High Protein, Healthy Snack Ideas

I didn't see anyone suggest tofu.
I buy the extra firm organic tofu and just cut it into little squares. My kids love it.
I also dice it into squares and marinate it with orange juice, honey and oil and bake it so they are a little crunchy, but still soft in the middle. My kids eat this snack cold, and love it. (So do I)

HI Sara
Toddlers can be fussy.
If they can chew well-- protein bars are great in pieces.
Cheese sticks- white cheese/low fat are great.
Cottage cheese- amazing- 1/2 cup 12 gm.
Soy nuts
Hard boiled eggs- whites kids love.
Any kind of baked meat in small pieces.

I work with a company that has an entire line of kids healthy snacks if you want to email me- won't say on this venue- not allowed ____@____.com

Best if they get 5 servings of good carbs a day too- healthy fruits and veggies- the more colorful the better.

And remember- it takes up to 12 times of introduction of new foods sometimes for them to want more on their own. Patience with food. One of my twins is a food freak and it's even longer and has to feel like her idea.

About me: 48 yo perfusionist, wellness coach and mom to 7 yo twin girls

B. J

Sara,
a simple favorite at our house has always been either just cheese cubes, or (depending on how old your little one is) letting them make "cracker sandwiches". You can make it healthy by choosing triscuits and make it fun by having cheese slices & turkey deli meat slices cut into shapes. If you have the time, use the little cutters to make shapes. If you don't make "fun" triangles, "diamonds" and "squares" with just your knife. Its fun to have square cheese and triangle deli meat. And its easy, fast and healthy. We like to use the colby-jack slices rather than the american for an even better choice. And this isn't high protein, but my little ones always have loved the yogurt tubes. Keep them in the freezer and then just partially thaw them and they won't be messy. Yo Baby makes the best ones. Have fun!

my boys love cottage cheese and hard boiled eggs. there is always peanut butter as well if allergies aren't an issue and it can be served in so many different ways.

I like to give cheese cubes or yogurt. I also buy good lunchmeat at the deli and have them slice me two thicker slices that I can cube for him. It's a lot healthier than the prepackaged cubed meat.

Have you tried Edamane? (soybeans) my health food store even has little Dora packets and the kids eat them. Liz S.

Try soy crisps! My daughter loves them, especially the white cheddar ones. They're really high in protein. I believe there's 7 grams per serving if I'm remembering correctly?? Trader Joe's has really good ones if you live by one of their stores. I've found them at Whole Foods and Fresh & Natural Foods, too.

My kids always love peanut butter on slices of apples too.

Cashews and Almonds - these nuts are full of good fat and protein.

Sara -

You can always give dairy snacks such as cheese sticks, cottage cheese, yougart... Also beef sticks. Sometimes we'll get the bricks of cheese and summer sausage and slice both on a plate with crackers.

Instead of granola bars, look in the weight loss area, you can get bars with higher protein content. Special K also has Protein Water: K20. You can get that in the bottle or in the little packets to add to your own bottle of water.

We do apples and peanutbutter too. Or just a PBJ and load up on the Peanut butter.

Good Luck! My 2nd son needs extra protein in his diet so we are constantly looking for ways to get him to eat! Then at dinner time he decided he doesn't like meat. AAHH!!!! Kids!!!

P., Shakopee
mom to 3 kids (9, 7, 3)
1st time Gestational Surrogate due 1/28!!!!

Humus on crackers or pita bread. My kids love it and they are 2 and 4.

Cheese especially cottage cheese. They have those cottage cheese snacks with fruit or you could add a little to yogurt. They shouldn't know the difference. Peanut butter of course. On crackers or pretzels. They have lots of snack bars with protein now for toddlers. Turkey, turkey pepperoni, nuts.

any types of cheese work, ants on a log, PB sandwiches, bean dip (just a can of refried beans and maybe some mild salsa) with cheese and chips, peanut butter balls (1/2 c peanut butter, 1/2 c honey, 1/2 cup dry milk powder. Mix until playdough consistency and roll into balls, or snakes or any other shapes).

pediasure, cottage cheese, string cheese,Z-bars for kids (Target), peanut butter, hard-boiled eggs, low-sodium deli turkey, yogurt.

I second the edamame (green soybeans) idea - you can get them in or out of the pod - at first, my son just wanted to eat the beans,now he loves popping them out of the pods. In the freezer section, 5 minutes in boiling salted water. Try a couple of different brands - we had a favorite brand when we lived on the east coast, and then had to look for something else here. We didn't like the Trader Joe's version, but we do like the Whole Foods version. yum!