Is Tofu a Healthy Food for Babies and Kids?
Is tofu is a safe (and healthy) food for babies and kids?
The short answer is yes, as long as they aren’t allergic or intolerant to soy. Tofu is a minimally-processed, healthy food for babies and kids that offers plenty of nutrients.
It’s a fantastic source of plant-based protein, fiber, and many essential micronutrients including iron, zinc, and calcium. It’s also a great source of antioxidants.
However, myths and misconceptions about soy continue to circulate, no matter how much scientific evidence we have to the contrary.
Some common concerns are that soy may affect brain, sexual, thyroid, or immune development in babies, and that it may reduce testosterone production in men or raise the risk of breast or endometrial cancer in women.
Know that these concerns are not supported by sound science, and that studies actually show that soy-rich diets may be protective against certain types of cancers, and improve heart health and lower blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels.
In this blog post, my aim is to:
Dispel some of the misinformation about soy and tofu as a healthy food option
Describe some of the many ways that tofu can be a healthy food choice for babies and kids
Provide tips and tricks for cooking with tofu
Offer suggestions for ways to feed tofu to babies and kids
Include a few family-friendly tofu recipes you can try at home
What is Tofu?
Tofu is a bean curd made by curdling condensed soy milk and then pressing it into blocks, similar to the process of making dairy cheese. It comes in different textures and different levels of firmness.
The length of time for which it is pressed affects the firmness of the finished product - the longer it is pressed, the more liquid is released, and the more firm the tofu.
Why Does Tofu Have a Bad Reputation?
Tofu is a staple in many Asian cultures and has been around for thousands of years, but in the US, people don’t generally know which tofu to use for which type of dish.
If you use the wrong type of tofu for the recipe you are making, sometimes the end result is less than desirable!
If people’s first experience with tofu is in a recipe that used the wrong type for the job at hand, this can lead to a negative first impression of tofu which is hard to undo.
Further, tofu is mildly flavored and rather bland on its own, so if a person’s first experience with tofu happened to be in a dish that wasn’t seasoned or flavored well, they may have developed a negative opinion of it.
I recently had the opportunity to chat about tofu with Dr. Andrew Ordon and Dr. Ish Major on the CBS TV show, The Doctors, about the available evidence we have regarding soy, as well as some of my favorite tofu recipes.
Keep reading for links to the full recipes below, as well as information about tofu as a healthy food for babies and kids and how to cook with it at home.
Common Misconceptions About Soy
One common misconception about soy is that eating it affects testosterone levels in men and causes the development of breast tissue. Eating soy has actually not been found to affect testosterone levels in men, even at the highest levels of intake.
Another is that soy should be avoided during infancy because it is among the top 9 most allergenic foods.
Another claim is that soy infant formula causes reproductive abnormalities and developmental irregularities in babies. More research is needed, but the majority of evidence has found that there are no reproductive differences (including onset of puberty and sex hormone levels) or developmental differences between babies fed soy-derived and milk-derived infant formula.
An additional misguided view is that eating soy causes infertility. Human studies actually show that soy intake may have a positive effect on fertility and a positive effect on the likelihood of having a successful live birth after undergoing IVF treatments.
Sadly, many people also fear that soy causes cancer. What causes some of the confusion about soy (and also what makes it so special!) is that it contains a high concentration of isoflavones, which are a type of plant estrogen (also called phytoestrogens).
These compounds have a chemical structure similar to that of human estrogen and can bind to human estrogen receptors, but with much weaker and often beneficial effects. People hear the word “phytoestrogens” and think that soy will lead to hormone-driven cancers like breast, ovarian and prostate – but the evidence does not support that claim, in fact actually the opposite.
Current evidence indicates that soy foods are safe for women who have had breast cancer or who are at risk for breast cancer, and higher dietary intakes of soy protein earlier on in life are actually associated with a lower risk of breast cancer later on in life.
What are Some Health Benefits of Tofu for Babies and Kids?
Unlike some plant proteins, soy protein (the type of protein found in tofu) is a complete protein, meaning that it contains all nine essential amino acids. The body can’t make these essential amino acids on its own, so they need to be obtained from the diet.
Tofu is a great source of fiber, iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium, and B vitamins as well as isoflavones and of course, plant-based protein. Half a cup of firm block tofu offers about 22 grams, according to the USDA.
Tofu is also minimally processed and nutrient-dense, meaning that it packs in a lot of nutrients which is great for babies and kids.
The type of coagulant used to make it affects its nutrient content. Tofu made with calcium sulfate has more calcium which can be helpful for babies and kids who don’t eat dairy foods.
Nigari is a traditional coagulant that is left over after the salt is extracted from seawater. Nigari is used to help make tofu set and keep its shape.
A nigari-set tofu will have more fat and potassium than calcium-set tofu, but less fiber, protein, and calcium.
What are the Different Types of Tofu?
Block Tofu
Block tofu has fluffy curds that give it texture. It is pressed and therefore retains its shape and firmness, and it comes in different levels of firmness:
Soft block tofu has a higher water content, as it is pressed for the shortest amount of time. The consistency is more like that of Jell-o, and it’s a great choice for desserts.
Medium firm block tofu has visible curds, a rougher texture, and it’s a good choice for braising and boiling, but not for stir-frying because it will fall apart in the pan.
Firm block tofu is probably the easiest to use and most versatile. The curds are tightly packed together and it holds up well in stir-fries and recipes that call for pan-frying or baking.
Extra firm block tofu is the hardiest type of tofu and great for frying, baking, glazing, and grilling.
Silken Tofu
Silken tofu is a type of tofu that is not pressed, involves minimal curdling and processing, and has a custard-like texture. It works well in creamy and blended foods like smoothies, dips, sauces, desserts, and casseroles and come in a range of textures from soft to firm.
