Ideas for protein

TMDMJAOCT07 · January 2013

I'm looking for some ideas of how to get some protein into my DD. She use to eat peanut butter a couple of times a week - but after an allergic reaction to a tree nut, we have been avoiding all nuts until we get some testing done, which could be later this week.

She will not eat meat, no matter what kind it is, how it's cooked. She was pretty good about trying 1 bite of meat from our plates but now that's even hit or miss no matter what we try/reward with, etc.

So, until we can get through allergy testing, and hopefully find out that peanut butter is still ok, I'm looking for some other ideas. She's big into dairy - but I try to limit the amount of milk/cheese, because she battles constipation, as well.

Thanks!

LSU628 · January 2013

Will she do scrambled eggs? What about beans or hummus? My DD will eat black beans straight out of the can and devours hummus and edamame.

JulesDiane · January 2013

Greek yogurt or cottage cheese? Oh right, that whole dairy thing.

And as PP said, hummus is a good option.

That's not easy to think of things when you take dairy out of the mix.. beans and lentils is usually what they say for vegetarians for protein. I just don't know how well those would go over with a toddler, but they can often surprise you!

Christmasbaby18 · January 2013

DD eats hummus and greek yogurt on a daily basis. Her favorite meats are spaghetti with meat sauce and rotisserie chicken.

jannv11 · January 2013

I cook chicken and put it in the food processor then mix in sauce....put on pizza or pasta. I also grind up carrots, spinach, any veggie and put on pizza and they don't even know it's there.

mamabird8 · January 2013

I give DS cottage cheese often for protein. Could you mix applesauce with it to kind of counteract and avoid constipation? DS also loves baked beans. Or you could try oatmeal.

LSU628 · January 2013

Another thought is lunch meat or shredded meat cooked in a crock pot. DD isn't a fan of meat that she has to really chew but loves BBQ chicken, pot roast or roast beef that is really soft and easy for her to eat. I think it must be a texture thing. She also loves baked beans, I think the sweetness is a definite help!

TMDMJAOCT07 · January 2013

Thanks for the ideas!!

LovinTim912 · January 2013

This may sound weird, but what about quinoa? You can mix it in anything and it is an excellent source of protein and those omega 3s and low glycemic index. DS loves it. It's sort of like tofu in that it takes on the flavors of what it is cooked with. You can make it sweet (cooked with milk and sugar for breakfast or as a sort of rice pudding) or savory (cooked with chicken broth, onions, garlic, etc.) It is a staple in our diet. Our DS has EOE so his diet is quiet limited.... this is one of the things we ALL eat almost every day.

WestCoastMommy · January 2013

My DD love the Okios Vanilla Greek yogurt, Go Gurts, Danimals (poke a straw thru the top), Edamame and scrambled eggs. I also bought the kids protein vitamins for days that they dont get enough

wedsept · January 2013

Tofu. It is flavorless, so you can mix/hide it in things.

returnhomegnome · January 2013

I may not be good to trust, bc our chillin's will eat anything, like little garbage disposals!! but, maybe these will be helpful.

beans and rice - mine will both eat black beans straight out of the can, but combined w rice it's a complete protein. Use brown rice, and cook w chicken stock instead of water, and it's super healthy, and tasty. Chick peas with pasta, bacon, and green peas are super good too.

lentils - we make a thick sort of stew. Very versatile, you can add things or eat 'em straight.

tuna melt - i mix my tuna half w diced cucumber or diced cherry tomatoes, add a splash of olive oil instead of mayo, toss onto a toasted english muffin or sandwich round and melt a bit of shredded cheese on top. My girls love this even more than I do.

quinoa - it's a grain, it's a protein, and there are so many recipes online these days. Mix it w fruit for breakfast, or toss it with veggies for dinner. Endless options!

canned salmon - it's hard to get fish once a week like they say to do, eh? we like to mash canned salmon over rice, and shred cheese on top of it. Sort of like a tuna melt, cheap and tasty; and oh so healthy. Mild cheddar or havarti are great on this.

eggs in soup - since it's cold it's pretty easy to add an egg to soup without it causing to much ruckus.

breakfast cereal - i wouldn't depend on this too often, but there are a fair amount of balanced, higher protein cereals on the market these days. Not for body builders, for normal people. May want to ask a pediatrician though because I'm sure they're balanced for an adult, not a toddler; but if you used the cereal dry as an occasional snack it might be just right.

asreinholm · January 2013

Have you tried a probiotic for her constipation issues? Garden of Life (found at your local health food store) has a couple of options that would definitely help. Eggs, Quinoa, cheese, yogurt, and beans are all great sources of protein.

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