Getting your child to consume their daily share of nutrients can be a difficult task, especially if they are picky about what they eat. Most of the time, children end up not getting the nutrition that they require due to the busy schedules of their parents or the lack of a properly cooked meal.
Protein is probably the most important of these nutrients as it lays down the building blocks of your child’s nutrition. It carries out several essential functions such as regulating your child’s energy levels, building and repairing their cells, muscles, hormones, enzymes, and tissues. While there are natural whole foods such as dairy, chicken, and eggs, they may not be meeting the recommended daily allowance of protein for your child as prescribed by the Indian Medical Association.
In cases like this, it is best to supplement your child’s nutritional intake with healthy sources of protein such as protein powder for kids. Not only do they make sure that your child’s nutritional needs are fulfilled, but these protein powders are also scrumptious, and make them want to come back for more.
However, it can be a bit intimidating for several parents while purchasing protein powders since there are so many different kinds available in the market, and most of the time, you have no idea what you’re purchasing. If you are someone who likes to make it all from scratch to make sure that there aren’t any harmful additives or chemicals in your child’s protein powder, here are a few recipes for the best protein for kids that you can follow:
#1 Honey Oat Protein Powder
Ingredients required
- 3 cups – nonfat milk powder
- 1 cup – instant or steel-cut oats
- 1 cup – almonds
- Artificial sweetener or jaggery
- 1/4th cup- cocoa powder (optional)
Method
- Combine all the ingredients in a jar and blend them until you have a fine powder.
- You can store this product inside an airtight jar.
If you are planning to use it over a long period, you can refrigerate it too. This homemade protein powder contains 180 calories and 12 grams of protein in just half a scoop. You can add this best protein for kids to your child’s daily glass of warm milk and occasionally sneak some in a cookie.
#2 The Mixed Nut Protein Powder
Ingredients required
- ¼ cup – almonds.
- ¼ cup – pistachios.
- ¼ cup – walnuts.
- ¼ cup – soya beans.
- ¼ cup – peanuts.
- ¼ cup – pumpkin seeds.
- ¼ cup – flaxseeds.
- ¼ cup – chia seeds.
- ¼ cup – steel-cut or quick-cook oats.
- ¼ cup – milk powder.
- ¼ cup – cocoa powder. (optional)
Method
- Once you have gathered all the ingredients, dry roast the nuts in a pan (preferably a non-stick skillet) for about 2-3 minutes on low flame.
- Make sure that all the nuts are evenly roasted and exude a fragrance.
- When they are done, set them aside to cool and repeat the process with the seeds.
- After they both cool down, combine all the ingredients in a blender along with the milk powder and blend your mixture to a fine consistency.
- Make sure not to over-blend, as it may cause your appliance to heat up and release oils from within the nuts.
- Once you get your mixture, sieve it and store it inside an airtight jar.
- You can also add your cocoa powder to the mixture at this point.
A single scoop of this protein powder can give you 45 calories and 11 grams of protein. You can skip the milk powder for a vegan blend of the best protein for kids.
#3 The Fragrant Protein Powder
Ingredients required
- ½ cup – almonds.
- ½ cup – cashews.
- ½ cup – pistachios.
- ½ tsp – nutmeg powder.
- ½ tsp – saffron strands.
- ½ tsp – turmeric.
Method
- Once you have gathered your ingredients, dry roast the almonds, cashews, and pistachios in a deep non-stick pan over a low flame for a few minutes.
- When they are done, set them aside and repeat the process for the saffron strands.
- Roast until they change their color.
- Combine all the ingredients in the blender, along with the nutmeg powder and turmeric.
- Blend it until you get a powdery consistency.
You can sneak in this best protein for kids while making treats like laddoos or even plain old rotis.
#4 Lentil Oat Protein Powder
Ingredients required
- 100 gm – steel-cut or instant oats.
- 100 gm – peanuts.
- 100 gm – soya dal or soya flour.
- 50 gm – milk powder.
Method
The key to getting the perfect consistency for your protein powder in this method is to separately roast all your ingredients.
- Dry roast all your ingredients except the milk powder and put them in separate bowls until they cool down.
- Once they are at room temperature, use a food processor or a chef’s knife to mince all your ingredients.
- Blend the roasted ingredients along with the milk powder until you get a fine consistency.
- Sieve your mixture and store it in an airtight jar.
This can be used for up to a period of three to four weeks when refrigerated. You can add this best protein for kids to your child’s smoothies, desserts, or just serve it with plain old milk.
While these homemade protein powders are a good way to ensure that your child is not consuming any harmful additives or chemicals, it can be a difficult task to keep making these protein powders every other week due to their complicated recipes.
If you are looking for an easier alternative to these, you can consider supplementing your child’s nutritional intake with Gritzo Super Milk, which is the best protein for kids. Not only does it contain a lot of protein, but it is also enriched with several essential nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and electrolytes, which are required for your child’s growth and development.
Lastly, it is important to remember that these protein powders for kids are only a nutritional aid and should not be given as replacements for actual meals. Serve your child the protein powder along with a healthy balanced diet in order to get the maximum health benefits.