Chocolate Protein Shake
This healthy, whole food Chocolate Protein Shake offers a boost of protein for your kids without any protein powders! Great for kids who have a hard time eating other high protein foods.
Why You are Going to Love this Chocolate Protein Shake
There go your kids… bouncing around the house or running through the backyard. And in the back of your mind, you’re wondering, “How can they possible have this much energy, when they’ve eaten nothing but buttered toast and a banana all day??”
Parents reach out to us with concerns about their kids’ protein intake all the time. Fortunately, it’s easy to add more protein to their diet… even if they don’t eat much meat.
You can help your kids increase their protein intake with simple whole foods… no protein powders or supplements necessary. (In fact, powders may cause problems for kids! More on that later.)
This shake is creamy, chocolatey, delicious, and totally packed with protein. One cup supplies more protein than two eggs! Let’s get blending…
What’s in This Chocolate Protein Shake?
- Whole milk: with eight grams of protein per cup, milk is a great choice for kids who tolerate dairy. If your kids have a dairy allergy, you can use soy milk, which also has eight grams of protein. (Keep in mind that many other plant-based milks, like almond milk, actually contain very little protein.)
- Silken Tofu: This type of tofu is soft and creamy and it completely disappears in a smoothie. One half cup of silken tofu adds four grams of protein.
- Chia Seeds: With two grams of protein per tablespoon, chia seeds are a perfect addition. These mighty little seeds not only add protein, but also fiber and omega-3 fats, enhancing the absorption of fat soluble vitamins like Vitamin D.
- Chocolate Hazelnut Spread: Chocolate Hazelnut Spread tastes amazing in this shake and adds a two grams of plant-powered protein. You can sub peanut butter or even sunflower seed butter if you like. You will get more protein from the substitutes, but we found that the chocolate hazelnut spread gave us the flavor our kids loved without adding additional sugar.
- Oats: Oats help to thicken the smoothie, and are a great source of fiber and nutrients.. including 5 grams of protein!
Why Whole Food Proteins are Best for Kids
You want your kids to get enough protein, but you might feel hesitant to introduce processed protein powders into your kids diet. Follow that instinct!
Protein powders can actually supply too MUCH protein for kids, which can be hard on their livers and kidneys.
Whole food sources of protein contain a balance of nutrients that kids need, and most of the time, they’re perfectly adequate at meeting the recommended daily amount of protein. (If you’re curious exactly how much protein your child should be getting based on age, size, and sex, this article can tell you.)
How to Make Chocolate Protein Shake:
Making this shake is as easy as making a smoothie. Just combine all the ingredients in a blender, buzz it up, and you’re done! My kids prefer it with ice, which makes it more like a “shake”. That is what is reflected in the recipe. However, if you choose to make it without ice, you’ll notice the consistency of the shake is like a creamy chocolate milk. Made this way, it will last in the fridge for about 3 days!
More Protein Foods for Kids:
Kid-Friendly Protein Waffle
Peanut Butter Fudge Protein Energy Balls
Protein Packed Breakfast Burritos
Chocolate Protein Shake
Ingredients
- 1 cup chocolate almond milk
- 1 cup Tofu, soft
- 1/4 cup chocolate hazelnut spread
- 1/3 cup oats
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- ice
Instructions
- Add the chocolate almond milk, tofu, chocolate hazelnut spread, oats and chia seeds to a high powered blender along with enough ice to reach desired consistency. Blend until smooth. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
www.superhealthykids.com
Natalie Monson
I'm a registered dietitian, mom of 4, avid lover of food and strong promoter of healthy habits. Here you will find lots of delicious recipes full of fruits and veggies, tips for getting your kids to eat better and become intuitive eaters and lots of resources for feeding your family.
Learn More about Natalie
Do you have an option to replace the tofu?? I try to stay clear of too much soy. Those hormones are wicked on growing girls.
I actually found a chocolate protein shake that has chia seeds in it that I use for my two girls. It has 23 grams of protein per serving, so I usually add more liquid and then they split it. We usually mix with coconut or almond milk. If you child has a peanut allergy or you try to stay away from legumes, then I highly recommend almond butter or nut butter. The protein shake does contain some stevia, so I usually omit the honey. Hope this helps those who avoid soy!
I make this for my daughter with a banana instead of tofu. And if the banana is ripe, there is no need for honey.
What can you use instead of tofu? We are soy free Yogurt?
Thanks for this!! My 13 year has been asking for a chocolate smoothie. Just made it! I made it with spinach and half a banana. It turned out really well….
So the tofu…..any alternatives or substitutions for the protein? Big soy intolerance so I can’t put it in anything.
You could replace the tofu with Greek yogurt- Same amount of protein!
Where can I get chia seeds? There are no organic foods near me, is there a substitute??
