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Two-year-old Ellie will eat every veggie on her plate, but when she tries a bite of beef, she immediately spits it out. ?It?s a bit of a concern, because I know protein is important,? says her mom, Kimberley Tremblay, of North Bay, Ont. Jennifer Hamm, a registered dietitian and mom of one in Bedford, NS, agrees that protein is a fundamental part of a kid’s diet. ?It supports muscle growth and development, and foods with protein often have iron?an essential nutrient we don?t make ourselves,? she says.
Whatever the reason for your kid?s meat aversion (texture, flavour, pure toddler willfulness), the good news is there are lots of other sources of protein. Plus, kids don?t need as much of it as you might think. According to the Canada Food Guide, kids ages two to eight need the equivalent of one adult serving of meat or alternatives over the course of the day, which works out to 85?grams of meat (picture a deck of cards), ¾ cup of legumes or two tablespoons of nut butter. There isn?t an official recommendation for kids between 12 and 24 months, so a bit less than one serving is likely fine, says Hamm. ?Think of a 30-gram serving at each meal or even just twice a day: That could be half an egg, ¼ cup of hummus or a tablespoon of nut butter on toast,? she says. Here are some tips to help your toddler get her share. Change the texture

Since many kids don?t like the texture of meat, try cooking it in a way that might be more appealing to them. Jenn...