good tips for protein for a 3 year old

I´m mother of 3 y old twins ( a boy and a girl). The boy eats everything (dal, veggies, cereal, etc). The girl is verry fussy and only eats sweet things, fruit, rice and pasta and milk and yoghurt. She is not under weight, in fact she has a belly but i worry because i think she doesn't have enough protein. I've tried to hide the sweet things but the rest of us eat veggies and dal and we deserve some fruit or sweet. During meals she eats the rice or pasta and doesn't eat the veggies and the protein (be it dal, tofu, soya). At the end she asks for fruit and desert. Can you please give me good tips how to make sure my kids have enough proteins and how to convince my girl to like these things? Thankyou, i'm very worried.

hi!

yeah, children need proteins in their growing years. and it's diffi to make them eat. their eating habits are not always the same-it changes as they grow and in wyas we would never expect! for now,it is good news that she takes milk,yoghurt,fruits.

kids won't take many different items at one meal as we do.we can combine their differnt needs in one bowl.
here r some suggestions which u may try:

1) u said she takes rice. alongwith rice,if u can get her to eat some 'koottu', that's a wholesome meal in one dish.
the 'koottu', as u know, is a combination of dal & vegetable.

- we can use diffrnt dal and diffrnt veg each time to offer variety.

- it can be 'poricha koottu', 'pulippu koottu'/ 'bittlai' with different seasoning/garnishing each time.

- when eaten with some curds, kids like the taste,it is easier to swallow and has ingredients from all 4 food groups.

2) peanuts are a good source of protein. roast peanuts: microwave- 1min high, 2mins medium; remove husk and powder it. can add a spoon or 2 of this to rice, or dessert or pasta that she eats( with flavours of her choice)

3) whole green grams or moong is also a good source + the dietary fibre in it is a bonus. soak it overnight, cook it till soft. add jaggery syrup (store some jaggery syrup in the fridge for ready use) and allow to boil for 2 mins on low flame. add cardamom powder if reqd.

the jaggery syrup can also be added to roasted peanuts.

4) include mushroom in her diet
5) soya flakes can also be added to pasta preparations. since mushrooms and soya don't have a taste of their own,she won't know the diffrnce

give it a try!