Protein-packed meals and picky eaters don’t always go hand-in-hand. If your little one gags at anything but buttered noodles and you’re wondering where they’ll get their high-protein foods from, we have recipes and high-protein foods for picky eaters that kids will actually eat (especially if you adjust these ideas to their taste). From yummy breakfast shakes to easy dinner ideas, keep reading to find your new secret weapon.
High-Protein Breakfast Foods for Picky Eaters
Peanut Butter Cup Protein Shake
Chelsea’s Messy Apron
What kiddo says no to a peanut butter cup shake? None that we’ve met. This is a high-protein packed shake that’s perfect for busy mornings, and especially for tweens who have a hard time eating breakfast. Get the recipe from Chelsea’s Messy Apron.
Soft Boiled Eggs and Soldiers
Eat Live Run
Soft-boiled eggs are ready in five minutes, and when paired with buttered sticks of toast (soldiers) which the kids can dunk in the runny yolk, they’re as fun as they are convenient. Head to Eat Live Run for tips and tricks on how to boil the perfect egg.
Peanut Butter Waffles with Peanut Butter Syrup
Creations by Kara
Having waffles for breakfast? Skip the regular syrup and whip up this delicious peanut butter syrup for a perfect high-protein food for picky eaters. Plus add a double dose of protein with this scrumptious peanut butter waffle recipe written out at Creations by Kara.
Chocolate Chip Banana Protein Muffins
Picky eaters will be so excited about the chocolate chip muffin aspect that they won’t even notice the protein powder you add to the mix. These are a great on-the-go breakfast option!
High-Protein Foods for Picky Eaters Perfect for Lunch
Pizzadillas
The Seasoned Mom
Simple, easy-to-make, and pleasing to pint-sized taste buds—pizzadillas. It’s the perfect combo pizza, and quesadilla all wrapped up. Blair over at The Seasoned Mom serves this savory dish with dipping sauce.
Chicken Satay
Skewered food often works for picky eaters, perhaps because there’s something of the lollipop about it. With this chicken satay dish from Eat Yourself Skinny, you get double the dose of protein from the chicken and the peanut sauce.
Power Protein Bowls
Liz’s Healthy Table
Choose-your-own-adventure meets the dinner table with this build-your-own-bowl idea from Liz’s Healthy Table. All the choices are healthy with a choice of ready-to-eat teriyaki tofu, egg, edamame, bell pepper, and sugar snap peas. When kids get control over what goes on their plates, they might even be a little braver when tasting new foods.
High-Protein Meals for Picky Eaters to Add to Your Dinner Recipe Rotation
Healthy Chicken Meatballs
Yummy Toddler Food
Yummy Toddler Food knows the challenges of getting little ones to eat something that’ll fill their bellies! This four-ingredient recipe for chicken meatballs will be a crowd-pleaser, and they’re super easy to whip up. Get the recipe from Yummy Toddler Food.
Classic Carbonara
Scrummy Lane
A classic carbonara has no cream and no heavy sauce because the eggs do all the work, making it both light and decadent at the same time. This recipe from Scrummy Lane gives lots of tips on how to make the perfect carbonara.
Teriyaki Pineapple Salmon
Unicorns in the Kitchen
Aloha! Little eaters love sweet foods. So serve up salmon with teriyaki sauce and grilled pineapple. Even more, the meaty salmon texture tastes good in little mouths. Unicorns in the Kitchen gives us this easy 30-minute recipe that your half-pints will eat up (keep the pineapple for yourself!).
Homemade Hamburger Helper
A Mind Full Mom
If your picky eater is hankering for something savory then this 30-minute instant pot hamburger helper packs in the protein. Stir in cheese when this delicious dish is ready to get your little one to eat up. If you don’t have an instant pot, go here for the stove-top version.
Sweet and Savory Chicken Stir Fry
Get Inspired Every Day
Putting veg on the side of a simple rice dish allows kids to know exactly what they’re eating and sometimes a suspicious ingredient is all it takes for a point-blank refusal to eat. This stir-fry recipe from our archives is a mix of sweet and savory flavors that’s easy to prepare—just mince the onion small or omit it altogether.
Chili Con Carne for Kids
My Fussy Eater
Warm up your household with this mild chile con carne made just for kids. The best part besides the 18 grams of protein per serving is the four veggies in this delightful dish. Find the recipe at My Fussy Eater.
