Feeding a young child enough protein?
shining_light
Posts: 384 Member
I think my stepson is seriously weird. He's 4 years old. He'll eat any raw vegetable, but just try feeding him a protein source that isn't cheese or peanut butter(both sources of a lot more fat than protein). I've found recipes for mac and cheese that are bulked out with cottage cheese, so that helps, but really, this is ridiculous. I'm trying to feed him hamburger helper at the moment, and he's been picking at it for an hour. He ate three large pieces of broccoli, though. Weird.
Anyone else have a kid like this and what do you suggest? He won't eat eggs, though to be honest, I don't know that he's ever tried them. He tolerates ground beef sometimes(though apparently not today) and chicken on occasion, but he'd still prefer not to eat it. I have a vegetarian chickpea dish in the fridge, but it has raw onions in it, so I know he won't eat it. Thoughts?
Edit: Sometimes he'll eat shrimp too, but of course that's only when he decides that he likes it.
Anyone else have a kid like this and what do you suggest? He won't eat eggs, though to be honest, I don't know that he's ever tried them. He tolerates ground beef sometimes(though apparently not today) and chicken on occasion, but he'd still prefer not to eat it. I have a vegetarian chickpea dish in the fridge, but it has raw onions in it, so I know he won't eat it. Thoughts?
Edit: Sometimes he'll eat shrimp too, but of course that's only when he decides that he likes it.
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Does he drink milk? I remember reading that adult height (dependent on your genetic potential of course) is a function of protein consumed before puberty. That's why the Dutch are the tallest nation due to childhood dairy consumption.0
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Does he drink milk? I remember reading that adult height (dependent on your genetic potential of course) is a function of protein consumed before puberty. That's why the Dutch are the tallest nation due to childhood dairy consumption.
Yes, he does drink milk. He drinks 1-2 cups a day. He always asks for it at breakfast but never drinks more than like 3 sips.
He also eats flavored yogurts, but I don't like to give that to him as anything other than a treat because the amount of protein and calcium doesn't even come close to justifying the sugar in it.0 -
As we speak, he's still sitting at the table picking at that hamburger helper, by the way. Oh dear.0
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Chicken nuggets, cheese, ham, fish sticks, yogurt? lol, seriously, it's a pain at times. But they really only need 20g of protein a day I think? One glass of milk has 8, so it helps.
It took us a year but my kids eat what we have for dinner now, it's really nice. But the rest of the time it's a nightmare.0 -
My son is the same way. Try giving him the lighter greek yogurts. Sugars is around 6-12 grams and usually has 13+ grams of protein. Or you can try plain greek yogurt mixed with something he likes.
Otherwise try sneaking meat into dinner items...!0 -
Have you tried expanding your horizons as to what you're giving him for protein? Fish maybe? Soy? Quinoa? Lunch meats? Or maybe it's the way that you're preparing them.
ETA: Also, you don't really need to be limiting his fat intake either, so unless he's having weight problems, giving him cheese and peanut butter shouldn't be an issue.0 -
Also, this website was really, really helpful for me when it comes to my picky 6 year old step-daughter.
http://itsnotaboutnutrition.squarespace.com/0 -
I have 18-month-old twins who only want to eat fruits and vegetables. So I feel you. They do like beans, so we do that a lot, and I give them nuts and avocado for the fat. How about plain yogurt with fruit that you add? Much better than the flavored stuff, and Greek nonfat yogurt has a lot of protein in it - you can also make smoothies with it. Meat ravioli? Fun small stuff like sliders?
Mostly, I wouldn't worry too much about it. As someone else said, kids don't actually need a huge amount of protein, and they get a lot through dairy (or formula or breast milk or soy milk, depending on age and situation). I offer it to them, I give them a lot of variety, but at the end of the day if they're happy and healthy, I'm not worried.0 -
Lunch meats are probably a good idea. I know he likes pepperoni; that's something.
He wouldn't go for Greek yogurt with added fruit.
Chicken nuggets and fish sticks are a good idea, but I know sometimes he likes them and sometimes he doesn't. Lol.
I guess if he has maybe a full cup of milk a day and (max) 2 tablespoons of peanut butter, that's not bad. I should still slide in a bit of protein elsewhere if I can, but I probably shouldn't worry about it. My problem really is that I'm not going to cook to cater to him if I can help it because his dad and I both need more protein. Ideally, we'd be able to feed him small amounts of what we eat. Should I resort to making separate meals for him?0 -
Lunch meats are probably a good idea. I know he likes pepperoni; that's something.
