No Meat Food

My niece was the same way, and they talked to the doctor to find out what to do...he recommended them to make her protien shakes and suppliment with vitamins until she grew out of the phase...which she did.

When I was little I also would not eat meat. The doctor recommended that my Mom give me a spoonful of peanut butter. It has the protein that she will need in a fun way to eat. I hope it works for you!

Hi J.,
One way that my sister got my nephew to get more protein in his diet, was to get a good quality protein shake (vanilla flavor), and add it to his pancakes. He loved the pancakes, and didn't know he was getting whey protein at the same time. Just a thought. She used Isagenix shakes for the high quality of the ingredients.
A. Papangellin

My kids are not big meat eaters either, but you can get lots of protein from lentils, beans, nuts and cheese. Good luck!

Hi,
Have you thought about protein smoothies? I have 5 kids and they love it-also, if your giving her childrens vitamins (the right kind of course)she's good to go.

my son was the same. we raised him nearly vegetarian so we made sure he ate yogurt every night, which he loved. he ate cheese, eggs and peanut butter fine also. good luck but i wouldn't be too worried about it. just read a book on raising your child vegetarian and consult with your pediatrician. i bet the tofu is safer than lots of our meat (unfortunately) with all the processing/hormone issues.

Besides all the great suggestions from others like eggs, cheese, yogurt, beans, when my daughter was younger, I would make clear broth from meat (chicken or ground turkey) and carrots, celery, onions. Then add noodles to it for her lunch. You don't need to include the meat, just the broth. It's healthy and it includes protein. ;) Good luck!

My son who is 6 has never liked meat. He will eat chicken but not much. We have tried making our own chiken nuggets by dipping chicken pieces in egg anf then crushed corn flakes. You could also use corn meal for the breading. Then we bake them on a stone in the oven. He will eat these. We use a lot of nuts, nut butters, eggs (he prefers them hard boiled or scrambled, hates runnt yokes) and dairy but we try to eat most of our dairy at one meal because we have had issues with low iron. We also try to make surethat we incorpoate iron in other ways along with vitamin C rich foods. He used to eat a lot more soy products but like you I became concerned about the estrogen so we limit soy to 1-2 small servings a day.

Beans are a great source of protein, and not just soybeans. Try looking in the vegetarian section of the health food stores, they usually have items like bread that are complete protein. Yogurt and other dairy is good too. Don't worry, she's more than likely getting what she needs.

It looks like you've gotten a lot of responses, but here's one more. My son and my nephew were exactly the same way. The chicken nuggets in the fast food places are filled with chemicals and estrogen! They both, however, loved to eat yogurt. I had to try several brands (they do have different textures). Ultimately my son got hooked on the Yoplait custard because it wasn't too creamy. Both boys were very picky when it came to texture and intensity of taste. They both preferred crunchy, salty foods. Maybe that's what is going on with your daughter. They both also loved chicken/apple sausage. I think the apple's sweetness helped out there.

My daughter would not eat meat at all when she was little, she would get it to the broken down mealy type tecture in her mouth and then spit it out. i always kept putting it in front of her an d making her try it or cooking it diffrent ways and some times I could pass it by but very rarely. I found oput through a occupationla therapist that it is actually a sensory issue and all I had to do was get her a small brush that looks like and feels like styro foam on the tip and run it all over her tongue and on the inside of her cheeks and it took about a week and then she would eat meat. Some times we still have issues but very rarely.
Good luck!
M.

Peanut butter? Almond milk? Scrambled eggs? Beans and Rice? Sunflower seeds? Americans get something like 75% more protein a day than they need. Don't worry so much. And stay away from fast food anyway, I have a 5 year old vegetarian who breaks only for Kosher beef hotdogs. You'll be fine.

Just hide beans or protein powder in anything she does eat. Be careful with whey protien, some people don't digest it well. I am one of those, and it was a painful experience. Take it slow. Most kids like to dip things, make some bean dip and see if she'll dip into it.

