What are some high-calorie, high-protein shakes for a child with low appetite?

[nikked]

Our little buddy, AJ, is having a lot of trouble eating right now because of his leukemia treatments. The docs are giving mom a few more weeks to try, but are talking about putting in a g-tube soon if things don't change. His little 9 year old body is down to 51 pounds.

She's looking for high-calorie, high-protein type shakes that a kid with no appetite will like...

Thought I would check with my Cheffer buddies and see what y'all have!

Thanks so much...

Nicole

 

[Kodeysmom]

We have not the pediasure shakes before and he liked them real well and walmart even has an off brand. But what you need to watch out for is the sugar content in them is pretty high. You could try making your own with bananas and peanut butter and stuff. Sorry i can't be of much more help. Good luck and hope that others on here have some help.
I will keep your family and son in my thoughts and prayers.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

I make one with

Rice Milk
Plain Yogurt (get the full fat Greek Yogurt...it's wonderful!)
A scoop of peanut butter or almond butter
a frozen banana
a drizzle of maple syrup or agave nectar. (agave nectar is a natural sweetener. It looks like honey, but tastes like sugar...but it doesn't feed bacteria the way sugar does, and it doesn't effect blood sugar levels either)

If chocolate will entice him, add a little cocoa powder to the mix too.

 

[nikked]

Thanks...and, he's not our son, but the family attends our church, and we've been working with him since he was diagnosed. See http://www.chefsuccess.com/f48/prayers-little-boy-41693/ for information from when he was diagnosed.

 

[catlwilles]

My little girl is so tiny that our doctor recommended Pediasure. Since that is a bit expensive, he suggested Carnation Instant Breakfast to help get her calorie content up. She loves it and at least it has less sugar and stuff than Quik.

 

[pjpamchef]

I LOVE my magic bullet, and would reccomend someone getting this family one, there are many similar products out there that are probably just as good.
Here is my recipe that is loaded with goodness:
1/2 bananna, 3-4 strawberries, 1/2 Orange juice (w/calcium), 1/2 c fiber one yogurt,(I like the lime or vanilla), 1/4 c frozen blueberries, 3 TBS Genisoy protein powder, 3-4 ice cubes. (If you use frozen strawberries, you don't need the ice cubes.) When using a bullet, put in the softest items first, and the hardest (ice cubes) last.

 

[gingertannery]

Nature's Plus has a good shake for children that not only has calories but is full of vitamins etc. I used to drink it myself. You can find it at a health food store. Add bananas, strawberries, yogurt, ???. It comes in vanilla, chocolate and strawberry flavors. Mixing it with icecream would help with calories. They hae an adult shake.. don't get it. It contains bee pollen and not recommended for kids... but hte children's is great. And I use it in my bullet!!

 

[soccermom18]

My son is 11 and weighed 62 pounds at the beginning of the school year. He is pretty active with soccer and wrestling so gaining weight has always been an issue. His doctor recommended Boost with Protein. Chance has his protein shake with breakfast every morning. He had a wrestling match over the weekend and his weight is up to 68 pounds (which is great since 70 pounds is the lowest weight class in middle school). So it seems to be working. His favorite flavor is the stawberry.

 

[Stephn3]

My 7 yr old son is really skinny (his BMI is 4%) and the doctor recommended that we try to up his calorie intake. My husband went to GNC and got him some weight gainer that he used when he was in HS and working out. It is a great source of protien. It works really well too and he loves it. (He is normally very picky)
We double checked with the doctor to make sure it would be ok to give him that and he was fine with it.

 

[BadGirl]

I use this medical-grade protein and add it to any number of things; it's really quite good, and I've had LOTS of protein powder that made me want to puke. Try this: http://unjury.com/diets/wls.shtml .

Also, here are some specific recipes that you can try. These recipes are specific to weight-loss-surgery patients, so they tend to be high protein/low calorie.

Chocolate Monkey
8 oz. water or 4 oz. soy milk/4 oz. water
1 scoop chocolate protein
1/2 a banana

Place water in the blender first, then powder, then additions. Blend on low then high till well blended.


Strawberry Banana Smoothie
8 oz. water or 4 oz. soy milk/4 oz. water
1 scoop vanilla protein
1/2 banana
3 whole frozen strawberries

Place water in the blender first, then powder, then additions. Blend on low then high till well blended.

Banana Split
8 oz. water or 4 oz. soy milk/4 oz. water
1 scoop of vanilla protein powder
1/2 banana
1/4 cup chopped pineapple
2 frozen strawberries

Place water in the blender first, then powder, then additions. Blend on low then high till well blended.

Blueberry Bonanza Smoothie
8 oz. water or 4 oz. soy milk/4 oz. water
1 scoop of vanilla protein powder
1/2 cup frozen or fresh blueberries

Place water in the blender first, then powder, then additions. Blend on low then high till well blended.

Chocolate Covered Cherry
8 oz. water or 4 oz. soy milk/4 oz. water
1 scoop chocolate protein
10-12 frozen or fresh cherries
optional: 1 tsp. of SF Cherry Torani Syrup or a drop of cherry extract

Place water in the blender first, then powder, then additions. Blend on low then high till well blended.