He wouldn't go for Greek yogurt with added fruit.
Chicken nuggets and fish sticks are a good idea, but I know sometimes he likes them and sometimes he doesn't. Lol.
I guess if he has maybe a full cup of milk a day and (max) 2 tablespoons of peanut butter, that's not bad. I should still slide in a bit of protein elsewhere if I can, but I probably shouldn't worry about it. My problem really is that I'm not going to cook to cater to him if I can help it because his dad and I both need more protein. Ideally, we'd be able to feed him small amounts of what we eat. Should I resort to making separate meals for him?
Don't cook him separate meals. Read some from the blog area of the link I posted above. It's filled with great insight into the problem that you're having right now.0 -
Also, after an hour and a half, I finally relented and told him he doesn't have to eat his supper, but he doesn't get any Halloween candy either. *sigh*0
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Also, this website was really, really helpful for me when it comes to my picky 6 year old step-daughter.
http://itsnotaboutnutrition.squarespace.com/
Reading it now. Thanks.
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sounds like you have a little vegetarian on your hands.
Will he eat beans and other sources of vegetarian protein like nuts? A full compliment of protein can be something like beans and rice, nuts and wheat, soy and quinoa, or milk and bread.
I'm curious if it is a texture thing with him. When I was younger I really didnt like meat because of the stringiness. I loved shrimp though, chicken (not on the bone), and of course cheese. I quit eating eggs when I was younger after a visit to the egg farm.0 -
sounds like you have a little vegetarian on your hands.
Will he eat beans and other sources of vegetarian protein like nuts? A full compliment of protein can be something like beans and rice, nuts and wheat, soy and quinoa, or milk and bread.
This has occurred to me, though his father seems to be opposed to it and that's what's prevented me from doing this. My goal is to try to get him to eat what the rest of us do(as the blog posted above indicates). Otherwise, I would whole-heartedly dive into an attempt at this. I honestly don't know if he'll eat beans or nuts. I'd gladly give it a shot. You're always full of great advice on the forums.
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Don't stress, does he have sensory issues? Many kids are picky at that age. My kids have always hated hamburger helper and it is not healthy. He needs fat for brain development at that age so cheese and peanut butter are not awful things to feed him at all.
I would say talk to the pediatrician, most likely they will be just fine with what he is eating, but they are the only one that can tell you for sure. I have put protein powder in yogurt, muffins, oatmeal or a smoothy to give an extra boast to them if I think they needed it that bad. But really he is probably good. You may even try to put tofu in things or TVP into things to bulk up protein. Food battles are hard and sometimes more draining than they are worth, in saying that just make sure you have healthy things for him. Many cultures throughout history have lived and grown well without meat due to beliefs or because they did not have it available. He may be getting enough.
Good luck!0 -
My four year old isn't big on meat either, but he adores peanut butter and milk, so he gets quite a bit from that. And chicken nuggets XD. But he's only starting to come around to eating pork and chicken and hamburger. Just be patient and peanut butter and cheese are perfectly acceptable!0
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sounds like you have a little vegetarian on your hands.
Will he eat beans and other sources of vegetarian protein like nuts? A full compliment of protein can be something like beans and rice, nuts and wheat, soy and quinoa, or milk and bread.
This has occurred to me, though his father seems to be opposed to it and that's what's prevented me from doing this. My goal is to try to get him to eat what the rest of us do(as the blog posted above indicates). Otherwise, I would whole-heartedly dive into an attempt at this. I honestly don't know if he'll eat beans or nuts. I'd gladly give it a shot. You're always full of great advice on the forums.
Yeah for sure he needs to eat with the family, and you cant be making two meals every single day. I think you keep doing what you are doing, introduce what you can, make him try it, and maybe add some of his more acceptable protein options to a meal or two. Probably wouldnt hurt Dad to have a meatless meal, but good luck on that one. I can rarely get the BF to go veg with me.0 -
His dad eats his veggies more readily than I do. I had a meatless day the other day(rather unintentionally) and found it really, really easy to exceed my minimum for protein (gawd, I love chickpeas).
I finally relented on the dinner situation and gave the guys grilled cheese sandwiches. Everybody was happier with that, and the little guy ate two. I was impressed for sure. I gave him a big hug and told him I was sorry that I didn't listen to him when he said he didn't like it(really, I didn't like ground beef or beef in general much as a child either).
