Food & Nutrition Protein-Rich Foods Your Kids Will Enjoy By Vincent Iannelli, MD facebook Vincent Iannelli, MD, is a board-certified pediatrician and fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Dr. Iannelli has cared for children for more than 20 years. Learn about our editorial process Vincent Iannelli, MD Medically reviewed by a board-certified physician Updated on February 03, 2020 Print Antonio D'Albore/Getty Images Table of Contents View All Overview Protein Requirements Quality Proteins Protein-Rich Foods Options Kids Love Making Healthy Choices Ensuring that your children eat a balanced diet is an important part of their growth and development. One essential part of that is protein and you might be wondering if your picky eater is getting enough. Luckily, most kids naturally eat protein-rich foods because it includes many of their favorites like grilled cheese sandwiches, pizza, and peanut butter and jelly. Overview Most parents can be reassured that their children are meeting the daily recommended amount of protein. In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics says, "protein is so abundant in the foods Americans eat, that most of us, children and adults alike, consume more than we need." Keep in mind that only about 10% to 20% of your calories are supposed to come from protein, with the rest coming from carbohydrates and fats. It is also good to consider calcium-rich foods and iron-rich foods, which can contribute to an overall healthy diet for your kids. Protein Requirements Protein requirements depend on a child's age and weight. The 2015–2020 USDA Dietary Guidelines recommend the following amount of protein each day for children based on their age group. Until they reach 14 years old, the recommendations are the same for both boys and girls. In the later teen years, boys should be eating more proteins because they are still growing and tend to weigh more than girls. Age Daily Protein Recommendation 1–3 years 13 grams 4–8 years 19 grams 9–13 years 34 grams Girls 14–18 years 46 grams Boys 14–18 years 52 grams Quality Proteins Making things a little more complicated, protein requirements also depend on the quality of protein your child eats and how easily digestible it is. In general, animal proteins are "complete" proteins because they include all of the essential amino acids. They are highly digestible and considered higher quality than plant sources of protein. Your child's diet should include plenty of milk, eggs, and meats. Soy, hemp seeds, and quinoa are also complete proteins and serve as a vegetarian alternative. You won't have to worry about this too much as long as you vary which protein foods your child eats. Even if they only eat plant sources of protein, you can get the right amounts in your child's diet. For instance, simply pair different proteins, such as grains and legumes, and it should be a sufficient variety. Protein-Rich Foods One of the reasons that parents don't think their kids get enough protein is that they simply aren't aware that it is in so many different foods. A variety of foods besides red meat are high in protein, which means that your kids are likely getting more protein in their diet than you think. The chart of protein-rich foods shows how much a serving provides of your child's daily requirement. Food Serving Protein (grams) Age 4 to 6 Age 7 to 10 Milk or soy milk 1 cup 8 36% 29% Eggs 1 egg 6 27% 21% Yogurt 1 8-ounce container 9 41% 32% Peanut butter 2 tablespoons 8 36% 29% Nuts 1/4 cup 7 31% 24% Chicken 4 ounces 30 136% 107% Chicken tenders 4 pieces 11 50% 39% White bread 2 slices 5 23% 18% Tuna (canned) 3 ounces 16 72% 57% Wheat bread 2 slices 7 32% 25% Hamburger bun 1 bun 4 18% 14% Pasta 2 ounces 3 14% 11% Tofu 1/2 cup 10 45% 36% Beans (pinto, black, etc.) 1/4 cup 10 45% 36% Cheddar cheese 1 ounce/slice 7 32% 25% American cheese 1 ounce/slice 5 23% 18% As you can see, peanut butter on toast or on peanut butter and jelly sandwich can provide over half of the protein a child needs for the day. Since 2 cups of milk or servings of dairy are also recommended per day for ages 4 to 8, and 3 cups or servings for ages 9 to 13, your child's protein needs would be easily met. In addition to foods that naturally have a lot of protein in them, you can also purchase protein supplements. These include protein-fortified drink mixes such as Pediasure or Carnation Instant Breakfast. Check the Food Label Look for foods that have at least 6 to 10 grams of protein per serving, and you're sure to have a high-protein food. Options Kids Love A cheeseburger, which includes meat, cheese, and a bun, is a favorite among kids and a high-protein option. There are a number of other things that combine more than one protein-rich food that most kids enjoy. Grilled cheese sandwichScrambled eggs with cheeseTuna sandwichTurkey roll-upsHummus dip with carrots, celery, pretzels, or crackersVeggie burgerPeanut butter and jelly sandwichPasta with chicken or turkeyMeatballs with pasta or in soupQuesadilla or burrito with beans and cheeseCheese pizzaYogurt parfait with layers of fruitProtein-enriched cereal Healthy Choices Remember to stick with healthy choices as you look for protein-rich foods. The foods should be low in saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, salt, and added sugars. The total fat content should be between 25% and 35% of calories for children age 4 to 18. It's best for this fat to come from fish, nuts, and vegetable oils. Dairy products should also be low-fat or fat-free. The American Heart Association reminds parents to avoid overfeeding kids. Let them decide how much they want to eat without being forced to finish their meals. Kids are actually pretty good at self-regulating and may eat little at some meals and more at others. Until puberty, they need far fewer calories than adults. A Word From Verywell While it's important to ensure your kids eat a healthy diet, protein is usually not an issue. However, keep in mind that the quality of proteins does make a difference, as does the other nutrients found in the high-protein foods. It's best to avoid junk food and opt for nutritious, well-balanced foods instead. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Get expert tips to help your kids stay healthy and happy. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Family uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. American Heart Association. Dietary Recommendations for Healthy Children. Updated April 16, 2018. Kleinman RL. Pediatric Nutrition Handbook, 7th ed. Elk Grove Village, IL: American Academy of Pediatrics. 2014. United States Department of Agriculture. 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans: Appendix 7. Nutritional Goals for Age-Sex Groups Based on Dietary Reference Intakes and Dietary Guidelines Recommendations. 2015.