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Oh this sounds so familiar! Our son would try to eat meat, even teeny-tiny cut up pieces of chicken or beef, and he would chew them for a while and then spit the wad out on his plate. Lovely and not so nourishing. After finding out that he was low on iron from the Dr., I began giving him a variety of beans (plain homemade, as well as bbq and "ranch" style in the can. I also found out that he loved those tiny baby food "hot dogs" in the jars. We gave him eggs, and I bought a little hand crank food mill and ground up whatever protein we were having that night and mixed it with melted cheese, pasta or rice or the sauce we had over the meat that night. Disguising sometimes helps.
He LOVES meat now. Having those 6 year molars really helps....

Hi there,
I have been a vegetarian since I was 15, but if you ask my mom she will tell you that I have been one my entire life as I never liked eating meat. I am planning on raising my daughter vegetarian as well, at least until she asks for meat and we will deal with that then. Anyway, I know the fast food chicken is much worse for your daughter than tofu...in fact, much of the meat on the market right now has tons more hormones, chemicals and pesticides than any soy product. I feel it is just important to know what you are putting into your own body as well as your child's. There is tons of good info. out there on healthy vegetarian lifestyles. Remember any time you mix a grain with a legume you get a complex protein, such as beans and rice or couscous and lentils. The best part is that the complex protein comes without the unneeded and unhealthy animal fat. I would suggest googling vegetarian diets for babies and you will find a lot to read. I also suggest visiting the vegetarian baby webpage; I can't remember the exact url address, but if you google it you should find it. Good luck with this and perhaps you can think of it as a blessing...your daughter may just help your entire family become even healthier simply because you will be looking at nutrition in a different light.
A.

Hi J.,

This is one of the best times for vegetarians or people who don't eat meat, as there are so many alternatives at regular grocery stores such as Safeway (check in the frozen food departments) and some have natural and healthy food sections and esp. at stores like Trader Joes & Whole Foods. My husband has been a vegetarian his entire life and I became one in the early 90's. We also have a daughter who is 2 and she is considered to be healthy. There are alternatives such as beans, nuts, eggs, cheese and other things for your daughter to get protein from. I'd also check out some vegetarian cookbooks like Five Loaves, The Best Ever Vegetarian Cookbook, etc. Also consider talking with a nutritionist. Good Luck.

Hi J.,
Remember, edamame is a soy bean, and tofu comes from soy. Legumes are a good source of protein. There's a great lentil salad that my 19 mo old loves. Made with olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, chopped mint, oregano, parsley feta cheese and veggies like cucumber, carrots, onion. Does your daughter eat fish? I make fish sticks at home using halibut or tilapia strips
( I even asked them to cut them for me in the store), dredge in flour, then egg, then bread crumbs, I use panko) then fry in just a little oil or bake). You could probably try making your own chicken fingers that way too. Have you tried ground turkey in pasta sauce? You can hide a lot of things in pasta sauce. My daughter eats her peas that way. Also, eggs have good protein if she'll eat those. Hope this is helpful. Wishing you all the best. L. D

I wouldn't worry too much about the phyto-estrogens found in tofu, you would have to eat a lot of it to see any hormonal response, tofu is a great source of protein and so are beans, rice, nuts and seeds and some grains have protein too. Does your daughter consumes dairy products or eggs? because cottage cheese and yogurt have protein an eggs are considered th perfect protein. I wouldn't worry really, but I have heard of other mamas pureeing meat and adding it to sauces or cereals. Try making home made chicken nuggets using flour and cornflakes with chicken cutlets
hope this helps

Hi J.,
Does your daughter eat dairy products? Milk, cheeses, cottage cheese, and yogurt are all good sources of protein. Also, beans and nuts (when you feel she's ready - cashews and pecans are softer choices). What about fish? Salmon and cod (you can make easy homemade "fishsticks" with cod) seem to be liked by many kids and are always more fun when they can be dipped in something (like ketchup, etc.)

Hope that helps!
Lisa

Hi J.,

My son is a horribly picky eater but will eat cottage cheese. It is very high in protein and you can add fruit, scrambled egg and even sprinkle a little cinnamon on top. There is also tuna that it high in protein as well and you can even mix it with the cottage cheese even though it sounds gross its actually quite good. And if you are more desperate make her a protein smoothie. Hope this helps!

quinoa is a gluten free complete protein grain. its inexpensive and can be mixed with lots of things like coconut oil, spices, greens, agave (a low glycemic sweetner), they also make quinoa flakes that literally all you have to do is add warm water and you have a gluten free version of oatmeal.