I also realize that I don't give him enough credit for his communication skills. I know he can tell me what he likes or doesn't like if I ask him, so I told him that if he wants me to make him something for dinner, he can ask. I remember I made a pizza casserole a couple of weeks ago that he really liked. It had ground beef in it, lots of cheese, and pepperoni, the pepperoni being the dominant flavor. Homemade mac and cheese was also really good. I suppose he does know and can communicate to me what he likes and doesn't like. His daddy told him, "Don't tell me, tell Joanne because she does all the cooking". So hopefully that helps.
I really should ask his mom what she feeds him at her house. I've thought to ask before, but I've always forgotten. When we talk, it's usually complaining about work. lol. She's not a very healthy individual personally(she drinks and smokes and smoked while pregnant, which explains her son's lingering lung problems), but I know she really does take good care of him in spite of her own personal vices. Definitely puts his needs ahead of her own, in my opinion.
Also, I forgot that grains and legumes combined are complete proteins. He has peanut butter toast every morning for breakfast. This is very good. Thanks for the advice, everyone!0 -
Ulimately you and his dad should be talking to his pediatrition. While vegetarian is an ok way to go, it's hard to get "complete" proteins where you're getting all the amino acids so although you may pick higher protein alternatives, he could still be missing out on some vital nutrients. I only know a little about this because one of my co-workers has a daughter that's a vegetarian and they need to be conscious of making sure she's eating correctly.
I had a tough time with meat when I was young but I think that was mostly because my mother cooked everything to death so it was tough and tasteless. If you're using lean hamburg or lean ground turkey that may be the problem as that meat tends to be a bit tougher due to lack of fat. Maybe use higher fat ground beef, just drain it once it's cooked so you don't end up eating all the fat. And tryy cooking darker meat chicken for him like thigh meat? You can still overcook it but due to the higher fat content it doesn't get as tough as breast meat would.0 -
So while you were worrying about his not eating his hamburger helper (seriously - hamburger helper you're OK with but you're worried about fat in peanut butter and sugar in yogurt??), he was busily consuming 10 grams of protein in his "three large pieces of brocolli" (using values from US Department of Agriculture database for a small stalk of broccoli for each "large piece). If he's eating some dairy and occasional meat/chicken/fish, I don't think you need to stress about this. Does he eat eggs?
On the yogurt, you could try giving him plain yogurt with fresh fruit and a little honey or other liquid sweetener (it will blend in better) if you want to control the sugar.0 -
So while you were worrying about his not eating his hamburger helper (seriously - hamburger helper you're OK with but you're worried about fat in peanut butter and sugar in yogurt??), he was busily consuming 10 grams of protein in his "three large pieces of brocolli" (using values from US Department of Agriculture database for a small stalk of broccoli for each "large piece). If he's eating some dairy and occasional meat/chicken/fish, I don't think you need to stress about this. Does he eat eggs?
On the yogurt, you could try giving him plain yogurt with fresh fruit and a little honey or other liquid sweetener (it will blend in better) if you want to control the sugar.
Ok, I'm not really worried about the fat in the peanut butter, admittedly. The sugar in yogurt IS a concern because he starts bouncing off the walls and he hates brushing his teeth(what little kid doesn't?) and he refuses any other kind of yogurt(what little kid wouldn't?).
No, he doesn't eat eggs. Cheese and peanut butter are the only proteins he'll willingly eat, and as I said, about a cup of milk a day. Doing the math, he's probably doing okay. I guess I throw a few pieces of shrimp in there occasionally (with a lot of begging and pleading for him to eat it) and he's okay. I guess the point with sticking to my guns on the hamburger helper was I was NOT about to make a separate meal for him and he had asked me to make a few days earlier and then decided he didn't like it. It wasn't so much about the nutrition in the hamburger helper. I assumed he'd eat it because it was easy to eat, but I guess not. I get that it's not the healthiest, but he asked for it. I make healthier pasta dishes myself(though I don't eat them, because I can't).
Cooking for a family with different nutritional needs is so complicated... His dad complains that the food is too high in some macronutrient, usually fat(make your own damn food if you're not happy with it), but if it's higher in protein due to the addition of meat, his son won't eat it, and I can't eat the pasta/bread-based dishes that they both can. >.<0 -
So while you were worrying about his not eating his hamburger helper (seriously - hamburger helper you're OK with but you're worried about fat in peanut butter and sugar in yogurt??), he was busily consuming 10 grams of protein in his "three large pieces of brocolli" (using values from US Department of Agriculture database for a small stalk of broccoli for each "large piece). If he's eating some dairy and occasional meat/chicken/fish, I don't think you need to stress about this. Does he eat eggs?
