Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Stages

Toddler won’t eat meat? How to turn them into a bacon and burgers lover

Whitney Sandoval
By

Your toddler is learning they can influence the environment around them. At first, their little “no” may seem cute, but over time, it may feel like those little battles are building.

As your toddler discovers their ability to refuse or to get a reaction out of you, you may notice they become a little less predictable. One new place they may be asserting their independence is at the dinner table. Your easy-going baby may become a challenging picky eater. You may notice your toddler gravitates towards certain foods and old favorites may end up thrown on the floor. You’ve heard these years may create picky eaters, but what if your toddler won’t eat meat? Although plenty of people are vegetarians, you may wonder if your toddler is getting enough protein. Explore the possible reasons why your toddler won’t eat meat and ways to encourage your little one to have a well-rounded, protein-filled diet.

Toddler won’t eat meat? Here’s what’s behind it

Beyond simply exploring the cause-and-effect of what happens when she doesn’t eat their food, there are several other reasons your toddler might refuse to eat meat. Maryann Jacobsen, MS, RD, a co-author of Fearless Feeding, offers up a few reasons why your toddler may become picky about eating meat. “First, it can be too hard to chew…second, the texture can bother children, especially when it’s a new meat.”

Solutions for meat refusal

Consider keeping a food diary and logging what your toddler will eat. Noticing patterns may help you tackle your toddler’s meat issues. Is your child refusing chicken, but willing to eat beef? Some meat can be chewy and tough. Jacobsen suggests cutting your kid’s food into smaller, more manageable pieces and sticking to softer meats.

Tracking your toddler’s food interests can also help you determine if he doesn’t like specific food textures. Avoiding these textures can be helpful, but Jacobsen encourages parents to let their toddlers play with their food. She believes that “parents can encourage toddlers to touch and guess how the food will feel in their mouths.”

Another option for mealtime is to only present your toddler with one food at a time. When given a plate full of different foods, your toddler may choose to only eat her favorite foods, and they may even fuss when that food runs out. Try starting with a meat option by itself and giving them a few minutes with it before presenting a different food your toddler likes more. When your child finishes their preferred food, you can try presenting the meat again.

Your toddler’s taste will continue to change and grow as they age, and so will their appetite. It is important to continue to offer up a variety of healthy foods but, if your child refuses to eat meat, there are plenty of other ways to meet their dietary needs.

According to the Mayo Clinic, toddlers need 1,000-1,600 calories a day, depending on age, sex, and activity levels. It is recommended that toddlers consume 2 to 5 ounces of protein a day. Even without meat, hitting your toddler’s protein levels is doable.

A mother feeding food to her child

Snacks and Recipes High in Protein

The following foods are meatless alternatives and some snack ideas that are high in protein:

Eggs

Omelets can make a great snack that is easily cut into smaller squares. You can try sneaking veggies like peppers into the eggs to make them healthier. If you want to pack a little extra protein in them, you can try sprinkling bacon bits or cheese in the omelet, too.

Legumes (peas, beans, chickpeas)

Cooked peas and beans, like black beans and baked beans, are easy for toddlers to chew and are full of protein. A cup of black beans has 15 grams of protein! For snack time, you can smooth some hummus on pita bread or crackers. If your toddler is a good chewer, you could serve carrot slices with the hummus. Many snack pouches that include peas are also available.

Nut butters (peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter)

Nut butters are a delicious way to add protein to meals. You can pair nut butters with different fruit, like apple slices or bananas, or you can make classic ants on a log with nut butter, raisins, and celery sticks. Nut butters pair nicely with bread and crackers. It also makes a healthier alternative to syrup on pancakes or waffles.

Oats/Oatmeal

Oatmeal packs protein and can be made many different ways to keep your toddler interested. Your toddler may enjoy traditional warm oatmeal. You can mix in different fruits, like blueberries, strawberries, or bananas. You can also add other flavors like cinnamon or vanilla. Even overnight oats could be a hit with your toddler. Many food pouches have oat varieties now as well.

Cheese

Sneaking cheese into your child’s diet is an effective way to increase your kid’s protein intake. Cheddar cheese has nine grams of protein per ounce. With so many cheese varieties, hopefully, you can find a cheese your toddler likes to eat. You can serve cheese slices, make mac and cheese, or cheesy quesadillas.

