Both of my boys are STARVING all the time! I am not sure if it’s a boy thing or if they have a tape worm (jk!), but they both eat like grown men. My husband is 6’3” tall and my 4 year old eats just as much as he does. It truly is shocking and expensive! Recently, my oldest started waking up at 3AM telling me how hungry he was coupled with my youngest (15 months old) waking up at all hours of the night wanting to nurse. I needed to get a handle on this quick or this sleep-deprived mommy was going to lose her mind.
Due to numerous food allergies and food sensitivities we follow a Paleo diet in our house. Because of this diet I found myself constantly giving my children meat for added protein in the hopes that it would keep them full longer. It seemed to help a lot, but it quickly became very expensive and it got boring fast. Their little taste buds need exciting flavors and textures just like we do! I did some research and came up with 6 out of the box ideas that taste delicious and are super healthy and filling.
1) Vital Proteins Gelatin — Gelatin is a SUPERFOOD and one of the most important proteins humans can ingest! Who knew? Vital Proteins is derived from Pasture Raised Beef and they also support animal well-being and sustainable eco-friendly practices…so it’s a win win! Here is a long list of Gelatin benefits
There are two types of Vital Proteins to choose from and they can both be purchased from Amazon.com
– Collagen Protein – will solidify or “gel” in cold liquids which is perfect for making a healthy gummy snack. Here is my favorite Gummy Stars Recipe from one of my favorite bloggers. 
– Collagen Peptides – will not gel in liquid and can be added to smoothies. Here is my favorite smoothie recipe for Summer, just add in one scoop of Vital Proteins!
2) Chia and Flax Seed Fruit Bar from Trader Joe’s — This bar combines the rare combination of tastiness and healthfulness! This bar is made from 100% fruit (apple, pear, elderberry, lemon and strawberry) and it is the best fruit rollup you’ve ever had. The texture is soft with a little crunch of chia and flax seeds that can easily be mistaken for strawberry seeds. Each bar contains 1000mg of Alpha Linolenic Acid, which is an Omega-3 Fatty Acid that is essential to growth and development. 
3) Jewel Date Co. Coconut Date Rolls — there are MANY benefits of eating dates in your daily diet, one of which is that they are high in fiber so they keep you full longer. My son calls these “snow cookies” and they taste like fudge! One of these as an after dinner treat is sure to keep your little one asleep through the night. These can be found at Whole Foods. 
4) Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate Covered Almonds — These are such a treat! Protein packed almonds covered in rich dark chocolate….YUM! My kids think it’s Halloween every time we put these in our grocery cart. This delicious snack is high in fiber, as well as protein, so it helps keep my little’s full, as well as keeping smiles on their faces.
5) Go Raw Sprouted Pumpkin Seeds — Considered to be one of the healthiest foods in the world, pumpkin seeds are high in amino acids, zinc, protein and iron. In one serving of these there is 7g of protein! We like to eat these sprinkled with olive oil and sea salt. Such a healthy and delicious snack. These can be found at Whole Foods. 
6) Visi Probita — My little secret! This is what keeps my children asleep at night on the days when I am overwhelmed and they are lucky if they get anything besides deli meat! Probita is a hydrolyzed collagen product in an individually wrapped chewable gummy that tastes delicious and is packed with 4g of protein. One of these little Lingonberry flavored bites straight from Heaven, and they SLEEP…all night! I highly recommend this for anyone who has children that wake during the night. I give my son one of these after his bath and it seems to do the trick. These can be ordered from the manufacturers website: Visi 
When my kids were hungry and nothing seemed to work these “treats” saved the night. I hope they work for you too! Sweet dreams!
Great post, Lindsey. I’d love to see a post on how you navigate social situations with a paleo kid. We are paleo-ish, but strictly gluten-free and do not do conventional dairy or sugar, so that eliminates pretty much all the usual kid snacks and meals. When on the road, we do Chinese, BBQ, or Luby’s/Furr’s for meals. But what about birthday parties and school (mine are not in school yet)? We were at a hotel last weekend where the breakfast setup was 85% wheat, and my kids were lovingly eyeing the froot loops…would love to know what you do. Thanks!
Hi! I pack a lot of our lunches and snacks while on the road. But this is a great idea for a post! Thanks for the tip! 🙂
This post concerned me quite a lot. A four year old should not be eating as much as a grown man. The fact that your boy is hungry all the time may suggest nutritional deficiencies which could be a result of the paleo diet you are insisting on for him. I do not intend to argue for or against the merits of this lifestyle choice for you, but I believe such a young child should be free to explore foods from across all food groups. Kids instinctively know what their bodies need. Perhaps you could make grains and legumes available to him to see what he freely chooses. A non-paleo diet will not make him sick in the short term (unless he has definitively been diagnosed as gluten intolerant) and a little experimenting on his part might help solve the hunger problem and save you money on expensive snacks and excess protein!
Hi Rachel,
Thank you for your concern. My son has been diagnosed with a gluten and dairy intolerance on top of a yeast overhrowth in his gut. The Pleo diet is what he should be eating to detox his little body from the yeast. Both a Peditrician and a nutritionist agreed to this. My son is in the 90% for weight and off the charts for height. He is a heathly and growing.