Toddler Eating

Meat/protein

• Janel F. Hi Anna, It is not uncommon for kids to shun meat/eggs for some time, and then express interest in them. The best thing to do is to continue providing your toddler with family meals (including the meat component!) without forcing, bribing, encouraging, coaxing him to eat them. Just the exposure is important, as there may be a day he decides to take a bite! In the meantime, there are plenty of other sources of protein in a wide variety of foods, including lentils, cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese, kefir, beans (I know you said he's not a fan but there's such a wide variety of beans to try!), nut butters, tofu, etc. You can try different forms of eggs (like hard boiled vs scrambled, or even mixed into a batter to make french toast). Don't forget, there's protein in foods such as whole grains! So barley, quinoa, oats, whole grain breads, etc. all have some protein as well. Keep providing a wide variety of whole foods and let your toddler choose what satisfies him - you may find over time his taste buds change, but in the meantime, he's been enjoying a varied menu with lots of other protein-containing options. Janel