My Baby Won't Eat Any protein...what Can I Do?

Agree with the beans. My kids love beans--you can make hummus or black bean dip and she can dip her favorites.

I had a baby like that and she is now 28. She to this day is not a big meat eater. Her doctor told me to replace it with peanut butter, beans, etc. She was pretty picky but she did like the beans and peanut butter.

Beans!
Here are a few to try that are easy for chubby little fingers to pick up:
soy beans steamed and already removed from pod
kidney beans
large english peas
chick peas
lima beans

My godsons are sensitive to milk products, but they happily drink soy milk (regular and vanilla).

Cheeses and yogurts are good too.
You could try cottage cheese with a little fruit mixed in. (although I am not sure if she can handle this with a milk allergy, both of my godsons can)

I second the yogurt my daughter and son love the drinks and the Organic yogurt sticks. How about almonds, brown rice, cashews, garbanzo beans (chickpeas) peanut butter, sunflower seeds, cheese, and veggies high in protein. My kids are very picky eaters so I have to find new ways to give them food they loved. My son just started wanting to use a spoon by himself. So instead of laying the food out I put a little on the spoon let him feed himself and that seems to work. Before he was not wanting to eat anything off his plate. Also make sure to give her a daily vitamin.

I'm sure you've got many great suggestions. If she likes rice you can try a similar grain called Quinoa (pronounced keenwah). You cook it just like rice and substitute with it, but the nice thing about it is that it has protein in it. My son, now 8, goes through phases where he doesn't want meat, but he happily eats quinoa. They probably have it in the grocery stores, but for sure you can find it at Market Street, Whole foods, or Sprouts.

C.,

I hear you about having a picky eater! My 4 year old has only started eating meat in the past year or so. What about soy yogurt and whole grains, esp. Quinoa (high in protein)? Also, I know you said your child doesn't care for tofu . . . have you tried melting chocolate chips and then mixing them together with soft tofu? Afterwards, you just stick in the the refrigerator until it sets just like pudding. The tofu just picks up the flavor of whatever is around it . . . so if you have a chocolate lover, that is a great way to give a treat that is high in protein as well!

I definitely would recommend not showing concern at this point. If you force the issue, it'll only make for more problems later.

Best of luck to you and your sweet little one!

Try quinoa. It's a grain that's really high in protein. You can find it easily at Sprouts or Whole Foods in the grain aisles. The regular super market may require a little more of a search in the grain or healthy foods aisles, but it's there.

Also try edamame. It's young soy beans. My kids eat this by the pound. You can find it in the frozen food veggie section. They come with shells on or off. Get the shelled for the baby, otherwise you'll be shelling like crazy. Older kids (2 & up) like shelling them.

Another option is pureeing the meat and adding it sauce she can dip or in another saucy dish, like spaghetti.

As for milk, does she like soy? I started my daughter out on vanilla soy at that age and she thinks it's "real" milk.

My oldest son refused to eat any meat at around that age too. He's six and now has no problem eating just about anything. He's probably the least picky of my 3 kids. As frustrating as it is right now, most kids usually outgrow it. Don't force the issue with food, you'll end up with a huge battle.

K. C.
Mom to 3

I haven't read any other responsed, but have you tried cottage cheese, deli meat, or cheese they are all good protien sources. I would continue to offer the meat every time you serve it, you will be surprised when all of a sudded they start eating again.

How about beans? Or what about meat substitutes. My son likes the MorningStar sausages and veggie burgers. There's also the yogurt that's made from soy and soy cheeses. A friend of mine feeds her kiddos soy nut butter. I think she's probably too young to introduce regular nuts to though. I'd check with the ped first, but I think they need to be 2 due to the allergy thing.

I have a one yr old son who is also allergic to milk. He gets protein from meat but also from other things. He gets protein from whole soy milk. I recommend Silk because it is not geneticly altered. Does your daughter have a problem with lactose or is it a milk protien allergy? If it is just lactose she acn get protein from yogurt, the live cultures will help her digest the lactose. If she has a problem with milk protein, my son is doing well with soy yogurt. My son gets most of his protein from soy products. Some children are allergic to soy so ask yor ped. first. Hope this helps.

Peanut butter on ritz crackers,cottage cheese,yogurt,and beans. Mine likes the baked beans, but if I add white rice, he'll eat pinto and black beans.
This kind of thing happens. Mine used to LOVE spagetti but now pushes it away when I give it to him. I have no idea why.
I assume its just a phase because how can you love something one day and hate it the next???