blue green algae is also a dynamic protein source. its the bridge between the plant and animal world with food relating to structure and vitamin mineral content as well.

raw coconut butter, black sesame tahini butter from premier organics are also good choices.

check out tahini as its high in calcium.

hemp has a whole lot to offer too. check out hemp seeds in bulk. make sure they're from a good source as they can go rancid. dont let this deter you because most people dont realize that peanuts and peanut butter are inherently rancid as well.

google and wikipedia are good friends for research

nutritional wizards..
paul pitchford 'healing with whole foods"
david wolfe and gabriel cousins

I have been a vegetarian since the age of 13. My husband was born a vegetarian. Our two children ages 9 and 13 are vegetarians.

Protein is made of 22 amino acids. Rice and beans make up complete protein.

Try some rice and refries with a little cheese. Or corn tortillas with beans and cheese. Both protein.

Tofu in moderation is fine. I feed my kids raw milk. Can't say enough about that.

Veggie burgers made from grains and beans are great kid fast food. I make waffles and pancakes with hemp seed (which is really high in protein). Are you staying away from nuts because of choking and allergies? If a little almond milk is ok, then you can make a chocolate shake with almond milk, cacao and agave or dates. Blend it up and it's tasty. Add some coconut butter for the good oils.

Rice cakes with butter and brewer's yeast for B vitamins.

Good luck, let's keep in touch.

C-

Beans, nuts, tofu, hummus, nut butters, eggs, cottage cheese and cheeses are all excellent sources of protien. I also give my son Amy's frozen food products which are organic and vegetarian. You can find them at Lucky's.

Hi J.,
My son is pretty big for his age, he is 2. I was telling the doctor that he loves meat and the doctor told me that he doesn't NEED meat. (which surprised me) He says that there are so many extra calories in meat, etc. I just thought that might be encouraging for you to hear that they don't need the meat. Maybe your daughter could try beans to get her protein, pinto beans, black beans, etc. Just an idea. I hope this helps.
L.

Shaklee (at shaklee.com) soy based protien drink mix. My litle one has a glass a day and their baby vitamins too.
They also have awesome protien snack bars.

Hi J.,
Have you tried Boca nuggets? They are made from soy/vegetable protein, rather than meat. My 20-month-old son loves them. He also loves Garden Burgers, eggs, cheese, yogurt, all types of beans, and I recently discovered that he loves the vegetable lentil soup from Trader Joes! Of course, milk is great for protein and if she doesn't like milk, you can try Ovaltine, which my son loves as a treat and is packed full of vitamins. Have you tried ground turkey? That is another favorite. You can make pasta sauce and hide it in there! Good luck!

Hi J.,

I have two daughters, 3 1/2 and 1. The 1yr old eats from the moment she wakes up until the moment she goes to bed, I love it. The 3yr old hardly ever eats. It used to bother me and I would beg and bribe and try everything but nothing really worked. My pediatrician, who is awesome, says it is normal, kids will go days without eating, but they won't voluntarily starve themselves. When they are hungry they will eat. One thing I do try is I don't give her anything to drink before and during meals because she would just drink milk or juice all day if it were her choice. I am a big believer in you eat what is for dinner and that is that, I don't want them to grow up to be picky eaters. One thing my daughter does eat, not the best thing but it is meat, is Dino chickens from Casco. They are chicken nuggets but them do seem to be a little healthier because they are lightly breaded. You could try sausage, bacon, hotdogs all the nasty stuff just to get her to eat protein, they do have the turkey kind that isn't so bad. Just consol yourself in that unless your doctor expresses a concern she is probable healthy and getting what she needs just life is so much more interesting they having to stop and eat. I hoping they eventually grow out of it. Good luck and you are a good mom to be concerned.

My two cents - in addition to the other good advice folks have given you about beans, cheese, yogurt, etc. - keep offering her little bits of what you eat even if it seems she's totally not interested (Ellyn Satter in her book "Child of Mine, feeding with love and good sense" notes that most toddlers/preschoolers go through a developmental phase where they refuse a new food maybe even 20 or more times (not all on the same day) before they'll even let you leave it on their plate, and maybe just leave it on their plate for another 10 times before they decide they want to try it. I found this to be true with my now-6YO twins and was *very* relieved to learn this was normal!).

