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“Is My Kid Eating Enough Protein?” (And Why You Can Relax) 🧘‍♀️

No need to worry Adriana. 

If you’ve ever caught yourself worrying, “Is my kid eating enough protein?”—you’re not alone. Parents everywhere (myself included!) often stress over this. But let me tell you about a moment I had recently:

My kid decided they only wanted pasta for dinner. That’s it. Pasta mayhem!. My first reaction? “Where’s the protein?!” But then, I took a deep breath and reminded myself of something important...

Kids don’t need as much protein as we often think. It’s not about making every meal perfect.It's okay to have a pasta-only kind of night.

Tip Of The Week:

Most kids are probably getting enough protein. The daily needs are smaller than you’d think:  

🍼   Ages 1–3: 13g/day

🥚  Ages 4–8: 19g/day

🍗 Ages 9–13: 34g/day

🍖 Teens? Boys: 52g/day, Girls: 46g/day

For perspective, a chicken tender delivers around 3-4 grams of protein (yup ONE chicken nugget)! One 8oz glass of milk provides 8g of protein, 1 egg has 6 gram and 1 meatball around 8 grams of protein! 

That’s why I’ve partnered with The National Pork Board (@PorkandPartners) to share three super simple, kid-approved recipes featuring pork that are high in protein and easy to make. In one of my latest Instagram posts, I’m showing you how to whip up air fryer albondigas (meatballs) your kids will love.

If you'd like to explore how to do it yourself, click below to download my pork meatball recipe, I'm sure your kids will love it!

💡 Did you know?

• Pork is not just a great source of protein—it’s packed with zinc, choline, and vitamins B6 & B12, nutrients essential for growing brains (thanks, American Academy of Pediatrics!).
• Plus, 96% lean ground pork meets the FDA guidelines for lean meat. Check out my previous post about pork here.

Let’s stop stressing about protein and focus on easy, delicious meals everyone can enjoy!

With love and less guilt,

Marina Chaparro, RDN, CDE
Kids Dietitian + Latina Mom. I help you raise healthy eaters with a cultural twist. Remote and in-person consultations in Miami are open.
👉🏼 Book a discovery call.

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