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Protein shakes are such a wonderful way to give your children the protein, vitamin and nutrients they need! Especially if you have picky eaters like I do. Many toddlers and kids go through stages where they don’t like a majority of foods. It reminds me of being pregnant. It comes and goes, yet as a parent, you worry about them getting enough nutrients to their brains and bodies. If it were up to my kids, they would live off of chocolate milk, toast and donuts. If I cook their eggs just a little bit too long, they won’t touch them. If there’s a small brown spec on the banana, no way.
I’ve found protein shakes to be a great help in easing my frustration with meal times, as well as giving me peace of mind about how much nutrition they are getting. Choosing the right protein powder is very important. You don’t want to buy just any brand on sale at your grocery store. Looking at the ingredients and dissecting what you are really feeding your kids is so important. I did that for you, as someone who loves protein shakes, and studied/tried many, many kinds! I did a lot of research to suggest the best protein powders for breastfeeding mamas, so I came across some wonderful brands for kids that I am going to share here. I personally give my kids my favorite protein powder for myself because it is amazing, I will list that one first, then go on to suggest a few others that offer some great nutritional benefits.
*Since I wrote this post, I created Milk Dust, for breastfeeding mamas, and my kids LOVE it! It is clean, safe, and nutrient-dense for kids!! Lots of Iron and B vitamins if you are having a hard time to get your kids to eat anything at all! Feel free to take 10% off your first order with code: JOYFUL
Ora Organics:
I love this stuff, and so do my kids. It is easier for me to just have one protein powder for the whole family. This one is USDA Certified Organic, vegan, soy-free, dairy-free and gluten-free. I am not a fan of soy for kids, and we all don’t digest dairy well, so plant-based protein works the best for us. This protein powder has a complete amino acid profile, which not all plant-based protein powders have. It also have lots of fruits and veggies like kale, broccoli, blueberries and raspberries in addition to Jerusalem artichokes and TUMERIC! Tumeric is basically anti-cancer. It also has digestive enzymes, which helps your body break down the protein and plants to properly absorb the nutrients. That is really important to me because I’ve struggled with IBS, and digestive enzymes have been a big help. Ora Organics offers 10% off for first-time orders, in addition to a better price for their subscription option. That makes it easier for me because I love subscriptions for items we use a lot. The Amazon diaper subscription has literally saved my life. I have our wipes coming automatically every other month too. It is so genius! Back to protein, here are the ingredients for the Ora Organics. Because I have super active boys, I love that there are 21 grams of protein per serving. They need it!
Daily Sunshine by Beach Body:
This is a lesser-known product Beach Body sells. I am a big fan of their Shakeology and a nutritional supplement, and partly obsessed with their performance line for my running. They have a special Daily Sunshine made just for children. This has less protein, at 10 grams per serving, but more vitamins. You can see all the ingredients and vitamins in this pdf.
Depending on your goals for your kids, this is another great option because it offers a lot fruits and vegetables, that I know my kids never want to eat. I’ve tried sweet potato fries in an attempt to get them to eat better fries, and that didn’t work. This drink has sweet potato, apple powder, flaxseed, spinach, strawberry and blueberry powders, Himalayan sea salt, Vitamin D, Calcium, Iron, Potassium, Vitamin C and Vitamin E all ranging from 10-20 % of their daily value. There are also probiotics to help keep your kids healthy and digest properly. No digestive enzymes like in the Ora Organics, but probiotics are really good too. The powders are equivalent to 1 full serving of fruits and vegetables, ⅝ serving of fruit ((Chocolate – 4.45 g dried apple, strawberry, and blueberry powders) (Strawberry Banana – 4.5 g dried apple, strawberry, banana, and blueberry powders)) and ⅜ serving of veggies (1.95 g dried sweet potato and spinach powders) per smoothie. Each 28 g serving (1 scoop) provides the equivalent of ½ cup fruits and vegetables (volume before drying). They offer a 30-Day money-back guarantee, so it is definitely a great option for picky eaters. The sample pack is only $19.99, and you have to buy through a coach, so follow my link, then hover over “shop” tab and click on nutrition + supplements. If you have trouble shoot me an email, and I can help hello@joyfulmesses.com. Coaches get discounts, so you can always do it that way too!
I know my kids would never touch wheat grass, but it is so good for you, and here they have no idea! Just blend it into a chocolate milk shake, and little do they know they are drinking broccoli, wheat grass and beets haha!
These are my three favorite protein powders for kids. I am biased to the ones I’ve tried and used, but I’ve done a lot of research. Whey protein powders I am not as experienced in, so I feel less comfortable suggesting a brand. I would love to hear of any whey or casein protein powders that your kids like!