Protein for Children: How Much Is Enough?
Each day, kids need to eat about 0.5 grams of protein for every pound they weigh. That’s a gram for every 2 pounds you weigh. Protein needs will grow as children get bigger, but then they will level off when they reach adult size. Adults, for instance, need about 60 grams per day.
To figure out your protein needs, multiply your weight in pounds times 0.5 or you can just take your weight and divide by 2. For instance, a 40-pound kid should have about 20 grams of protein every day. (If you only know your weight in kilograms, you need about 1 gram of protein each day for every kilogram you weigh.)
| Protein Source | Serving Size | Protein content |
|---|---|---|
| Greek yogurt | 1 cup | 13 grams |
| Cottage cheese | ½ cup | 13 grams |
| Plain/fruit yogurt | 1 cup | 11 grams |
| Bean and cheese quesadilla | 1 serving | 10 grams |
| Black beans | ¼ cup | 10 grams |
| Veggie patty/nuggets | 1 patty | 9 grams |
| Lunch meats | 1 ounce | 8 grams |
| Sunflower/pumpkin seeds | ¼ cup | 7 grams |
| Cheeses | 1 ounce cheddar | 7 grams |
| Hard boiled egg | 1 egg | 6 grams |
| Edamame | ½ cup | 6 grams |
| Waffles | 1 7” round | 6 grams |
| Tahini | 2 tablespoons | 5 grams |
| Hot Dog | 1 link | 5 grams |
| Cream cheese | 3 ounces | 5 grams |
| Hummus | ¼ cup | 4 grams |
| Broccoli | ½ cup | 2 grams |