My 19mo. old refuses to eat meat. Does anyone have any recipes that would provide him with protein?

Question

He eats plenty of fruits and vegtables but a growing toddler needs protein and I am a pretty unexperienced cook so I am at a loss, I don't know any good bean dishes (help?) and he can't have peanut butter yet.

Answer 1

A lot of toddlers reject meat, not because of the taste but because it is very difficult for them to chew sufficiently. They only have four molars at this point, and that's not a lot of surface to work over a piece of meat with. Eggs and cheese, and tofu are all good sources of alternative protein, as are beans and a starch side combination- like a bean burrito. Spaghetti sauce is a good way to get ground meat of any sort into the diet, even tofu crumbles can be used in place of the meat. Milk is another good source of protein, and he should be drinking it still, several times a day- not only for the protein, but the calcium. You can also try him on tunafish and sardines, which are soft and easy to chew- if not a bit on the strong side for a youngster. Some like it, some don't. You can also find lower sodium canned meats, like Spam and potted meats, bologna, and the various lunch meats or deli sliced meats. Thinner slices are easier to chew, and will often go down easier. Whatever you decide to try, just be sure it's cut into small bite size pieces, for his age, that means pieces just about the size of a dime, or even slightly smaller. Anything bigger is a choke hazard, and more likely to get chomped and spit out if it doesn't chew easily. It's a normal thing at his age, both spitting out and rejecting meat. It passes as their mouth gets bigger and they become more used to having to chew their food. At his age, finger food is much more popular and they tend to be more grazers than three meal per day eaters. If you cut it small, and leave it where he can get to it, he'll be more likely to eat better for you. And relax, he won't starve himself. If you are really concerned, get a multivitamin/mineral supplement for him. Don't stress too much over what gets eaten and what doesn't, as he will still eat or not eat according to his appetite, not the clock, and will eat good foods if they are available to him in a way he can eat them.
If all else fails, you can get dried eggs to add to milk shakes to up the protein content. Don't use protein powder, because it has a taste he'll detect and refuse. You can also add the dried egg powder to fruit and juice for a smoothie, most like those. Tuna mixed into mac and cheese is another favorite with the under 2 set. Cheese tortellini and ravioli, or even meat stuffed, all available frozen, go down good as well. Cook them all to nearly mushy- no al dente with his age group. Ham and cheese cubes on a toothpick, soft boiled eggs with toast to dip in to the yolk, tofu/beef/or chicken hot dogs- cut into strips, all also go down well. I just hope I haven't made the vegans nauseous with all this. But with a little one, just think soft, small, and finger food size. And don't stress over the amount, what, or when he eats. Some days you will think he's eating air, and then there will come a day when he turns into all stomach and you can't fill him up. That's life with a toddler.

Answer 2

Ranchers Pie - Veggie version of cottage/shepards Pie.

Packet of Tofu - 250g or so. - Ideally smoked as it is tastier.
1 Tin of baked beans
Potatoes - 3-5 depends on how big your dish is.
1 Tin of sweet corn
1 onion - finely chopped
Tomato sauce.
1/2 tsp on chilli powder or a splash of tobasco.
cheese - chedar

Get the potatoes on the boil
Grate the tofu and chop the onion.
Fry the onion for 2 mins or till soft.
Add the tofu and fry for a further 2-3 mins.
Add small spoon of chilli powder or a splash of tobasco sauce and the tomato sauce
Add the baked beans and stir.

Now mash the potato, mix the sweet corn in.

Put all the tofu mix into an oven proof dish and spread the mash mix on top.
Grate cheese on top.

Bake in pre heated oven at gas mark 5 for 20 mins or untill brown on top.

Its mushy but thats what kids like when they are young. Its got protein from both the tofu, bake beans and cheese. If you want to go more protien you can always add some Kidney beans.

Answer 3

my now 3 year old is a self made vegetarian. I spoke with her pediactrician when she was about a year. He told me just to give her tofu and beans and cheese...she now LOVES tofu and burritos are always good..and black bean soup. Basically the doctor said if i felt she wasn't getting enough nutrition without the meat to give her pediasure but that not eating meat isn't a bad thing. My daughter is a super healthy hyper almost 4 year old now so don't worry.

Answer 4

Smart kid. Meat is very hard for him to digest. He'd be better off with nut butters.

Got a crockpot? Soak white or brown beans several hours in water. Drain, put in crockpot, cover several inches over beans with half water, half chicken broth, sprinkle garlic powder and salt, and you've got one of my kids' favorite protein dishes.

My kids also LOVE hummous. It's really good with carrot sticks, pita breads, or whole grain crackers. The roasted garlic and roasted red pepper flavors from Athenos are their favorites.

Answer 5

Good suggestions above but don't stop breastfeeding him. Dr Benjamin Spock advised breastfeeding till 5 years of age. Perhaps that's too much for you but at least go till he's 2 or 2 and a half years old. Try lentil soup for a bean dish. Lentils are not gassy like other beans and are easy to cook. Try making Indian dhals (lentil soups) with veggies.

Answer 6

If he isn't allergic to eggs, they are an excellent animal source of protein and iron. If you haven't given them to him yet, start with yolks only, then work up to egg whites. (Egg whites are the more common allergen.) You could also make a veal or chicken pasta sauce with tomatoes and whiz it up with a blender, food processor or other such device and serve over pasta, rice or potato. Also, use whole grain rice and pasta. Combining whole grains with vegetable sources of protein (beans, dried peas) makes for complete proteins. Beans or split peas are best made as a soup (easier to digest), but don't give him too much too soon, or he may have problems with painful gas. Good luck. Also, he isn't too young for thinly spread peanut butter on apple slices. Just don't spread it on too thick.

Answer 7

Green beans and dairy both have protein. It is not a good idea to give a child under six years of age nuts.

Answer 8

grilled cheese sandwiches,bean and cheese burritos,cottage cheese,pimento cheese,egg salad, tuna salad, fish sticks ,give him meat filled ravioli with marinara and cheese, He probably doesn't like the texture of whole meats try a spaghetti with meat sauce or ground turkey cooked and mixed with mashed potato's or rice.Remember at 19 months,he still learning how to work those teeth.Stick with ground up things and you'll be okay

Answer 9

tofu!!!! it's delicious and got protein plus.. easy to digest! should be good for toddler... boiled is fantastic..add some of ur kid fave essence in the water while u boil'em.
try soy milk too

Answer 10

eggs, fish , all kind of beans, cereals, milk based products, are good sources of proteins