My girls ate almost no meat whatsoever when they were 2 - I figured that the yogurt, soy, cheese and legumes had their protein covered. Then as they got older they gradually started trying stuff like chicken and fish and then things like ham or salami in small portions (we don't care for red meat much in our household so they don't eat that). Another thing that helped them become more willing to try other foods as they got a little older was seeing what my friends' older kids ate when we got together for playdates and wanting to emulate the "big kids" (fortunately my friend's kids eat relatively healthy things :-)). One of them has always been more willing than her sister is to try new foods, but the pickier eater has become less picky over time and I think it's at least partly because we keep offering things to her even if she's said "no" the past 5 times we've eaten that item.

Hi J.,

I don't eat meat either, but I do eat fish, so I think a lot about protein. There are some great ways to eat beans, and they are SO GOOD FOR YOU! Try tostadas with beans, avocado, mild salsa, and cheese. You can mash beans up and make a "no-meat"loaf, there are great recipes in the Vegetarian Times magazine (reasonably priced subscription too) and tons of cookbooks. This is a really fortunate thing for you, because young vegetarianism can lead to a great interest in healthy eating, you can include her in the process of decision-making and cooking the older she gets. Don't forget eggs, if she likes them. You can put them into other things too, if she doesn't like them alone. Another idea: canned wild salmon (Trader Jo's cheap) drained, mixed with an egg, celery, and bread crumbs and then pan fried on medium heat with a couple tablespoons of olive oil, delicious in a sandwich.

Best of luck! Just remember there are tons of options out there once you start looking.

Hi, I would recommend beans & eggs. Those have protein in them. Also yogurt, cheese, & nuts!!

Looks like you've gotten quite a bit of responses :)

We are a mostly vegetarian household, so we eat a lot of tofu, beans, cheese, milk (cow's milk and soy milk), eggs, nuts, seitan (a protein source made from wheat), and fish about once a week. So this means we have a wide variety of foods -- lentil veggie soup, black beans with veggie and cheese quesadillas, tofu or seitan stir fry, scrambled eggs with soy "sausage," soy "lunchmeat" in sandwiches, edamame (steamed soybeans -- my kids love these!), peanut butter on toast, etc. etc. Do a google search for "vegetarian snacks" or "tofu recipes" or whatever, and you will have hundreds of options. My children (3 1/2 years and 13 months) eat what we eat, so it's rare that we'll fix separate meals. As Amy noted, it takes a long time for kids to get used to what is in front of them, so keep offering it -- even if they don't eat it, they are getting used to seeing it and more times than not the "strange" food can turn in to a favorite, or at least something that they will eat without turning up their noses! It helps if you also eat it in front of them. Try making "faces" or animals with the food on the plate, have you daughter shop and "cook" with you, have her help set the table (even if it's just to put napkins on the table), and read books about healthy food (Veggie Tales, A Very Hungry Caterpillar). It is rare for children in the US to have protein deficiencies, and in fact it is more likely that the average child will struggle with being overweight or obese as they get older, and excess protein is part of the growing problem. Check with your pediatrician for their recommendations, but I wouldn't sweat it as long as you are offering a variety of healthy choices. Don't give in to junk food, even if that is "all" they will eat -- be persistent and it will pay off!

WOW! Sounds like she likes chicken, but nothing else. I would try frozen chicken from the store. All you have to do is cook it in the oven or even microwave it. Some stores have what it is called White Castle burgers. They are really small. You can microwave it and feed her small bites. Check health food stores for good meat!

J. - Let me start off with, I'm not a nutritionist, doctor or nurse. I am a mother of four, so I've had some experience with what you're experiencing with your daughter.

Your daughter is fast approaching the age where peanut butter will be ok to try in small quantities at first. Milk, eggs and cheese are also other good sources of protein. Yogurt (frozen too)with some granola or fresh fruit is usually a good snack and packed with protein. Raw almonds, sunflower seeds, cashews, peanuts & pumpkin seeds work well.

If your daughter isn't getting enough protein in a meal, don't worry about it for that meal. Make it up in a snack of cheese and crackers, a cup of yogurt with granola on top, a glass of milk and some type of high protein nut. She'll get enough throughout the day and as long as she's getting it, it really doesn't matter when. Good luck.