My just-turned 17 month old has been doing that for about a month and a half. I was floored---he LOVED spaghetti and meatballs and stuff like that, but no more meat! If he can tell it's meat, he won't eat it. I have started making chicken pot pies (the pressure cooker helps the meat shred away) and the crockpot is used for soups and stews, so the meat is hidden. I'll serve my soups over brown rice. I do a lot of beans: I'll put refried beans and some lowfat cheese on a tortilla, or red beans/sausage (or white beans/sausage)over brown rice (if you cut the sausage slices into fourths, it's often hidden in a bite of redbeans). I also started giving him 1 pediasure a day (and changing the flavors up so he doesn't get into a "I only drink chocolate" phase). The pediasure helps a lot. He also has yogurt with smashed cheerios on top for breakfast, and likes that. If we do BBQ chicken on the grill, I'll shred some up in his baked beans and as long as it's hidden, it's fine. Another thing I'll do is sneak meat into macaroni, or I make my own "healthy" pizzas with shredded chicken hidden amongst the cheese, tomato slices, and whatever veggies are around. The pressure cooker could definately be your friend during this phase, with hiding meats but not succombing to canned meats with way too much sodium.

Have you tried eggs? Scrambled, or "fried" (use spray on Canola) or boiled? My child is not huge on meat either, but will always eat eggs, even egg salad, and fried egg sandwiches. At 14 months you should be OK giving them to him/her. You can also do yogurt (many times even if milk allergic, ask pediatrition), nut butters (almond, cashew, peanut) sandwiches, goat's milk, goat's milk cheeses, Barilla high protein pastas, fish (tuna, salmon, white fish), healthy fish sticks, and LUNA protein bars (they are soft and come in yummy flavors like peanut butter and lemon). I also "sneak" meat finely into dishes he already likes from time to time. Meat itself does not have to be a staple, think of it as more a garnish?

Good luck!

Have you tried those Zone protein bars? My son did the same thing and for a while...that's pretty much where he got most of his protein from. I also bough enriched milk (Borden that has more protein added to it). He did the drinkable yogurt through a straw so that was another source of protein too. Yogurt is an excellent source of protein.

I have the same problem with my four-year-old. It's been especially hard because I grew up on only whole foods -- raw milk, specially milled whole grains, unprocessed meats -- and up until I had her I pretty much only served good stuff. Now I'm embarrassed by stuff in my shopping cart, but I'm desperate. We are fortunate that there's not a milk allergy like your daughter has, because that's where we get the bulk of our protein (and constipation, haha). The other things we do are corn chips and bean dip. Smoothies with protein powder...maybe you could use yogurt if she can tolerate that. Toast with cinnamon sugar and butter, followed closely by a bowl of corn to complete the protein. What about changing the type of pasta? It may not be a complete protein, but I question the logic of having to have all the amino acids at the same sitting, and maybe she'd like long spaghetti noodles. I would cook up a bunch at the beginning of the week, and divide them into little bowls to reheat with a little olive oil and parmesan. I know you can't do cheese, but maybe pasta with little oil and sea salt? We also like tortillas with a bean shmear, even if it's processed canned stuff to get by. If she can have yogurt the DanActive drinks could be a lifesaver. My little girl won't drink some of the ones from Whole Foods, and these are cheaper and come from Super Target! Whole Foods does have the best protein powders without artificial sweeteners. Look for Jarrow Formulas 100% protein in the big gallon jugs (usually on the bottom shelf). It's totally the best price anywhere and great quality. You could blend with frozen fruit and juice instead of milk, and really can't beat the protein punch you'd get.

Have you tried all sorts of beans? I have 3 children and they all kind of went through that phase but beans (refried, black, navy) seemed to get them through that time. If she's not allergic to peanut butter, that's a pretty good source of protein too (you can even hide beans in that if you mash it up good enough!).

K.

I have the same problem with some of my kids. I am a mother of 7 (all mine) and 4 are extremely picky which makes my life more difficult. When making alot of our meals I puree canned chicken breast and add it (try it in macaroni/cheese). My kids don't even taste it. I've added pureed sweet potatoes and such to their pancakes when they don't eat their vegetables. My kids also eat scrambled eggs with pureed spinach. I tell them it's "green eggs and ham". Make sure the spinach is pureed well though and you add enough salt and pepper(I season with garlic salt). I have lots more tricks. Some have worked, some have not. Hope this helps.

My kids barely eat meat-- chicken "nuggets" are about the only meat they eat. However, my oldest eats a peanut butter sandwich every single day (we buy the organic one), and the youngest eats a couple cups of yogurt each day. I am hoping that as they grow older, they will develop a taste for more things, as I too was picky up until my teenage years (and still now, but to a lesser extent!). Don't worry-- she'll be fine. Lots of kids are picky.

Even with lactose intolerance, you can sometimes still eat yogurt. Try Yo Baby, which is organic and made from whole milk, so she's getting the protein and the fat she needs. Also, there are a lot of protein powders out there you can mix into a fruit smoothie--try GNC or even Sam's or Costco. There's also a wide variety at Smoothie King, but they're a bit pricey. At her age, I would be careful with peanut butter--still a choking hazard. Try refried beans, too. You'll have to be creative in what you "call" them.. LOL.

Try beans! What about a little peanut butter mixed applesauce. That is how I got my son to eat some protein. Check out soy milk, too.

Try as many beans as you can. My pediatrician says they are basically the perfect food. Black beans are great for them.