Protein rich recipes for toddlers

[Sarajessgirl]

My dd, 2.5 years old, had a weight loss recently(she is a fussy eater). It would be great if you can suggest some protein rich recipes and any meal ideas that would improve weight in toddlers.

What type of things does she like to eat? Are there any dislikes? What type of taste or texture?
I think it's the carbs which help them to pack on the weight.

Spag bol
Meatballs
Kebabs
Eggs

She loves sweets.!!
She hates breakfast; it’s almost like skipping breakfast every day. Some protein rich breakfast recipes would be helpful. She likes to try a variety of textures..

Porridge made with oat milk and sweetened with honey or agave syrup. Eggs and soldiers. Bacon and English muffins.

My DD isn't a big fan of meat (other than sausages and bacon 🙄) so we rely on eggs, cheese, peanut butter and hummus to get a good amount of protein into her. Not all at the same time 😂

Although she loves fish pie and home made salmon croquettes and salmon mini quiche too now that I think. Fish fingers, not so much.

Frittata or omelettes. Yogurt. Tomato based stew with chorizo and chick peas. Chilli with kidney beans or cannellini beans. Eggy bread.
I occasionally make a baked oat breakfast with blueberries and peanut butter in it, which ends up a bit cake like. Not used this recipe before, but something along these lines www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/blueberry-nut-oat-bake

Mine is the same sort of age and a fussy eater and we are a veggie family. Protein sources she will eat are: variety of soft and hard cheeses, peanut butter, eggs, baked beans, veggie sausages, Quorn 'ham'/'chicken' style slices, Quorn chicken-style pieces, veggie mince, milk, cashew nuts.

These mini energy balls www.motherandbaby.co.uk/family-life/food/mini-energy-balls-by-annabel-karmel They keep for a while once you’ve made a batch.

This pasta is really high in protein as it’s made from lentil flour www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/297484755 My DC love it even more than regular pasta because of its novel colour! DS has been having it in pasta salads for his lunchbox.

What will she eat?

Also , breakfast can be ANYTHING doesn't have to bee toast/cereal etc
Could be casserole or dippy eggs or beans on toast or spaghetti and pesto...

But easy high calorie and high protein options

Peanut butter porridge

Eggy bread/eggs on toast/fried egg sandwich/omelette.

Bacon roll

Ham and cheese toastie

Overnight oats

Banana milk (milk, yoghurt and a banana blitzed Inna blender, you can also add oats, linseed mixes etc) kids think they're having a milkshake 😁

My fussy 2 year old will eat his weight in pistachios. And we put hemp seeds ground up in smoothies.

Ham/cheese/Tuna sandwich

Tuna sweetcorn pasta

Casserole

Soups

My 2 and 4 year old eat a lot of nuts, seeds, chickpeas, tofu, beans of various types, lentils, peas, quinoa, soya milk/yoghurt, a small amount of dairy cheese, and occasionally mock meats. For breakfast they either have peanut butter toast or porridge with added peanut butter, chia seeds, and ground hemp seeds as well as fruit to make it less bitter. I also put these things in pancakes or make them higher protein. I have also been known to blend silken tofu into things like white sauce to increase the protein. My dd is a protein fiend but my ds does his best to avoid it so I tend to hide it in stuff. If she likes pasta you can find pasta made from lentils which is high protein, or you can buy higher protein bread such as the soya and linseed burgen bread. They're a bit more expensive than regular or own brand stuff though.

As a PP said you want carbs and fat to put weight on her - protein will make her feel fuller sooner, eat less and not want to eat again for longer. It’s why so many adults swear by keto/high protein to keep weight down!

Cake, lashings of toast with jam, full fat milk, full fat Greek yoghurt with honey, add cream and butter to everything, chips, hash browns, ice cream...basically everything I eat too much of

@Sarajessgirl

She loves sweets.!! She hates breakfast; it’s almost like skipping breakfast every day. Some protein rich breakfast recipes would be helpful. She likes to try a variety of textures..

Cheesy potato pie made with Sweet potato mashed with pureed chicken and cheese?

Why protein - protein reduces appetite, that's the last thing you want surely.

You want fat. Cream, butter, avocado, Greek yoghurt.

Would she eat banana and cream for breakfast? Bowl of Greek yoghurt with nuts?

Big bowls of full fat Greek yoghurt with fruit/honey/anything really

Grated cheese on everything!

Increase the portion sizes of her favourite foods

When ds was going through the worst of his fussy eating we had to add fats to everything where possible.
Proper butter mixed in with food, cheese snacks etc.