“How much protein does my preschooler need?” As a pediatric registered dietitian, I’m asked this question often. In this helpful guide, learn why protein is important for growing kids, which foods are protein-rich, and how to ensure your child is getting enough for their age.
Is my preschooler getting enough protein?
Rest assured, your child’s protein requirements are likely being met and you are doing a great job! Parents and caregivers often put a lot of pressure on themselves to make sure their child is “eating enough” at meal times, and protein seems to be the one nutrient that is focused on most. In fact, what I notice often is that parents overestimate how much protein their child needs (more on this below).
Here’s the thing. It’s 100% normal for a child to only eat a little bit of food (or not much at all) at a meal. Fluctuations in appetite are 100% normal for young kids who are going through the natural ebbs and flows of growth and development. As parents, it’s our job to trust our kids to trust their own hunger cues and eat what they need at mealtimes. It’s also our job to accept it might not be very much sometimes (and might be more than we expect at other times!). This doesn’t mean they are destined to be picky eaters or doomed to malnourishment. Most little ones, if fed responsively and without pressure, will consume what they need by the end of the day, week, or month.
What is Protein?
When we look at the specific nutrients found in food, there are a few key ones that babies and toddlers need to support their rapid growth and development. Imagine your child’s body is a house, and just like a house needs different materials to stay strong and sturdy, their body needs different nutrients to stay healthy and grow. The three foundational nutrients are protein, carbohydrates, and fat. In this post, we’re just going to focus on protein.
Protein is made up of tiny building blocks (called amino acids) that play a big role in the growth and repair of organs, muscles, tissues, and other important molecules in the body such as enzymes and hormones. Protein can be found in many foods such as meat, poultry, fish, beans, lentils, soy, nuts, seeds, whole grains and dairy products.
How Much Protein does my Preschooler Need?
Now that we understand the science, let’s break down the numbers!
Birth to 6 months: Babies need at least 9 grams of protein per day. Babies are in “growth mode” and require sufficient protein to meet their body’s needs. At this stage, babies get all the protein they need from breast milk or formula.
7-12 months: Babies at this stage require 11 grams per day. It can come from a combination of breastmilk and/or formula and the solid foods.
1-3 years: Toddlers need at least 13 grams per day. Here’s the part that surprises many parents: 13 grams of protein equals just 1 egg and a small serving of Greek yogurt. Or it could be a couple of tablespoons of meat, some milk, and a small piece of cheese. It doesn’t take much to meet their needs! Like I mentioned above, we often overestimate what our kids need when it comes to protein!
4-8 years: Children require at least 19 grams of protein per day. Serve a variety of protein-rich foods at meals and snacks and your child will easily hit this mark.
How do you help your child meet these requirements? I certainly don’t recommend counting gram-per-gram what they’re eating. That’s too much work, and unnecessary. Simply include quality sources of protein every day such as meat, fish, shellfish, poultry, beans, lentils, peas, tofu, tempeh, nuts and seeds, nut butter, whole grains, hemp hearts, yogurt, kefir, milk, and cheese.
Can My Picky Eater Get Enough Protein?
The answer is a resounding YES! I often hear parents say that their child doesn’t like meat or fish, and they are worried about protein intake. Rest assured, meat is not the only source of protein! As I mentioned earlier, kiddos actually need less protein than most parents think, and even eating some peanut butter, eggs, cheese and chickpeas throughout the day can provide ample protein.
There’s a good chance that even if your child doesn’t like a few foods, they will certainly enjoy at least some of the protein-rich foods found on the list below. Don’t worry too much! Continue to offer a variety of protein-rich foods with meals and snacks, so there is something your child enjoys.
Protein-rich meal and snack ideas
Need some inspiration? I’ve got you! This is not an exhaustive list.
- Eggs – scrambled, hard-boiled…the options are nearly endless for breakfast, lunch, dinner or snack!
- Beans and lentils – think breakfast burritos, bean and cheese quesadillas, hummus and veggies, lentil soup and more.
- Lean meats – mini meatballs, turkey sausage and egg sandwiches, chicken and cheese roll-ups to name a few.
- Chicken and other poultry – chicken salad sandwiches, stir-frys, and skewers.
- Low-mercury fish – tuna salad wraps, baked fish with veggies, fish sticks
- Milk or soy beverage – peanut butter and banana smoothie, creamy tomato soup, chocolate milk, milk and cookies
- Yogurt – Greek yogurt with apples/apple sauce, yogurt parfaits, yogurt popsicles, Tzatziki with pita bread
- Cheese and cottage cheese – cottage cheese with fruit, macaroni and cheese, cheese and crackers
- Whole grains—whole wheat bread or pasta, quinoa, and oats
- Tofu and tempeh – tofu scramble, tempeh stir-fry
- Peanuts, nuts and seeds – trail mix, peanut butter energy balls, nut butter on toast
Bottom Line
As you can see, it doesn’t take much to help your preschooler meet their daily protein requirements. By serving a variety of protein-rich foods, even the most cautious of eaters will meet their needs for growth and development.