I have the same problem with my 4 y/o DD. We use ground turkey instead of ground beef. The turkey is very bland. If I don't season the turkey and finely crumble the turkey after cooking it I usually can mix it in to saucy dishes like spaghetti and stroganoff without complaint from my daughter. Some days I can not get anything passed her. So, I make sure she eats other things higher in protein. Cheese and yogurt all have at least 7 grams of protein per serving. Cottage cheese has 14 grams of protein per serving. My daughter will not eat plain cottage cheese, so I mix it with fruit. Pears and peaches are her favorite. Eggs, peanut butter, nuts, seeds, grains(bread/pasta), fish, beans, lentils, and other legumes are all good sources of protein. Tuna sandwiches, cheeseburgers, grilled cheese sandwiches, cheese pizza, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and mac and cheese have protein and are enjoyed by many kids. When made at home with whole grain breads and other healthier choices are better than fast food /restaurant options. Protein fortified drinks are another option as well. Pediasure and carnation instant breakfast are 2 choices. My daughter will not drink any flavor of pediasure, but her best friend loves strawberry pediasure. How ever my daughter loves carnation instant breakfast. I don't even bother with hershey's or nesquick. Carnation has many different flavors. Our pediatrician has been a wonderful resource, so talk to yours at your daughter's next check up. Our pediatrician says my 4 y/o needs only about 22 grams of protein a day. This is based on a childs age and weight. Don't forget that calcium and iron are important too! I hope this helps!

My daughter is also a picky meat eater and is now almost 4. I brought up my concern to her pediatrician and he didn't seem to be concerned because her weight and growth are right on. He suggested being creative with her food....presenting the meat in a different, fun way.

Peanut butter is a good source of protein as well!

Good luck, I know how frustrating it can be.

Things that have worked for me include mixing yogurt with tofu (to help in cutting back on the amount of tofu), cream cheese on raisin bread (toasted or not), grilled cheese sandwiches, sliced turkey with raisin bread sandwiches, hard-boiled eggs (which my kids love), tuna fish, and homemade 5-bean soup (to which you can add barley to complete the protein). There is also something called quinoa, about which I know little. Another idea I have heard of is to make a sandwich and then use a cookie cutter to cut the sandwich into a shape that makes it fun to eat. Much luck to you!

Have you tried eggs? My daughter is almost two and is not really a meat eater either. I asked her dr. about itand it wasn't much of a concern for her because she drinks whole milk and will also eat things like string cheese which has protein as well. I had noticed though that she loves it when I cook myself eggs over easy (not really scrambled for some reason). She will eat that in a second and they have plenty of protein. I also have a five year old who seemed to go through the same thing at this age and I thought for sure he would never come around, but now he loves meat. For him it was putting sauce or other flavors on it. I think it is also a texture thing for them sometimes. He did better with dark meat chicken.

My two older kids were the same way. My pediatrician told me that kids like the texture of processed meat (like the chicken inside the nugget and ground beef.) Have you tried ground beef? My boys liked mild taco meet and small meat balls they could eat with their fingers. I also started making chicken nuggets at home. When my boys were a little older, we used the "try plate". A little of whatever my husband and i were eating (and they wouldn't normally try) went on a special looking plate in the middle of the table. There was no pressure to try it, but if they did, they would get a reward. They didn't have to finish anything, just try. It took the fear of trying away.

My daughter went thru the same thing and still at 6 does not choose meat. Here are some protien choices that my choosy eater will eat. Eggs, cheese, beans any kind(she even likes kidney and garbanzo)cottage cheese, yogurt, morningstar meatless sausages. Nuts (although be careful and check with your dr first because of allergies) The other thing you can hide meat in is casseroles.

The phytoestrogens in soy are not nearly so much of a concern for little girls as they are for little boys (it has an overall feminizing effect IF that's a boy's sole source of protein for many years).

Your daughter is likely just going through a stage, and doesn't like the texture of meat.

In the meantime, you can try giving her nuts, nut butters, lentils, beans, yogurt, cheese, peas, soy, etc. If you want a complete protein at each meal, mix one of these things with a carb, such as rice/bread/flat bread.

You can also try whole grains/whole protein breads, and eggs (scrambled, fried, in custards, etc).