On the yogurt, you could try giving him plain yogurt with fresh fruit and a little honey or other liquid sweetener (it will blend in better) if you want to control the sugar.
Ok, I'm not really worried about the fat in the peanut butter, admittedly. The sugar in yogurt IS a concern because he starts bouncing off the walls and he hates brushing his teeth(what little kid doesn't?) and he refuses any other kind of yogurt(what little kid wouldn't?).
No, he doesn't eat eggs. Cheese and peanut butter are the only proteins he'll willingly eat, and as I said, about a cup of milk a day. Doing the math, he's probably doing okay. I guess I throw a few pieces of shrimp in there occasionally (with a lot of begging and pleading for him to eat it) and he's okay. I guess the point with sticking to my guns on the hamburger helper was I was NOT about to make a separate meal for him and he had asked me to make a few days earlier and then decided he didn't like it. It wasn't so much about the nutrition in the hamburger helper. I assumed he'd eat it because it was easy to eat, but I guess not. I get that it's not the healthiest, but he asked for it. I make healthier pasta dishes myself(though I don't eat them, because I can't).
Cooking for a family with different nutritional needs is so complicated... His dad complains that the food is too high in some macronutrient, usually fat(make your own damn food if you're not happy with it), but if it's higher in protein due to the addition of meat, his son won't eat it, and I can't eat the pasta/bread-based dishes that they both can. >.<
That does sounds like a challenge, dealing with those different macro requirements. Maybe instead of one-dish meals like mac and cheese and hamburger helper, you could cook the hamburger separately as patties (the little boy might even surprise you by being willing to eat it if it doesn't come in a mix of textures -- i.e., combined with smooth sauce, and springy pasta, etc. -- which is often a problem for small kids), cook the pasta or other starch separate, and the veg separate. That way each person could adjust the amount of each that they're eating to their taste/dietary requirements.0 -
my little brother was like this when young, all broccoli and white fish, occasionally chicken but that was it he didn't like most other protein sources and only drank water or milk probably until he was 9 or 10.
He grew up and out of it and is now taller than me at 13 and almost as big as his 6" brother so maybe don't worry too much just yet!0 -
Also, kids are sometimes more likely to eat something if they feel they helped make it, so if he's around when you're fixing dinner, you could ask him to mix something together, or measure out dry ingredients for you (realize that that this "help" might actually create more work for you in supervising and cleaning up).*
If he's around next time you're making something like that chickpea salad with onions, you could ask him if he'd like to try a chickpea before you put other stuff in with it, and/or ask if he'd like you to hold out some chickpeas and just put stuff that he likes on it, so as you add ingredients to your salad, he could give the thumbs up or down to adding it to his portion.
*ETA: obviously no work at the stove or with a knife at this age, and if you can move the bowl to the table so he doesn't have to stand on a chair to mix or add measured ingredients, that's probably safer and ultimately less likely to cause a mess.0 -
No advice from me, just a little reassurance. When my sister was a kid, she had a long phase where her diet consisted mainly of cucumbers, cheese doodles, and bagels with lox and cream cheese lol. Now, at 37, not only is she a healthy woman, she's amazingly fit, her eating habits are actually enviable, she's a runner, and she's healthy and strong. (also she's awesome and I love her but that has nothing to do with nutrition lol)0
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I have an 8 year old and a 5 year old. I would love it if my kids ate more veggies! My children prefer to eat starchy carbs like pasta noodles and cheezit crackers. They do well with most meats and proteins but veggies are the hard part.
I know you don't have a problem with him eating veggies, but maybe you can use some of the same tricks that parents have been using to sneak veggies into their food.
- cut up tiny meat bits into their food. We prepare a lot of rice in our house and we're always cutting veggies up to stir into their food.
- does he like ravioli? gyoza or asian style dumplings? meats (and veggies) can easily be stuffed into them. With the dumplings, my kids liked to play around with dipping sauces (vinegar, soy sauce, sweet/sour sauce, etc)
- My kids used to be picky about eggs until I let them top it off. Now, they'll eat eggs however we serve them. My kids still won't take any kind of fluffy scrambled eggs. You can try things like ketchup or cheese. My oldest child is starting to experiment with hot sauce (yikes).