Can you find flax seeds @Katherine? That would be a good sub.
Looks yummy! Kids will love it for sure. Now you can also give your kids a protein shaker bottle so they can blend ingredients very well..
You could try avocado as an alternative to soy I’m not sure how high the protein content is but it’s crammed with vitamins and makes smoothies sooper creamy
Looks yummy! Is there any alternative we could use to peanut butter? My son (who needs it) hates peanut butter and definitely wouldn’t drink it.
McKenna, seeds like sunflower seeds are also a great source of protein. You could replace it with that for sure.
this shake from Idlife is amazing and all you do is add the almond milk (or preferred liquid). Kids love it and they think it is a treat. All ingredients and prod videos are listed. The chia seed is already in it. I would love your feedback. If you want a sample let me know.
Do you have a link or a copy of the recipe that I can have? I want to make it as simple as possible – grab and go in the morning.
JS Richardson Just take a screenshot of the recipe then it’s in your phone if you need to buy items at the store. I keep all recipes on my phone now.
You could use avocado instead of tofu. I freeze small portions of avocado to use in potholes.
Oops. Potholes should be smoothies!
Hi. Is it raw tofu? Or should i steam first?
Could you suggest me smoothie or juice to combat flu runny nose? Thankd
No need to cook the tofu first, just raw.
This was a huge hit with my kids – thank you!
I made a strawberry banana version of this for my kids today, and they gobbled it down. I had tried to make homemade yogurt, and it came out really thin, so I used that for the milk. I left out the cocoa powder and peanut butter and added half a banana and about 8 medium strawberries. It was delicious. If I made it again, I would increase the liquid a bit – it was a little thick. But it was yummy, and the chia seeds just seemed liked strawberry seeds. Thanks for a great recipe!
Do you have other nutrition information for this drink? Namely carbs? Thanks.
Looks delicious. Do you know the nutritional content (calories, protein, etc)?
Karen- JNW08 You can analyze recipes at nutritiondata.self.com. Generally, we provide nutrition data for all our member recipes, but not for the blog posts.
Is the cocoa powder the kind used to bake or the kind that’s sweetened to make chocolate milk?
Thanks!
No, it’s not a chocolate drink mix, it’s in the baking aisle and usually just says cocoa powder. @liat
I can’t believe you are recommending soy. I wouldn’t put it in my own body, and definitely not in my kids.
Ornella- we think nonGMO soy products can be part of a healthy diet. Check out this article here for our reasons why https://www.drfuhrman.com/library/debunking-anti-soy-myth.aspx
Any recommendations on what I could add to this recipe that would add iron. My son does not get enough iron. I was also going to use Sunbutter as he has a peanut allergy if you think that would work well.
I was going to ask the exact same thing!!
My 11 year old son has low iron, so I’m always on the lookout for ways to sneak even more into his diet. He has some very strong food aversions, so I can’t just ask him to try a lot of new foods without a major battle. I’d love to see your ideas!! Thanks!!
Hi Kerry- check out this idea for iron https://www.superhealthykids.com/top-3-sources-of-iron-for-kids/
I tried this butter shake recipe and it tastes just awesome. I also recommend everyone to try this recipe at least one time. You will love it.
Thanks for sharing this recipe.
51g of sugar??? In one serving?? Have I read that correctly?
I’m looking for quick, high-protein breakfast ideas for picky eaters and this seemed to fit the bill. Sadly, no one in the family liked it at all. It had an odd taste and a worse after taste and the chia seeds threw off the kid with sensory issues.
this looks amazing. any recommendation for Tofu replacement? my kiddo is allergic to soy.
Hi Hilda! You could try plain yogurt in place of the tofu. The amount of protein is similar to that in silken tofu. 🙂
That was great, Thanks for your sharing.
Hi, Natalie. Lovely recipe. I made this recipe for my kids. They loved it.
Thanks for sharing an awesome recipe!
my daughter doesn’t like chocolate – do you have a vanilla or strawberry suggestion? thanks so much!
Hi Claire, you can certainly leave out the coco powder and add a 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract in its place.
Wow! This is really a great blog. Thanks for this one.
Amazing article. thanks for sharing such a meaningful article.
Does it digest well for kids? As pea nuts are hard to digest?
Um how much coca powder do we put in?
2 Tablespoons! 🙂
A very healthy and yummy recipe. Super easy to prepare. Thanks for this.
This is good, even I want to make this protein shake for my kid’s thanks..
Tofu, blocks the ability to digest protiens, I suggest to use chickpeas instead.
You could use avocado instead of tofu. I freeze small portions of avocado to use in potholes.
Can this be made with hard tofu? my local grocery store does not sell soft tofu.
Yep! That should work just fine if you have a high-powered blender.