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Getting Your Kids to Eat (and love) Soy
by Rich RothmanHow To Incorporate Soy Into Your Child's Diet
We have talked with many parents about nutrition and their children. Across the board, one of parents' top concerns is ensuring their kids are eating the most nutritious foods in well-balanced meals. One of the key macronutrients that a child's developing body needs is protein. However, protein often comes with unwanted fat and cholesterol, found in meat, egg, and dairy products.
So what can we do about this? How do we reduce the fat and cholesterol our children eat, while still making sure they get the protein their bodies need?
The answer? Soy protein
The good news is that Soy Protein is very similar in quality to the proteins found in meats, eggs and dairy, WITHOUT the fat and cholesterol also found in those foods. But that also can present a challenge … how do you get your children to eat soy foods without a protest? We have received dozens of e-mails, calls and letters from parents, asking us for tips and advice. So here are the very best suggestions on how to proceed down Soy Street.
The Foods They Already Know and Love
Several soy foods companies have answered parents' cries for help. In most "mainstream" supermarkets and certainly in health foods stores, you will find many soy-based foods that mimic "old favorites." Some examples are soy-based hot dogs, soy burgers, soy-based meat-free chicken nuggets, soy breakfast patties and the list goes on. Also, soy-based cheeses are becoming widely available and serve as an excellent alternative for pizza toppings, grilled cheese, and sandwiches. These are especially good for children that are lactose-intolerant or have dairy-related allergies. And of course, there is soymilk, which is finding its way into more and more homes every year. These foods can be found in separate “health food” areas, often in the produce section, the dairy case, or in the frozen food section of the supermarket.
The downside to the above items is that if children already know what the “real thing” tastes like, these soy-based alternatives often take several attempts to catch on. Most do not taste exactly like their real relatives so you might have to be patient. One parent told us that it took over 20 attempts for her child to try a slice of American "Veggie" Cheese before giving up the regular stuff.
Another category of soy-based foods are those that take already-existing foods and add soy protein, so they make the "regular" alternative better. One such food is pasta, typically a big hit amongst kids.
For example, "regular" pasta has on average 7 grams of protein per serving, and isn't on its own, a high quality protein. Soy Protein Pasta, available at this web site, contains 13 grams of protein per serving; that's 70% more protein than regular pasta. It also tastes just like regular pasta, so kids will never even know the difference.
Shakes and smoothies are also big hits with children. By taking orange juice, a banana and/or strawberries, and adding Soy Protein to a blender, you can make a delicious shake that is super-healthy and loaded with protein. You can also add soy protein to pancake mix and muffin mix, making them even healthier. Soy protein has no taste and when incorporated into these foods, is literally undetectable - an important quality to the most discriminating taste buds!
Many soy-based snacks are also now widely available, including soy-based pretzels, chips and Breadstick snacks, which make for a perfect lunchbox addition.
We hope these suggestions help!
Visit the Crum Creek Store for healthful snacks!