Soft Silken tofu works well as a non-dairy egg or yogurt substitute and is great in sauces and smoothies, but it will fall right through your fingers if you try to handle it or add it to a stir-fry.
Firm silken tofu is made with a denser soy milk and still has a silky texture, but it’s firm enough to be used for light frying, boiling, battering.
Interestingly, the number of calories in tofu increases slightly with density. For example:
½ cup silken tofu has about 70 kcal
½ cup medium block tofu has about 95 kcal
½ cup firm block tofu has 98 kcal
Cooking and Preparation Tofu Tips for Families
When preparing block tofu, after you’ve drained the liquid from the package, it’s helpful to press the block for 10-15 minutes on a clean dishcloth.
Place something heavy on top – I like using my cast iron pan! And occasionally my nine year old who perches on top of a sheet pan over the tofu!
Pressing out the liquid means it won’t splatter as much in the pan when you go to cook it, and you’ll be able to achieve a crispier texture with more browning on the outside.
Mildly flavored tofu, versatile and bland, should soak up marinade that boosts the flavor, but it doesn’t. The reality is that block tofu doesn’t soak up marinades very well unless it was previously frozen and then defrosted, which makes it more porous.
That’s too many extra steps, so here are some other ways to help your tofu absorb more marinade:
Prick it with a fork before marinating
Marinate for not less than 30 minutes
Use an acidic marinade with small, water-soluble molecules like vinegars or citrus juices which can seep between the curds and penetrate deeper into the tofu, rather than oil- or protein-based marinades which won’t be able to penetrate as deeply
In any case, my favorite time-saving way to flavor block tofu is to skip marinating and pan- or air-fry it and then add a flavor-rich glaze or sauce.
How to Introduce Tofu as a Finger Food During Baby-Led Weaning
When introducing top allergens like soy to babies for the first time, it’s wise to start with a small portion, offer a tiny taste to start, and wait 10 minutes. If no reaction, continue to feed the rest, increasing the amount served over time.
Feed it again the next day and then again the next, which is usually enough to establish that baby is tolerating it well. Then, wait about 3 days before moving on to the next top allergen.
This way, if there is a reaction, it’s easier to determine which food is responsible.
The texture of firm tofu works so well during baby-led weaning as a first soy introduction and its versatile flavor mixes well with just about anything.
Cut the tofu (firm or extra firm tofu for this purpose) into adult finger-sized sticks for babies using a palmar grasp or cut tofu into chick-pea sized pieces for babies using a pincer grasp.
Tofu can be served raw or cooked - I like serving both ways and sometimes bake cut tofu into nuggets and serve with a dipping sauce
If you are spoon-feeding or taking a baby-led feeding approach using purees, try offering silken tofu on a preloaded spoon either alone, or mixed into a puree your baby has had and tolerated before
Prepare a savory scrambled tofu for scooping with hands or on a pre-loaded fork
Aside from tofu, mashed edamame (with the skins removed for easier swallowing) is another great healthy food and soy exposure that babies can scoop with hands for self-feeding, or eat from a preloaded spoon.
Once soy has been introduced and tolerated, some other ways to serve tofu regularly in a baby’s diet frequently (which is important for food allergy prevention!) are to use plain, unsweetened soy milk to make oatmeal, chia seed pudding, muffins, or pancakes, and offering plain unsweetened soy yogurt
Like cow’s milk, soy milk (not to be confused with soy formula) should not be served as a beverage to babies before age 1
Once allergenic foods like soy have been introduced into a baby’s diet, it’s equally as important to continue offering them regularly (ideally about 2-3 times per week)
To help make this process easier and for guidance on starting solids, check out my printable 3-month meal plan. Many of the baby-friendly recipes include soy, as well as serving suggestions that include mixed foods and multiple top allergens, making it easy to keep soy and other top allergens in the diet once they have been introduced and tolerated.
Family-Friendly Tofu Recipes
One of my favorite family meal prep hacks is to make a huge batch of my Baked Sesame Tofu Bites on the weekends using either firm or extra firm block tofu. I keep them in the fridge to use throughout the week as a meal anchor in nourish bowls or as a protein-rich salad topping.
Baked Sesame Tofu Bites can be baked in the oven or made in an air fryer - whatever works better for you!
I love using them in my Tofu Zoodle Bowls - a customizable, balanced, nutritious, vegan and/or vegetarian meal option that works well as a family meal.
This meal is customizable, which means that kids can choose which toppings to include and how much of each one to put on their food. This can help reduce picky eating behaviors because it gives kids a sense of ownership and control over what they're eating.
When it comes to dessert, tofu is not usually the first ingredient people think of when they think of a creamy, decadent dessert! However, silken tofu works surprisingly well as a creamy plant-based protein base for smoothies, dips and custard-like desserts – it’s a great calcium-rich alternative for people who aren’t able to eat dairy but still want to enjoy these foods.
The Chocolate Silken Tofu Pie tastes incredibly rich and creamy, but it can absolutely be dairy-free if you use coconut oil instead of butter and check that the chocolate chips and chocolate wafers you use are dairy-free.
Hope you enjoy!
For more tips on feeding kids, grab my FREE guide to reducing picky eating, and if you are looking for help navigating picky eating behaviors in your toddlers, preschoolers, and school age kiddos, check out my online course, Solve Picky Eating, a self-paced set of 12 modules that are delivered quickly in 5-15 minute videos.
And if you're looking for personalized nutrition support for yourself, your babies and/or your kids, I am currently accepting new clients in my virtual private practice. Looking forward to meeting you online…
