These healthy protein balls for kids get made extremely regularly in our house; partly because we all like the taste, and partly because they are great fun for my 2 year old to help squish into ball shapes! Sweetened with dates and containing a big dose of protein, these are a great healthy snack to keep little tummies fuller for longer.

Quick reference dietary information

Dairy, egg & soy free | gluten free option | vegan

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A tasty snack to give a big protein boost!

When eggs, dairy and soy are off the menu due to allergies, it can be really hard to think up healthy meal and snack ideas which contain a good dose of protein. Among the many benefits, protein is really important for helping your child stay full for longer. So, including protein at each meal and as part of the (frankly relentless) snack schedule will hopefully slightly reduce the number of food requests throughout the day.

Of course, including protein is easier for meat and fish eaters. But a lot of people (me included) are trying to reduce their meat intake. Plus, meat at every meal would get rather expensive! I particularly struggle to think up snack ideas which give a good dose of protein, and that’s where these protein boost balls come in handy.

The protein here comes from the almond butter, oats and flax seed, all great vegan protein sources.

Which dietary requirements are oat & almond butter protein balls suitable for?

This recipe is suitable for kids who are following a vegan diet, and those with allergies to dairy or egg. It is also soy free, and using gluten free oats is an easy swap to make these protein balls gluten free!

Unfortunately, these are not suitable for those with nut allergies as they contain almond butter. An alternative would be to use sunflower seed butter – I have never tried this, but if you give it a go let me know how it tastes!

Are these protein balls for kids also suitable for baby led weaning?

Protein balls make a great snack for babies, just leave out the optional chocolate chips. They contain lots of healthy fats and (without the chocolate chips) no refined sugar. The balls are a bit squidgy which makes them easier to hold, but just be aware that they can get slightly crumbly if they’ve been out of the fridge for a while. Also, just be aware that almond butter is a potential allergen; only serve once you know your baby is tolerating almonds.

What equipment do I need to make oat & almond butter protein balls?

You will need a food processor (my trusty Kenwood* does the job very well) and a tupperware for storing them.

Just a note about the ingredients; most are very easy to get hold of, but finding dairy and soy free chocolate chips can be tricky. I use Moo Free baking drops*, which you can buy from Amazon, or direct from the Moo Free website.

When choosing an almond butter, make sure you buy a pure nut version without added salt or sugar. I tend to use Meridian*. I buy the massive tub as we go through so much!

If you are looking for more healthy dairy, egg & soy free snack ideas, you may like to try: