Our family recently cut back significantly on meat, how do I subsidize my children's iron/protein intake?

Question

We are easing our way into this though, I have stopped all buying and consumption of large mammals and I evently will stop buying poultry (its gross to eat a bird), but we will continue to eat fish sometime. My kids eat lots of veggies for 2 and 4 years old however the really protein and iron packed veggies like kale, spinach, and leafy greens they will not touch. They eat lots of broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, edamame, carrots and they like tofu (but fried unfortunately)...any advice or suggestions? thanks

Answer 1

Hi, and good for you.
:)

Fortunately, meat isn't all that wonderful when it comes to protein... or iron for that matter. Unless you are eating oysters on a regular basis, you are getting more iron from your plant-based sources. Here is a wide variety of vegetarian Protein sources.
http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-GXLd3H0hc6klMFe3HeGqSDn7SVlgijZ53gHnrrlGNoFgNut5?p=12

And Iron sources
http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-GXLd3H0hc6klMFe3HeGqSDn7SVlgijZ53gHnrrlGNoFgNut5?p=9

Protein you need in a day
http://www.vegsoc.org/info/protein.html#requ

Also, most people get 3-4 times as much protein as they are supposed to. If a person eats meat, the government only recommends 2 oz (maybe 4) per day. Getting too much protein can lead to kidney disease, cancer and osteoporosis
http://www.pcrm.org/health/veginfo/vsk/protein_myth.html

As long as you are eating a variety, you are getting all the nutrients you need. As you are just beginning, you may want to use fake meats so you can make the meals and use the cookbooks you are used to, but take out the dead animal and put in a supplement. Don't forget the tofu!
http://www.vegsoc.org/newveg/fft/balance.html

Answer 2

Pack in the beans! They are high protein, as well as versatile. There is even a recipe for Cannelini Bean ice cream on foodtv.com. Also, drink lots of milk/yogurt for protein. Peanut butter is your best friend for protein. As for iron, continue to eat lots of veggies.

Answer 3

If you can try different kinds of tofu they might like that. You can get it in various forms (if you have a store selling it, Whole Foods/Henry's/Trader Joe's, though it's more varied and cheaper at Asian supermarkets). There is press, braised, pre-marinated, fried, cubed, etc... I like tofu skin, if you can find it. It is generally dehydrated and you soak it in water first. It's hard to explain, but it's like a thin pasta sheet and can be cooked and stir fried in many dishes. Since it's a sheet, its texture is quite different than "block" tofu.

Answer 4

To make up for the loss of protein in meat, you and your family must consume someting called amino acids, which is what protein is made up of. Eleven of these acids are able to be produced by the body, but the other nine are absorbed from food. To make up for the ones absorbed by food, try to find some protein powder. Vitamin World sells it in different flavors, so your children might not hate it. You may find the product at http://www.vitaminworld.com/pages/Categories.asp?xs=&CID=47.

Answer 5

Don't even try to substiture anything.
You're probably in the middle of a short-term fad.
Soon the smell of a BBQ will drive you back to good ol' meat and potatoes.