Sources of protein for kids....

I am the Sarah that's In the Kitchen that Betsy at TKL talked about.

In order to get more protein into your kids' breakfasts, I usually do what Betsy recommends. I add soy flour to muffin or quick-cake breakfast recipes. Per cup, soy flour has 29 g of protein. By the way, 1 cup of whole grain wheat flour has 16 grams of protein compared with 1 cup of all-purpose flour which has 13 grams of protein. However, you have to balance out the nutritional needs of children when looking for more protein.

Kids need milk, which is an excellent source of protein---1 cup of 1 % milk has 8 grams, and it's easy for kids to drink one cup. Peanut butter (or any nut butter), the all-natural kind, has almost 64 grams of protein per cup, but is loaded with fat, so I'd use it sparingly (TIP: when I buy a new bottle of all-natural peanut butter, I throw away the oil that has accumulated on the top of the jar before I stir the peanut butter for the first time---I probably save some fat grams). My kids LOVE skim milk yogurt, which has 13 g rams of protein per cup, but watch out for added sugar. Shredded cheddar cheese melted on whole wheat english muffins will give them 28 grams of protein per cup, but watch out for fat grams. And granola, has 15 grams of protein per cup, but watch out for fat and sugar grams, as well.

There are studies about food combinations. That is, if you consume milk with a wheat flour, you get more protein that if eaten separately. The combo of beans and rice is also a powerful combination for added protein. The information probably exists in the vegetarian philosophy books--I remember a book called Diet for a Small Planet, which has information about this written in it--I do not know if it is still in print. I will try to find out more for you---

I hope this helps. Feel free to visit me In the Kitchen with Sarah.....