Orange Chicken
Sweet and savory is always a good combo, and this orange chicken recipe from Kitchen Sanctuary fits the description. This is a high protein-packed meal we’re sure will make picky eaters will rejoice.
Simple Homemade Fish Sticks
Super Healthy Kids
Little diners will get hooked on these crunchy fish sticks from Super Healthy Kids. You’ll be glad to know the breading has a secret ingredient—flax seeds—so these fish sticks are not only high in protein, but the crunchy outside and mild softer inside make them easy to gobble up.
Homemade Spaghettios and Meatballs
Shugary Sweets
A childhood favorite that’s made up fresh? Sign us up! With 34 grams of protein per serving, this spaghetti and meatballs recipe from Shugary Sweets is perfect for picky eaters. She uses turkey meatballs to lighten up the dish. Add in a veggie, like carrots, with dipping sauce as a side dish.
Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos
Dinner at the Zoo
When kids can get creative with their food at the table, they start seeing it as something other than “yucky.” This chicken taco filling is the starting point for dinnertime creativity—add in other taco toppings like cheese, fresh tomato, avocado and lettuce, and those picky eaters might just surprise you! Head to Dinner At The Zoo for the recipe.
Deconstructed Soba Noodle Soup
Feed Them Wisely
Don’t let the picture put you off—plenty of picky eaters wouldn’t go near a soup with the ingredients all mushed in together but Meredith at Feed Them Wisely says this delicious ginger coconut chicken soup can be deconstructed and all the ingredients served separately. While the soup option works for adults, kids get to taste the same flavors (and protein-packed soba noodles), just with a tweaked presentation—genius!
Butternut Squash Mac ‘N’ Cheese
A Sweet Pea Chef
Sneaking veggies into a mac and cheese is super tempting as a parent and this recipe from A Sweet Pea Chef contains butternut squash and extra protein from Greek yogurt and parmesan cheese. This take on an old favorite can be prepped ahead of time and either stored in the refrigerator or frozen until ready to bake.
I am in fact pleased to read this blog posts which consists of lots of useful data, thanks for providing these information.
casino en ligne fiable
Thanks for every other wonderful post. Where else may anyone get
that type of information in such a perfect means of writing?
I have a presentation subsequent week, and I am on the search for such info.
casino en ligne France
Hey I know this is off topic but I was wondering
if you knew of any widgets I could add to my blog that automatically tweet my newest twitter
updates. I’ve been looking for a plug-in like this for quite some time and was hoping maybe you would have some
experience with something like this. Please let me know
if you run into anything. I truly enjoy reading your blog and I look forward to your new updates.
meilleur casino en ligne
Hi would you mind letting me know which web host you’re using?
I’ve loaded your blog in 3 completely different internet
browsers and I must say this blog loads a lot faster then most.
Can you recommend a good internet hosting provider at
a reasonable price? Thanks a lot, I appreciate it!
casino en ligne francais
Hi i am kavin, its my first time to commenting anyplace, when i
read this article i thought i could also make comment due to
this sensible post.
casino en ligne
I was very pleased to discover this page. I wanted to thank
you for your time for this fantastic read!! I definitely
enjoyed every little bit of it and i also have you book-marked to check out new stuff on your blog.
casino en ligne fiable
Hey there I am so thrilled I found your blog, I really found you by accident, while I was searching on Aol for something else,
Nonetheless I am here now and would just like to say thanks a lot for a fantastic post and a all round exciting blog (I also
love the theme/design), I don’t have time to look over it all at the moment but I have saved it and also added in your RSS feeds, so when I have
time I will be back to read a great deal more, Please do keep up the superb work.
meilleur casino en ligne
Thank you for the auspicious writeup. It in fact was a amusement account it.
Look advanced to far added agreeable from you! By the way, how could we communicate?
casino en ligne
I am not sure where you are getting your information, but great topic.
I needs to spend some time learning more or understanding more.
Thanks for wonderful information I was looking for this info for my mission.
casino en ligne fiable
Fantastic goods from you, man. I have take note your
stuff prior to and you’re simply too fantastic. I really like what you’ve got right here, really like what you’re stating and
the way in which during which you say it. You’re making it entertaining and you continue to take care of to
keep it sensible. I can’t wait to learn far more from you.
This is actually a great website.
casino en ligne francais