Don’t give up

With a little work and persistence, finding what meats your toddler will eat is possible. Even if your toddler won’t eat meat, there are plenty of alternatives to ensure your kid gets the necessary protein to fuel her growing body.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
5 vegetarian baby food recipes that are easy to make
Check out these vegetarian baby food recipes that everyone can enjoy
Happy baby eating from a red bowl

Vegetarian lifestyles have come a long way in the past decade, thanks in part to more focus placed on healthier approaches to meals. This is also because now more than ever, parents are prepping their own foods at home and leaning less on drive-throughs and "quick-stop" type meals that carry little dietary benefit. Parents are skipping the store-brand vegetarian baby foods altogether, while doing their weekly food shopping, opting instead to buy fresh produce to prepare their infant's meals at home, versus buying them pre-made and jarred.

To help bolster those dedicated parents' recipe boxes and fill their pantries with healthier and customized baby foods, we’ve put our heads together to bring you five vegetarian baby recipes that are tasty, exciting, and easy to make right at home.

Read more
10 foods to avoid while breastfeeding (and some good, nutritious ones that help prevent colic)
What to include in your diet while breastfeeding and what to leave out
Mom breastfeeding newborn in bed

Breastfeeding gives your baby one of the healthiest starts in life. In fact, your baby gains valuable nutrients naturally while building up the immune system. Still, it’s only natural to wonder if anything could possibly go wrong. Most likely, you and your baby will not experience any drawbacks, but just in case, we’ve brought you information about foods to avoid while breastfeeding, as well as which ones to include to ensure that your baby is gaining vital nutrients.

Gassy foods to avoid while breastfeeding to prevent discomfort and tummy aches
You might wonder how to pinpoint which foods to avoid while breastfeeding. To find out, you'll need to watch your baby's reaction after mealtimes. If you notice a repeated pattern between what you’ve eaten throughout the day and your baby’s issues with gas, then you can try removing a particular food to see if your child’s condition improves. Additionally, you might try omitting the following foods to start off.
Leafy greens
In some cases, vegetables like kale, spinach, and darker lettuces might cause your baby to get gas. This might seem ironic, considering how healthy vegetables are, but you might need to wait a few more weeks or even months before eating leafy greens if you notice a connection between your baby’s tummy ache and the salad you had for lunch.
Beans
Beans contain a chemical called Raffinose that works the digestive system a bit more than other foods. The result is usually burping or flatulence. So, if you suspect this chemical is passing through your breastmilk, then you might add beans to your list of foods to avoid while breastfeeding.
Peppers and spicy food
Just like spicy foods with chile or paprika or different types of peppers can produce a gassy effect for adults, the same can happen to your baby. In fact, you’ll be able to tell right away if these spices and peppers are the culprits behind your baby’s discomfort.
Garlic
Garlic may be one of the most difficult ingredients to give up, but if you see a correlation between your child’s bouts of gas and the buttered garlic you had off of the grill, then you might take a break from this wonder herb since not all infants can tolerate garlic, which also affects the smell and taste of breast milk.
Foods with milk or soy proteins
Although this rarely happens, milk, cheese, and other dairy products might give your baby gas. Likewise, edamame, tofu, and soy milk might pose an issue with food allergies. In this situation, your pediatrician can provide more insight into the possibility of an allergy to milk or soy. Likewise, he or she can recommend some substitutes that still provide an adequate supply of calcium.

Read more
6 of the best toddler cereals to offer your child that aren’t packed with sugar
Choose one the best toddler cereals instead of sugar-packed ones
Toddler being spoon-fed breakfast

Cereal has been a mainstay of family breakfasts for over a century and it’s easy to see the appeal. It’s quick, convenient, inexpensive, and widely popular with kids. Of course, part of the reason little ones love cereal is that most brands are sweetened with added sugars and other not-so-healthy ingredients. The bright colors mask the ridiculous amounts of sugar hidden behind those adorable little marshmallows.

Let’s face it -- cereals like Froot Loops, Cocoa Puffs, Trix, and Fruity Pebbles sure do taste good, but they are essentially just desserts (or worse) masquerading as breakfast. You would be better off feeding vegetables to your child if only your kiddo would eat them. But we have good news! There are plenty of alternatives on the market to serve toddlers without overloading them with sugar. Let's go over six of the best toddler cereal options to set your little one up for the day the right way.

Read more