Two year old and reluctant to eat meat

[swinglowsweetchariot12]

And looking for alternatives

Just that's really, she's two and two months, she likes some meat but I am worried her protein intake is not as it should be.

At her two year review they said it was common for toddlers to push away meat as it's harder to chew etc and not to worry

Does anyone have some idea of alternative sources of protein for toddlers ?

Thank you in advance

DD really didn't eat meat at that age. They don't need much protein, something like a gram per kilo of bodyweight. DD would have peanut butter on toast for breakfast, full fat Greek yoghurt for a snack, hummus and cucumber with her lunch, scrambled egg or low sugar beans or falafel. Theres plenty of protein in milk too.

Greek yogurt
Tofu
Quorn possibly
Eggs
Cheese
Edamame
Chickpeas- falafel or houmous

How are you serving the meat? Bolognaise, stews etc would make it more palatable

Cheese, milk, yogurt, beans, pulses, fish, eggs.

Fish? Tuna pasta, salmon with rice.

I agree that she's likely not eating it as it's difficult to eat. Try and make it as easy to eat as possible. Tinned tuna and salmon are easy to eat and any sort of fresh fish that you can break up.

Also, chicken or Quorn cut up very small in pasta/rice/stir fry. What about mince too?

I wouldn’t eat meat even as a tiny child. I was vegetarian from a very young age and have been vegan for well over a decade. Don’t force meat eating. It isn’t essential. Protein is found in so many foods.

DC was not keen on meat at that age but was OK with fish. Also not keen on eggs. We made sure that we offered milk-based puddings - yogurt or fromage fraud. Also loved baked beans.

Our DD was a complete meat avoider at that age too. We used to give her eggs, various types of cheese, salmon (the bones are generally quite large & easy to remove), or tuna in spring water. She definitely got over it by 4.

As well as protein, is she getting enough iron? They obviously don't have protein in but a range of cereals (e.g. Weetabix, shredded wheats, ready brek) are fortified so would cover off the iron side if needed.

Ds is a reluctant eater, like PP have suggested for protein we have most success with hummus and eggs (Yorkshire pudding has lots of eggs in if pure eggs don't go down well). We also have more success with grated cheese than big slices, possibly because you can get grated mozzarella which is really mild flavoured . Cream cheese goes down well too.

She likes scrambled eggs, Greek yogurt, hit abs miss with cheese, loves edamame beans, loves kidney beans, she like smoked salmon cooked not tried with tinned fish yet so that's always an option. She's starting to like milk (she's still breast fed)

Going to try chick peas, falafel she's tried and it was a bit too dry for her, tried hummus but again not very interested.

She will eat tender steak at times and some chicken but not enough in a meal, she would happily eat a plate of veg and sweet potato fries lol

She's also not keen on potato or bread but loves pasta.

I was thinking of getting some lentil pasta has anyone tried it?

Some really good ideas thanks.

@SocialDistanced

DC was not keen on meat at that age but was OK with fish. Also not keen on eggs. We made sure that we offered milk-based puddings - yogurt or fromage fraud. Also loved baked beans.

Ooo she loves baked beans too

@LeaveMyDamnJam

I wouldn’t eat meat even as a tiny child. I was vegetarian from a very young age and have been vegan for well over a decade. Don’t force meat eating. It isn’t essential. Protein is found in so many foods.

My DC was the same, didn't like meat at all. Now in their 30's and still vegetarian.

I don't thinks she's veggie, doesn't matter if she is or not, she did eat meat a few months ago and will still eat hits and bobs, she loves ham and sausages but I am aware of giving her too much of that stuff (even if we get it from a local butchers) just wanted to make sure she had a varied diet

There's a decent amount of protein in breast milk - don't worry too much unless she hasn't picked up a bit by the time you wean

@YukoandHiro

There's a decent amount of protein in breast milk - don't worry too much unless she hasn't picked up a bit by the time you wean

I am so ready to give up breastfeeding but she isn't lol

Pancakes and French toast are a good way of getting in eggs. A tiny drop of vanilla extract gives them a sweetness without adding any sugar. Honestly sounds like her eating is fine to me. The amount of protein needed is very little.

Carbs is the other thing.
She will eat porridge, pasta and rice but potatoes and bread is a no no lol

She will eat the birds eye potato mini waffles or the shapes but that's about it

Honestly I think my child would be happy just to live off fruit and veg and eggs with the occasional chocolate treat

However she will try anything and everything we give her so I'm pleased on that

@swinglowsweetchariot12 I have no advice as I only managed to wean my first at 2y 8m because I was pregnant and totally dried up 🤣

[quote YukoandHiro]@swinglowsweetchariot12 I have no advice as I only managed to wean my first at 2y 8m because I was pregnant and totally dried up 🤣[/quote]
See I have tried to do the don't ask don't refuse (I think that's right), timed reduce feeding, distractions, just literally walking out the room, she's a boob monster.

I'm thinking of trying to slow my milk production down somehow but there's no way I'm getting as little one still isn't sleeping through the night 🤦‍♀️

My dd hasn't eaten meat since age one she's now nearly 7 and her diets very limited but she's a healthy weight she eats lots of fruit and veg but is dairy free with her allergy's and can't have eggs I buy quorn for things and she eats it sometimes and tofu x

If she is open to everything, try fresh and real before canned (fish) or processed (lentil pasta),

Try making meatballs in tomato sauce, meatloaf, crumbled chicken, even saltimbocca. Any meat that remains, soft , saucy and tasty.

For the fish, boiled cod is easy, put in water frozen when it floats it is ready, just melt some butter, mix some fresh parsley and a crack of pepper. In France, sole is the main fish given to children. Stupidly easy to cook, have the fishmonger remove the skin (or do it yourself), butter in a pan, 4 minutes on each sides. done.
Try clams or even mussels if you live on a coastal area.

IF she likes beans, embrace legumes. Chickpeas and lentils and why not tofu, but for the tofu remember, it is a blank canvas, so the difference between a blank canvas and the Mona Lisa is what was put on it. Make this sauce 2tbl soy sauce, 2tbl olive oil, 2 tbl nutritional yeast , mix, great for hard tofu (never buy soft or silk tofu), dry tofu with paper towels squeezing water out, cut into cubes and either eat raw with a bit of sauce on top or cover ed in sauce and baked in oven .

More than quorn I would look at quinoa for a toddler. For the potatoes, have you tried the cold potato salad, mashed potatoes with the center filled with a rich veggies sauce