High protein kids meals and snacks

[WeightoftheWorld]

So we are actually veggie not vegan but I thought I might get more responses here.

I have two littles, eldest is 5 and very fussy, fairly short stature and slim. Youngest is 21 months a generally better eater but point blank won't eat eggs of any sort anymore and also isn't that bothered about cows milk and doesn't drink as much of that as DD did at that age. Youngest was average sized but we've just discovered his height growth has massively faltered and he's now very short for his age (neither me nor DH are short). He's been referred to paediatrics but I'm told there's a ten month wait.

I'm pretty confident his growth isn't diet related, because he's quite a good eater, eats large volumes compared to DD at that age and is putting on weight nicely.

But nonetheless would be great to get recommendations of high protein meals he and DD might eat.

And any advice on quantity that a 21 month old would need protein wise would be great too. E.g. if I make him a tofu based dish how many grams of protein would he need to eat? As I understand plant based proteins they need to eat a bigger volume vs meat right?

That's a good idea thanks where can I find recipe? Do you mean BBC good food? My eldest loves eggs and always has done, literally any way at all. Little one initially had a mild egg allergy but that was completely gone by the time he was about 12 months. But he's never really eaten egg other than in quiche, in american-style pancakes (won't eat crepes) and he used to eat omlette but hes just suddenly started refusing that now too. And tbh he's not even that keen on pancakes, not compared to my eldest. He eats most things tbh so its just annoying that a good protein source he refuses completely when my eldest is a bad eater and it's one of the few things she actually eats reliably.

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/easy-chocolate-mousse

it’s delicious - I sympathise, an egg hater is a tough challenge!

I guess that’s my other question - both dd and I aren’t keen on egg yolk, see if he’ll tolerate egg white in things in general. Is it texture, egg yolk etc?
if it’s texture, things that have eggs but not that rubbery egg texture might work…

If you give your little one chocolate, a more protein rich pudding is silken tofu blended with melted chocolate. We used to do ours with dark chocolate but you can use a sweeter, milk chocolate instead or even add extra sugar or agave syrup. Leave in the fridge for an hour or so and voilà, an even simpler chocolate mousse. Sprinkle hazlenut on the top if you like as well before serving.

honestly you are overthinking things, there is protein in most foods, not just the protein rich ones, even bread and broccoli have some protein. It all adds up in a day. I was more fixated on iron, but luckily mine loved her pulses and green leafy veg (also good for calcium). Remember vit C from fruit or veg to absorb.

Hi! I’ve skimmed through this but not read all so sorry if you’ve already had these suggested! I’m not a fully fledged dietician, but a nutrition adviser with my own veggie family and meals/lunches/snacks for us look like:

Lentil tomato pasta, mixed bean chilli, tofu curry, veggie sausage (Richmond are a fave) and mash with veggies, Buddha bowls where my toddler helps me put it altogether (usually contains a mix of rice, salad bits, edemame beans and a meat substitute of some kind with hummous), omelettes, veggie egg fried rice, veggie pizzas, all kinds of sandwiches (marmite or cream cheese are faves right now), banana porridge with peanut butter, pancakes, nut butters on toast/rice cakes, vegan sausage rolls etc.

You can still get protein from things that aren’t classed as “a protein” for example porridge oats and rice have fairly high protein content for a carb so will add to their daily amount when you won’t always consider it. We also make 3 ingredient biscuits using flour, a ripe banana and peanut butter and they always go down well. A varied diet with a vitamin is always a good shout, your kid will only eat what they want to eat at the end of the day anyway!

Thanks everyone, feel both more informed and reassured from this thread so very glad I started it ☺️

Re eggs. My kids (4 and 5) won’t eat eggs in any form. But… they will eat crepes that are made almost entirely from egg!

3 eggs
quarter cup plain flour
half a cup of milk

het the pan nice and hot and get the crepes nice and thin… they cook extremely quickly.

Sadly youngest won't eat crepes. Even with like Nutella or anything on them !

Do they like cheese? Cheese is a decent source of protein.

Full fat yogurts, full fat milk etc.

Beans and pulses are really good sources as well.

Just a reminder this is the vegan forum, I’m happy that the OP is getting support but it’s a bit unsettling in the space for vegans to have so many recommendations for eggs (and cheese and fish!) these cause animal suffering too. Maybe if OP wants help to get non vegan protein sources into her youngest (which she hasn’t asked here) that could be a separate question elsewhere.

Sorry, this is partly my fault definitely, my apologies and totally appreciate what you're saying. Would it help if I reported all those comments (including my own re the eggs etc) for deletion?

Maybe ask for thread to be moved ?

We have two of these fussers, one of whom absolutely refused to touch an egg, ever.

He loves farming so I bought a little flower pot cup with a tiny spade from Amazon. That was dippy egg sorted.

Then someone randomly gave us one of those little egg slicing machines. Total game changer. They love the slice.

Tofu has always been weirdly popular with our kids, even just boiled in a bit of water in the microwave for a couple of minutes. I think it's because it's so plain and feels safe to them.

Thank you, hopefully people will just see the post and not post about animal products any more 🤞