Hi J.,I have two very active twin grandbabies and food is an issue for them, too. Very picky, my daughter and I feed them cottage cheese, red beans and whatever veggie we can manage to squeeze in on that particular day (they become selective from one day to the next!), yogurt with a little honey in it, carrots or any thing else dipped in hummus, but mostly they eat what suits them if given a choice and no snack has been offered for over an hour. Though thin, they are flourishing because they love fruits, cereals (whole grain Os) and especially bread with peanut butter. That works really well as a protein source.

My daughter will be 3 in May and she has never had meat. She eats fish and seafood, poultry; mainly turkey. I also give her a large variety of nut protein: peanuts, almonds, pistachios, peanut butter, almond butter and corn nuts. Another good source of protein is lentils such as lentil soup. Amy's Organics makes a really tasty and healthy lentil soup if you don't have the time to make it fresh. Any time you offer of rice and beans you’re getting a great protein and most children will eat rice and beans. I try to add a flavor my daughter already likes (like peach yogurt or soy butterspray) to all new food and she seems to accept it easier. Remember it takes most children 10 to 15 times to get used to a food. My strategy is to offer only the food I want her to eat when I know she's hungry at the beginning of the meal. Let her try it and if she refuses it give her the rest of her dinner and repeat this the next evening. Pretty soon she'll be eating everything healthy you want to get into her body. Perseverance does work.
Good luck, A.

Maybe she would try "nuggets" that you make at home. If you shop at Trader Joes they have some pretty good ones, otherwise my friend's son loves "dino bites." Check the ingredients and try to find her something without a whole bunch of extra "stuff".

Also, what about tuna? My son, who is not a big meat eater but also loves soy (can't believe its that common) loves a simple tuna salad (tuna, mayo, dijon). No bread, just eats it with a fork or dips crakers.

Good luck.
T.

Have you tried eggs yet? My son LOVES egg yolks for breakfast (microwaved for about 18 seconds then mashed). Also, lentils and legumes (beans) are protein-rich. I highly recommend wholesomebabyfood.com for advice and simple recipes.
"From their website: Lentils and dried beans/legumes come in many shapes, sizes and colors. Here are a few:

Red Lentils
Orange Lentils
Yellow Lentils
Kidney Beans
Black Eyed Peas
Chick Peas
Northern Bean
Butter Beans (A VERY yummy finger food, you may need to slip off the "skin" after cooking!)"
Good luck!

I was a strict vegetarian for many years and only allow my daughter to eat chicken and fish. She loves fish sticks, black beans, edemame, peanutbutter, cheese, yogurt, quinoa, etc... I also load her up with good kids vitamins from Nordic berries, dha/omega fish oil, fruit and vegie. Good luck!

will she eat eggs? Out country has a misconception about how much protein we need to eat. As an adult, 1-2 eggs a day is enough protein for the whole day. Eggs are the protein standard to which all other sources are compared. I know my 21 month old son LOVES eggs--any way I cook them.

HI J.,

There are protein sources in all kinds of foods that you may not expect and there are also some pretty good meat substitutes out there. Unless your child is a choosey eater, I bet it won't be hard to make sure she's getting enough protein if you do a little research and experiment with giving her some choices. Cheeses, beans, nuts and seeds, eggs, milk, yogurt, legumes, fish, bread, pasta... there are also protein fortified drink mixes like Carnation instant breakfast.
We have 2 kids 2 and 4 who have never eaten meat and they are perfectly healthy. I think people underestimate what kids will eat and don't give them enough variety when they're small... then we end up with kids that don't eat anything but chicken nuggets and fries.
As for the estrogen in tofu, there are controversial concerns about it and the type of tofu you are giving makes a difference. Some are highly processed with ingredients you may not want to feed your kids. But miso and tempeh are really good sources with little risk. Everything in moderation is our rule of thumb.
Good luck!

my daughter also would not eat any meat but she loved chicken nuggets from mcdonalds. and she would occasionally eat chicken at home. but she would not try any other type of meat. it's not that she didn't like it she just wouldn't try it. i know this may sound silly but since its was obvious that she would eat chicken we automatically just started refering all meat to chicken. so when i cook beef, pork, or any type of meat. i just tell her to eat the chicken and she has no problem. but for some reason, if i call it meat or even beef, pork (pork chops) she will say "ewww" and wont eat it. so i just stick with calling all meat "chicken". :-)
S.