Are IP meals safe for consumption by children ? I ask not because my kids are overweight, but because my 8yo decided that she's going to be a vegetarian (she saw "Food Inc" inadvertently and saw how big food companies treat animals). She still eats fish, but since we don't cook fish on a daily basis, I'm afraid she might be missing some of the protein. And since IP meals are high on protein, I thought I'd supplement her meals with an IP entree. I also thought about just giving her a IP choco bar or "Pure Protein" peanut butter bar every now and then, that way she sees it as a treat / snack but still get her protein.

Thoughts? Anybody here let their kids eat IP meals / Pure Protein bars or put their kids on IP diet? Has anybody ask their coaches about it? I'd ask mine, but they are kind of new to it and I seem to have done more of the research and learning more about the diet.

Anyway, I'd like to hear your knowledge or experiences regarding this topic. Thanks!

No, I would not recommend the IP products for a child. Namely because of the soy. Soy contains phytoestrogens that children can be vulnerable to. It can lead to pre-adolescence in girls and estrogen dominance in boys. Soy can also lead to mineral depletion, reduce thyroid function, and effect protein digestion. Ugh, I'm not thrilled that IP foods have soy period, but I figure it is just temporary. But definitly no for kids.

I would find other foods that are a better protein source to supplement her diet with.

I agree. Lots of these things also have splenda/sucralose and I don't think kids should have that. Just my two cents. I am old enough to decide to eat "fake sugar" while on this diet, but would not feed it to my kid.

Look for natural sources of protein that come from whole foods. My kid (3 1/2 years old) gets protein from non-meat sources such as milk, cheese, peanut butter, nuts...

Does she not want to eat dairy either (vegan) or is it just no meat??

There are plenty of healthy protein bars that don't include fake sugar. Look at somewhere like whole foods in the vitamin section to see what is available.

I would also look into protein sources that people take for medical reasons. Those are generally produced from whey, and many come without any additives at all. You could add that to yoghurt fruit smoothies for additional protein. One brand I ran across is "Unjury", but some have splenda and/or aspartame so look for unflavored.

Good question and answers! I'm just too darn cheap to even think about sharing a bite with my kids. one bite of my caramel nut bar would be like a dollar!!! (plus, they can eat Oreos or something which is so much better plus.. That would be one less bite for me I'm getting very selfish on this diet!!

A healthy vegetarian diet gets plenty of protein. It might be good for you to look at vegetarian and vegetable based proteins on google. You can also look at cookbooks aimed at vegetarians.

MANY vegetables are rich in proteins (edamame is one and doesn't have the same impact as processed soy if used in reasonable occasional portions). If you read back through the thread titles you will find 2 or 3 threads about vegetables and vegetarians. There you can find some suggestions for high protein vegetarian food sources.

I went vegan this past summer and had my blood drawn at the end for ****s and giggles. My cholesterol was great, my hormone levels were normal and I had normal levels of protein and other vitamins. There are ways to get your protein in. I ate a ton of beans. Hummus almost every day and lots and lots of beans. I also am a huge fan of edamame and love organic tofu. I was completely animal product free for 3-4 months and I felt fine and was healthy. Since your daughter is still going to eat fish you just have to tweak her diet accordingly. There is a TON of info out there and if you're looking for meal ideas for her I bought a cook book called Supermarket Vegan that had great recipes in it. That movie changed me as well so I completely understand why she wants to do this. Good luck!

Awesome. I've been looking around the net as suggested. Been giving her fish. I just thought that a "snack bar" might give her the extra protein she needs. Regardless, thanks!!!