 2009;38(8):600-2.
- Australian Vegetarian Society.
Change log
July 2019
| Section updated | Change |
|---|---|
| Precautions | Added Food items which are compliant with a vegetarian including milk and eggs diet but which include a ‘may contain’ allergen statement, are allowed to be provided on the diet |