Silky Latte
4 oz. Silk brand Mocha soy milk
4 oz. water
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
2-3 ice cubes

Place liquid in the blender first, then powder, then additions. Blend on low then high till well blended.

Silky Mocha
4 oz. Silk brand Mocha soy milk
4 oz. water
1 scoop chocolate protein powder
2-3 ice cubes

Place liquid in the blender first, then powder, then additions. Blend on low then high till well blended.

Mint Chocolate Chip Protein Smoothie
4 oz. Vitasoy Peppermint Chocolate soy milk
4 oz. water
1 scoop chocolate protein powder
2-3 ice cubes

Place liquid in the blender first, then powder, then additions. Blend on low then high till well blended.

Pumpkin Spice Smoothie
8 oz. water or 4 oz. soy milk/4 oz. water
1 scoop of vanilla protein powder
1/4 cup canned pumpkin (chilled)
Dash of pumpkin pie spice

Place water in the blender first, then powder, then additions. Blend on low then high till well blended.

Berry Berry Good Smoothie
8 oz. water or 4 oz. soy milk/4 oz. water
1 scoop of vanilla protein powder
1/2 cup frozen or fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries)

Place water in the blender first, then powder, then additions. Blend on low then high till well blended.

Mochachinno
8 oz. cold coffee
1 scoop chocolate protein
2-3 ice cubes

Place liquid in the blender first, then powder, then additions. Blend on low then high till well blended.

Egg Nog Protein Shake
4 oz. Silk Nog soy milk
4 oz. water
1 scoop vanilla protein
Dash of nutmeg

Place liquid in the blender first, then powder. Blend on low then high till well blended. Dash of nutmeg on top.

Pina Colada
8 oz. water or 4 oz. soy milk/4 oz. water
1 scoop of vanilla protein powder
1/4 cup pineapple
1 Tbs. SF Coconut Torani Syrup (I've also used 2 T. of unsweetened coconut from the health food store or Baker's catalog)

Place water in the blender first, then powder, then additions. Blend on low then high till well blended.

Peanut Butter Cup
8 oz. water or 4 oz. soy milk/4 oz. water
1 scoop chocolate protein powder
1 Tbs. peanut butter (smooth or chunky)
2-3 ice cubes

Place water in the blender first, then powder, then additions. Blend on low then high till well blended.

Cherry Vanilla Smoothie
8 oz. water or 4 oz. soy milk/4 oz. water
1 scoop vanilla protein
5-6 maraschino cherries
1 Tbs. SF French Vanilla Torani Syrup

Place water in the blender first, then powder, then additions. Blend on low then high till well blended.

Chocolate Caramel Protein Shake
8 oz. water or 4 oz. soy milk/4 oz. water
1 scoop chocolate protein powder
1 Tbs. SF Caramel Torani Syrup
3 Ice Cubes

Place water in the blender first, then powder, then additions. Blend on low then high till well blended.

Blueberry Banana Protein Smoothie
8 oz. water or 4 oz. soy milk/4 oz. water
1 scoop vanilla protein
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 banana

Place water in the blender first, then powder, then additions. Blend on low then high till well blended.

Strawberry Smoothie
8 oz. water or 4 oz. soy milk/4 oz. water
1 scoop vanilla protein
3-4 Frozen Whole Strawberries

Place liquid in the blender first, then powder, then additions. Blend on low then high till well blended.

Lemon Meringue Smoothie
8 oz. water or 4 oz. soy milk/4 oz. water
1 scoop of vanilla protein powder
1 T. SF Jello Lemon Pudding Powder
2 Ice Cubes

Place water in the blender first, then powder, then additions. Blend on low then high till well blended.

Green Giant
8 oz. water or 4 oz. soy milk/4 oz. water
1 scoop of vanilla protein powder
1 T. SF Jello Pistachio Pudding Powder
2 Ice Cubes

Place water in the blender first, then powder, then additions. Blend on low then high till well blended.

Butterscotch Shake
8 oz. water or 4 oz. soy milk/4 oz. water
1 scoop of vanilla protein powder
1 T. SF Jello Butterscotch Pudding Powder
2 Ice Cubes

Place water in the blender first, then powder, then additions. Blend on low then high till well blended.

Strawberry Cheesecake Shake
8 oz. water or 4 oz. soy milk/4 oz. water
1 scoop of vanilla protein powder
1 T. SF Jello Cheesecake Pudding Powder
3-4 Frozen or Fresh Strawberries

Place water in the blender first, then powder, then additions. Blend on low then high till well blended.

Vanilla Spice Protein Shake
4 oz. Silk Spice soy milk
4 oz. water
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
Dash Cinnamon
Dash Nutmeg
2-3 ice cubes

Place liquid in the blender first, then powder, then additions. Blend on low then high till well blended.

