How To Make Sure Your Kids Eat Enough Protein – 2023 Guide

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The amount of protein you should eat depends on your age, gender and weight. When it comes to children, most get a suitable amount of protein from their diet. Protein is found naturally in many foods but some kids need to supplement with a little more.

Let’s explore a few ways to add protein to your diet through the use of supplementation and some natural, healthy ingredients as well.

Recipes With Added Protein

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Substituting protein into your child’s diet should come with a doctor’s recommendation. If your child needs additional protein, it likely means they either need to gain weight, are picky with their food choices, or need the additional nutrients to ensure their diet is healthy.

Choosing the correct protein powder is essential. Many options in the market are not suitable for children or contain ingredients that are unhealthy. Once you’ve done your research and found suitable options, here are some recipes that can help add protein to your kid’s diet.

Protein Pancakes

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They’re bound to be a hit with your kids. There are so many options for protein pancakes but using three-ingredient recipes is a fantastic way to keep them simple but healthy. Here are the ingredients:

  • Eggs
  • Bananas
  • Protein Powder
  • Flour

The best part is that you can customize the toppings for your kids so that they can choose additions they like. We recommend fruit and maple syrup.

Protein Breakfast smoothie

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If your kid struggles to eat a healthy breakfast, this gorgeous smoothie is a simple solution. You can even bottle it up and allow them to drink it on the go if there’s not enough time for a sit-down meal. All you need to do is blend up the following ingredients in a smoothie maker:

  • Protein powder
  • Milk (of your choice)
  • Natural Yoghurt
  • Raspberries
  • Cocoa Powder

If you want to add some more veggie protein, you can even add some spinach or avocado! The taste of the veggies will be disguised by the chocolatey flavor if you’re generous with the cocoa. What they don’t know definitely won’t hurt them!

Peanut Butter and Oatmeal Bars

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Rather than buying granola bars, making these protein-packed granola bars are a fantastic way to get your children involved in the process of baking. These granola bars are great because they contain plenty of protein in the form of any nut butter you like. The ingredients are simple:

  • Bananas
  • Rolled Oats
  • Nut Butter
  • Dried fruit (or chocolate)

That’s it! Simply combine the ingredients, allow them to bake for 15 mins in the oven and you have a delicious, healthy treat for the whole family. Including the whole family in the process will help your kids get on board with trying them and support you with achieving their protein needs.

Double Chocolate Protein Balls

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These energy balls are perfect for a quick snack that packs a protein punch. Not only are they full of essential nutrients, but they taste absolutely amazing. They’re deliciously sweet, slightly salty, and all you have to do is blend these ingredients together in a food processor:

  • Rolled Oats
  • Peanut Butter
  • Chia Seeds
  • Coconut Oil
  • Cocoa Powder
  • Protein Powder
  • Honey

Blend the ingredients together until they form a smooth paste-like consistency and then add a dash of salt, a few drops of vanilla extract and some chocolate chips (if you want them to treat yourself!) Then roll the mixture into small balls and refrigerate until they’re chilled.

Natural Foods With Plenty of Protein

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If you want your kid’s diet to be natural and organic-only, the good news is that there’s plenty of natural foods that have more than enough protein. We’re not just talking about meat and fish either, so vegetarians can always have a high protein intake too!

With protein being the building block for muscle growth and strength, it’s important your kid gets all the natural protein they can. Stock up the fridge and make meals with the following natural ingredients:

  • Nuts and Seeds
  • Beans and Pulses
  • Eggs
  • Dairy
  • Vegetables like peas, broccoli and spinach!

Kids Omelet

An omelet is one of the best meals you can make that’s packed full of protein – especially if you add plenty of veggies too. Best of all, an omlette can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch or dinner, so follow this recipe for a high-protein meal your kid will love:

  • First, whisk up eggs and milk in a bowl.
  • Chop up some spinach and pre-cooked low-fat sausages.
  • Add the egg mixture into a hot pan.
  • Then add the chopped spinach and sausage.
  • Cook until the egg is firm to touch and cooked through.
  • Season the omelet with a pinch of salt and pepper and you can add additional cheese or other veggies to fill the omelet with even more goodness. It’s down to you!

Added Protein Hacks

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Using protein doesn’t just have to be in recipes. Often, adding a little protein powder to foods your kid’s like is a way to quickly and easily supplement it into their diet. Here are some ways to sneak protein into your child’s diet.

Protein Smoothies

Smoothies are a fun and healthy way to add fruit and occasionally veggies into a diet. For many children, smoothies don’t seem healthy and so they are less reluctant to try them.

This is the perfect opportunity to add in some protein to combine with your regular fruity mix.

When adding protein powder, you can use pretty much any flavor because the taste should be mostly masked by the fruit flavor. The bonus is, even if you can taste the protein powder, the chances are that it will be delicious.

Protein Yogurt

Yogurt is a fantastic source of calcium and often a favorite for children. Even if dairy isn’t part of their diet, there are so many fantastic non-dairy yogurt alternatives that are great substitutes. Often you can find protein-rich yogurts in the supermarket which help to substitute this into your child’s diet, but if not, there’s an easy fix. Add a scoop of protein powder to the yogurt and you’ll hardly be able to notice. A great tip is to experiment with different flavors so that you can choose your kid’s favorite.