- Costco sells Chobani Champions for kids in a tube. It's kinda like Go-Gurt but it's greek yogurt. My kids love this stuff. They love it even more when the yogurt is frozen.
good luck!0 -
You may try discussing this with his pediatrician if you're really worried about it. My eldest daughter, now 7, never ate meat as a baby or toddler. When I would cook spaghetti she'd pick out the meat and just eat the noodles and sauce. She wouldn't touch chicken nuggets, hotdogs, bacon, etc. Her only sources of protein were milk, cheese, peanut butter, an occasional egg, and beans (which she won't eat now). I asked her pediatrician and he said if her body needs protein then she will get it, it may not be in the form of meat she may just ask for another egg or a second pb sandwich. He said it could just be a texture issue like some others said. She never starved, and wasn't malnourished. She was always on the top end of height (lower end on weight), but her pediatrician wasn't worried about it so I stopped focusing on it. That being said she does eat meat now, and has decided that vegetables she used to eat all the time aren't good anymore. Raising kids is a constant battle!
On a side note: I NEVER cook two meals. I just don't have the time and energy to do that. I expect my children to eat what my husband and I eat. However, I do always cook something I know they will like along with something I think they may struggle with eating (usually when we are trying new vegetables or new foods in general). One of our house rules is you must try two bites of everything on your plate.0 -
That does sounds like a challenge, dealing with those different macro requirements. Maybe instead of one-dish meals like mac and cheese and hamburger helper, you could cook the hamburger separately as patties (the little boy might even surprise you by being willing to eat it if it doesn't come in a mix of textures -- i.e., combined with smooth sauce, and springy pasta, etc. -- which is often a problem for small kids), cook the pasta or other starch separate, and the veg separate. That way each person could adjust the amount of each that they're eating to their taste/dietary requirements.
This occurred to me right after I posted the topic. I think this is an excellent idea. He DOES seem to like to eat things separately. Even if things are cooked separately, his dad likes to mix everything together on his plate because he likes the different flavor combinations. I think the little guy is more like me in that way, though(as most children probably are), that they eat one thing before moving on to the next. I'm that way. That definitely seems easiest, and then when he's at his mom's place, I can make the casseroles and things like that that his dad likes. That way everyone's happy. That seems like a good solution.0 -
My son is not crazy about meat either.
But he eats avocados, nuts and yogurts (low sugar ones).
Also, freshly packed full fat ricotta, with just toasted nuts (like pecans and hazelnuts) and honey is a very tasty protein packed desert.0 -
I think my stepson is seriously weird. He's 4 years old. He'll eat any raw vegetable, but just try feeding him a protein source that isn't cheese or peanut butter(both sources of a lot more fat than protein). I've found recipes for mac and cheese that are bulked out with cottage cheese, so that helps, but really, this is ridiculous. I'm trying to feed him hamburger helper at the moment, and he's been picking at it for an hour. He ate three large pieces of broccoli, though. Weird.
Anyone else have a kid like this and what do you suggest? He won't eat eggs, though to be honest, I don't know that he's ever tried them. He tolerates ground beef sometimes(though apparently not today) and chicken on occasion, but he'd still prefer not to eat it. I have a vegetarian chickpea dish in the fridge, but it has raw onions in it, so I know he won't eat it. Thoughts?
Edit: Sometimes he'll eat shrimp too, but of course that's only when he decides that he likes it.
Cheese and Peanut Butter are very healthy and if your worried about the fat content... The reduced fat cheeses are not much different in taste .. Kraft Deli Deluxe 2% is very good and so is the Kraft 2% 'block' cheese.... They have reduced fat peanut butter and also reduced sugar.....Kids are picky... If your worried that much try pedia sure or similar nutritional supplement shakes as snacks. I still have to do this with my daughter from time to time and she is 13... or ask the pediatrician for advice but I really think he will be fine with what he is eating especially if he likes peanut butter and cheese. Kids dont need that many grams of protien a day anyway
Recommended Dietary Allowance for Protein
Grams of protein
needed each day
Children ages 1 – 3 13g
Children ages 4 – 8 19g
Children ages 9 – 13 34g
Girls ages 14 – 18 46g
Boys ages 14 – 18 52g
Women ages 19 – 70+ 46g
Men ages 19 – 70+ 56g0
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