Sources of protein for children?

[Becky13347]

I need advice on feeding my 4 yo. Pretty much since birth she has not liked meat. She likes veggies, fruits but would live on bread, cheese and peanut butter if I let her.

What are some alternatives for protein outside of feeding her peanut butter all day? :eek: I'd like as many ideas as you can offer as she is incredibly high maintenence and her preferences change from day to day.

Thanks

[Terri_A]

I discovered that my "chicken only" child also love nuts of all sorts. So I offer those as snacks as well as cheeses, milk, yogurt, etc. I recently found she likes hard boiled eggs ( whites only ) if I salt them a little. Also, have you tried "novelty" meats, as I call them? There's something about Lunchables that make kids eat things they normally wouldn't. My daughter will eat ham and turkey if it's in a Lunchable!

Another option is to put Carnation Instant Breakfast, or something like it in her milk. DD was underweight quite a bit and the ped recommended it to get some meat on her bones and to make sure she was getting all the nutrients she needed.

Good luck - I know it's tough to get them to eat well at this age!

[mommycook]

When my dd was younger she was very thin (actually she still is) and we took her to see a nutritionist.

She recommend we give her more peanut butter, cheese, and dairy products to make sure she got enough protein. We would put protein powder into many of her foods (mac cheese, muffins, etc.) as well.

DD is now 11 and now eats an incredible amout/selection of food!

[magdon]

scrambled eggs, hummus, other beans & nuts.

DS is a 2 year old who is not much into meat. Our ped said the dairy proteins are good but don't add iron which they also need so that is why the other stuff. The boy loves hummus though, will eat it straight up. And hot dogs, the pricey nitrate & other scary stuff free ones. And sometimes if I can get hamburger fine enough in pasta sauce he'll eat that.

[foodlady]

How about quesedillas made with cheese and black beans?

Cottage cheese, yogurt, eggs, hummus....

I have four year old boys, and they love to "dip" things. Carrots in hummus, tortillas in bean dip....whatever! Another thing to do is sit down with her and talk about nutrition and the importance of protein to help her grow. Brainstorm together different food ideas, go shopping and look at labels, and prepare food together.

My kids are constantly asking, "is this healthy food? Will this help me grow?" It's been a great opportunity to get them to try foods they've never had before!

Good luck!

[Julzer]

English muffin pizzas with sauce, cheese,veggies and finely diced meats. Kids love pizza! Also, mac-n-cheese with diced ham and broccoli. I give my 17 m/o chicken salad sandwiches..he loves them! But, he's not a big fan of just straight-up chicken. You said your DD was 4? Have you tried having her help you make a sandwich for her? Usually when kids can get their hands involved in making the food, their more apt to eat it...or at least try it. Or you could tell her that you are making her her own "lunchable" and let her help build a cheese/meat cracker sandwich. Good luck and have fun! :)

[memartha]

Does she like pasta? Barilla has a protein-enriched pasta now that is pretty good, even just with a little butter and salt on it. Or you could give her a little bowl of marinara to dip the pasta in; or you could make mac and cheese with it.

Some breakfast cereals have protein; those might be good snack choices, just for her to eat dry out of a cup.

Hard boiled and scrambled eggs were great suggestions.

And, a slice of wheat bread with a tablespoon of PB on it has a good amount of protein, between the bread and the PB. Some breads are higher than others; check the labels. I know you might be getting tired of serving it to her, but is she getting tired of it?

Finally, don't stress. Just when you think you've got her figured out, she'll change her mind, as you mentioned. Just continue to offer a variety of foods, especially whatever you're eating, and she'll probably broaden her palate soon.

[EmilyK]

My 10 month old LOVES edamame! I buy bags of it already shelled in the freezer section. Put hot water on them to thaw and then serve plain as finger-food. They're just green soybeans and packed full of protein.

[katygirl]

My 10 month old LOVES edamame! I buy bags of it already shelled in the freezer section. Put hot water on them to thaw and then serve plain as finger-food. They're just green soybeans and packed full of protein.