Chocolate Almond Protein Smoothie
4 oz. vanilla soy milk
4 oz. water
1 scoop chocolate protein powder
1 T. Almond Butter
2-3 ice cubes

Place liquid in the blender first, then powder, then additions. Blend on low then high till well blended.

Mango Madness Protein Smoothie
4 oz. water
4 oz. vanilla soy milk
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1/2 cup fresh or frozen mango chunks
2-3 ice cubes

Place liquid in the blender first, then powder, then additions. Blend on low then high till well blended.

Banana Joe Protein Shake
4 oz. water
4 oz. vanilla soy milk
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1/2 banana
1/2 shot of espresso or 1/4 cup fresh coffee or 1 tsp instant coffee
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
2-3 ice cubes

Place liquid in the blender first, then powder, then additions. Blend on low then high till well blended.

Carrot Cake Protein Shake
4 oz. water
4 oz. Silk Spice soy milk (if you use Vanilla or Plain Milk add more cinnamon and nutmeg)
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1/2 cup frozen sliced carrots
1 Tablespoon Cream Cheese
Dash Cinnamon
Dash Nutmeg

Place liquids in the blender first, then powder, then additions. Blend on low then high till well blended.

Mango Banana Protein Lassi
4 oz. vanilla soy milk
4 oz. water
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
1 Tbs. SF Vanilla Torani Syrup
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1/2 Banana (fresh or frozen)
1/2 cup fresh or frozen mango chunks
2-3 ice cubes

Place liquid in the blender first, then powder, then additions. Blend on low then high till well blended.

Banana Protein Smoothie
4 oz. water
4 oz. vanilla soy milk
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1/2 Banana (fresh or frozen)
Dash Cinnamon
Dash Nutmeg
2-3 Ice Cubes

2-3 ice cubes

Place liquid in the blender first, then powder, then additions. Blend on low then high till well blended.

 

[BadGirl]

And more:

Mocha Banana Joe Protein Shake
4 oz. water
4 oz. vanilla soy milk
1 scoop Chocolate protein powder
1/2 banana
1 tsp instant espresso powder
2-3 ice cubes

Place liquid in the blender first, then powder, then additions. Blend on low then high till well blended.

Mocha Joe Protein Shake
4 oz. water
4 oz. vanilla soy milk
1 scoop Chocolate protein powder
1 tsp instant espresso powder
2-3 ice cubes

Place liquid in the blender first, then powder, then additions. Blend on low then high till well blended.

Peach Cobbler Protein Shake
8 oz. water or 4 oz. soy milk/4 oz. water
1 scoop of vanilla protein powder
1/4 cup frozen sliced peaches
dash cinnamon
dash nutmeg
2-3 ice cubes

Place liquid in the blender first, then powder, then additions. Blend on low then high till well blended

Mango Banana Protein Smoothie
8 oz. water or 4 oz. soy milk/4 oz. water
1 scoop of vanilla protein powder
1/4 cup frozen mango chunks
1/2 a banana
2-3 ice cubes

Place liquid in the blender first, then powder, then additions. Blend on low then high till well blended.

Gingersnap Protein Smoothie
8 oz. water or 4 oz. soy milk/4 oz. water
1 scoop of vanilla protein powder
1/2-3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 Tablespoon Starbuck's SF Cinnamon Dolce Syrup
dash of cinnamon
2-3 ice cubes

Place liquid in the blender first, then powder, then additions. Blend on low then high till well blended.

Strawberry Mango Protein Smoothie
8 oz. water or 4 oz. soy milk/4 oz. water
1 scoop vanilla protein
1/4 cup frozen mango chunks
3 whole strawberries

Place water in the blender first, then powder, then additions. Blend on low then high till well blended.

Banana Bread Protein Smoothie
8 oz. water or 4 oz. soy milk/4 oz. water
1 scoop Vanilla Protein Powder
1 T. SF Jello Banana Pudding Mix, dry
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
dash Nutmeg
dash Ground Cloves
1/2 Banana, frozen
2-3 Ice Cubes

Place liquid in the blender first, then powder, then additions. Blend on low then high till well blended. Top with another dash of nutmeg.

******************************************

If you're looking for other ways to get protein in, here is a starting list of god food options:

chicken
beef
cheese
crab legs
lump crab
scallops
fresh tuna
smoked salmon
fresh salmon
tilapia
flounder
halibut
shrimp
turkey mignon (bacon-wrapped turkey)
turkey meatballs (Foster Farms frozen 18 g. of protein for 3 balls)
ground turkey
beans
pouches of tuna, crab
Fage Greek yogurt (almost twice the amount of protein of regular yogurt)
peanuts & almonds

Here is a listing of protein-rich foods that you might want to incorporate into his diet: http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=92#foodsources


Since I mentioned in my previous post that these are geared toward weight loss surgery patients, they tend to be low-calorie. Simply substitute whole milk/non-sugar-free products to "up" the calories to meet AJ's requirements.

Good luck!

 

[chefpenny99]

When my DS was little he wasn't gaining weight as quickly as they'd hoped and the pediatrician told me to give him the carnation instant breakfast stuff. It worked liked a charm.