Getting protein into your child’s diet can sometimes be proven to be almost impossible. I know it is for my littles who certainly only wanna eat chicken nuggets and fries with the occasional Mac & Cheese. Not exactly screaming healthy protein over here. So, I put on my research hat and went deep diving into the world of protein powders for kids. I had always loved the KidzShake brand for Adylee so I made sure to check out their brand and that’s when I came across the Healthy Heights brand.
The Healthy Heights brand is exactly what I needed for each kid! They have a grow taller line which is perfect for Giovanni who is my little dude, a protein & nutrition boost line which is great for Adylee who really needs that extra oomph since she is in about 5 different sports these days and a filling in nutritional gaps line which is great for Gracelyn who I’m lucky if I can get her to eat anything half the time. They come in 4 delicious flavors too! Vanilla, Chocolate, Plain and Strawberry. Our favorites have been the Vanilla, Chocolate and Plain. Plain and Vanilla are great for adding into recipes.
I’ve found so many great ways to sneak all these in for the kiddos but I am going to share 3 of my favorite recipes and also the kids favorite recipes. One is straight from the Healthy Heights blog where they have TONS of different recipes that you can try as well.
Ginger All The Way, Gingerbread Cookies
How to: Get Protein in Your Child’s Diet
40
servings15
minutes10
minutesIngredients
1/2 cup of Plain shake mix
3 cups all purpose flour
1 TBSP ground Cinnamon
1 TBSP ground Ginger
3/4 TSP baking soda
3/4 TSP ground cloves
1/2 TSP ground nutmeg
1/2 TSP salt
3/4 cup butter, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup unsulfured molasses
1 1/2 TSP vanilla extract
zest of orange
Directions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the first 8 ingredients. Set aside.
- In another bowl, mix together butter and sugar for 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Add in egg, molasses, vanilla, and orange zest and mix until combined. Gradually add the flour mixture.
- Divide the dough into two equal portions. Gently using your hands to flatten each ball into 1-inch thick disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour or until the dough is chilled.
- Unwrap dough and place on large, lightly-floured hard surface. Use a floured rolling pin to roll out the dough until its approximately 1/8-inch thick. Then use cookie cutters to cut out the dough. Re-roll the dough as needed to cut out more.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the cookies edges are crisp, golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before moving to wire rack. Once completely cooled, decorate to your hearts desire!
Notes
- Store in a sealed container for up to 4 days.
Perfect way for the kids to think they are just getting some good ‘ol fashioned Gingerbread cookies but in reality, they are getting a great source of protein and vitamins in the cookie. Plus, this is a recipe that you can make together with them! Do this the week of Christmas and enjoy a memory that will stay with your kids for their entire lives.
Peppermint Vanilla Shake
Now this is a pure classic recipe! There is nothing like a good protein shake for the kids to enjoy as your running out the door to get to school. This is Adylee’s favorite breakfast and I can’t say I blame her. I’ve tried this baby a time or two when I’ve been making it for her before school and it’s easily something I could see myself drinking as well.
- 2 scoops of Vanilla shake mix
- Crushed up peppermint candy canes- you could also do a little bit of peppermint extract! Adylee likes hers pink so we do the candy canes
- 8 oz of 2% milk – or water if you prefer
- Top with whipped cream and extra crushed up candy canes or sprinkles
That’s it! In this one shake Adylee is getting 12g of protein for every serving along with Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Iron, Calcium, and so much more! I love that it’s free from corn syrup, soy, artificial flavorings and color, and that it’s non-GMO. She just loves the taste! Healthy Heights is a total win for both mom and kid.
Peanut Butter Chocolate Protein Bites
Now these are Giovanni’s favorite! He loves a good peanut butter and chocolate moment and I can’t say that I truly blame him. He gets it from his daddy that is for sure! That man could out eat you when it comes to Reese’s and Nutter Butters. This is another super simple recipe that only takes ingredients that you basically have lying around at home anyways.
- Peanut Butter – I usually do a few scoops just until it looks like the right consistency. You can always add more as this is the “glue” that’s going to hold them together.
- Chocolate Chips – add to your hearts content here!
- 2 scoops of plain shake mix – you can do also only do 1 scoop if you want make less
- Rolled Oats – I do about a cup
- Honey – add in a couple squirts for sweetness
Mix peanut butter and honey first before adding the rest of the ingredients then place in the fridge for at least 20 minutes so the mixture can chill. You wanna be able to roll them up into balls for a quick “bite” for the kids. I have also laid the mixture in a 9×9 baking pan and put it in the fridge to chill so it becomes more like a protein bar rather an a bite. The kids love it both ways but prefer the bite sized so it’s easy to pop into their mouths in between play time.
These are just a few ways that you can create some delicious recipes with healthy heights protein powder mix.
Like I said, there are tons of recipes on the Healthy Heights blog. From Pumpkin Oatmeal to pancakes to even a banana loaf. The possibilities are endless! Plus, the adults can get a small little protein amount in too because let me tell you those gingerbread cookies and the banana loaf listed on the website are chefs kiss. So yummy and I love that my kids don’t even have an inkling that they are getting the amount of protein that their body needs. They just think “hey mom made us another yummy homemade snack.” Check out Healthy Heights today for you kiddos!
This is great! I live sneaking protein like avocado into my kids smoothies 😍
I need this and all the recipes for my extremely picky eaters! If it’s not chicken nuggets they don’t want it lol
That Healthy Heights protein powder sounds like good stuff! I never thought of putting it in cookies. What a great idea!
Kim, this is BRILLIANT! I, too, have been trying to find ways to sneak protein into my kids’ diet. Thank you so much for sharing this idea with me!
Your recipes sound and look delicious! Any kid would definitely go for these and what a smart way to get them to eat extra protein!
This is so awesome! Also the matching pajamas are too precious
These are great recipes and they look so good! Can’t wait to try it with the kids!
💕
Those look delicious! Nice post and pretty pictures. Just what we need around Christmas.
These are some very protein packed recipe. Love that you used the shake mix in the cookie 🍪 recipe. These are also great for adults. Thanks for sharing.
I do this for Cassidy too! I always make her “milkshakes”, super easy way to get protein in.