Such a good idea! I feel like as far as veggies go I have been rotating between carrots, peas and green beans! I'm going to pick up a bag of these next time I am shopping!

[Molli526]

Try homemade fish sticks, not the box kind, with homemade tartar sauce. Those are a hit here - my ds likes to dip :)

[Molli526]

We've made these sandwiches in our house, and they are HUGE hits. I even went so far as to make mini buns, from larger buns, and that was fun - even for the adults :)

Fish Filets
Family Fun

Instead of being deep-fried, these flaky, golden fish filets are coated with crackers and panfried in a small amount of canola oil. Serve them plain or create a fish sandwich with a hamburger bun, a slice of Cheddar cheese, lettuce, and a small dollop of homemade tartar sauce (see recipe for Fast and Light Tartar Sauce)!

INGREDIENTS:
3/4 pound white fish (such as grouper or cod)
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
3/4 cup crumbs from wheat crackers (such as
Wheatsworth), preferably low-sodium and low-fat, ground in a food processor or crushed with a rolling pin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
1. Cut the filets into 4 squares, each about 3 1/2 by 3 1/2 inches, rinse them, and dry well.

2. In a small bowl, add the flour. Pour the buttermilk in another small bowl. Combine the wheat cracker crumbs, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and fresh parsley in a medium, shallow bowl and blend well with a whisk.

3. Dip each fish square into the flour, then the buttermilk, then the cracker crumb mixture. Set the pieces aside and heat a medium nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat.

4. Spread 1 1/2 tablespoons of canola oil in the frying pan, then place in all 4 fish squares. Fry the fish until the bottoms are golden brown (about 4 minutes), then flip over the fish to brown the other side (about 3 minutes more). If you're making sandwiches, turn off the heat, lay the cheese slices over the hot fish squares, and cover the pan for a minute to melt the cheese.

Fast and Light Tartar Sauce
Family Fun

Crown your fish filet with a wholesome homemade topping!

INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup fat-free or light sour cream
1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
Pepper to taste
1. Whisk together the ingredients in a small bowl. Add pepper to taste. Cover and chill until needed. Makes about 2/3 cup of tartar sauce.

[zwieback]

Tofu is a great source of protein. You could start with the firm and see if she'll eat the firm. You could slice/chunk it into a quesadilla or some stir fried vegetables or tacos. If that doesn't go over well, you could try the silken tofu and make shakes or puddings with it. That would be a sweet treat but, it would still have the protein in it.

My daughter, who will be 2 in a few months, used to eat anything. She'd eat just about anything my DH and I would eat. She even ate tofu right out of the package before. Now, she drinks milk and doesn't eat too much. So, I've gotten those Ensure drinks for her. I mix half the Ensure and half milk with it. It took her a few times to get used to the Ensure.

Other ideas -- yogurt, cottage cheese, cheese cubes, edamame, eggs, cheese stuffed pasta?

[patissac]

I was also about to suggest tofu, DD loves it! She even ate it straight out of the carton. You can make smoothies,stir frys and even puddings out of it!
She too likes hummus and lots of things with beans. You can make refried bean w/ cheese burrito or puree beans into soups or chilis?
DD is underweight so the Pediatrician had us use this soy protein shake that we would mix in her milk, but that wasn't so successful as she hated it. She also wanted me to buy childrens fish oil, yummy :p

[Becky13347]

You guys are great! Thanks for all the new ideas. I needed to be refreshed with food ideas for her. I was at the end of my rope after a long day of non-eating yesterday. :o

Thanks again!

[Aubergine]

don't overlook all the whole grains out there. brown rice, barley, and whole wheat couscous were always big with my kids, with a little butter and/or cheese. now there are so many others to choose from, like quinoa and millet, to name a couple of others that are basically bland but packed with protein. my DD used to love a baked (nuked) potato with cottage cheese and peas.