THE CARNIVORE DIET BENEFITS
You want the absolute best for your children as a parent, and what you feed them is one of the biggest determinants of their health and happiness.
Unfortunately, the standard American diet is packed with sugar and other processed ingredients that your kids might love - but are absolutely awful for them.
Even if you do your best to eliminate these cheap, low-quality food groups, the truth is, that carbohydrates and plant-based ingredients in general are problematic for human beings. That’s why there’s been more and more interest in a radical dietary shift: the carnivore diet.
But is the carnivore diet safe for kids? We’re going to show you both the pros and cons of carnivore diet for kids here in this guide and let you be the judge. Ultimately, though, we believe the benefits of carnivore diet outweigh the potential downside - much of which can be mitigated.
Learn more about starting your kids on carnivore diet below and what it can do to help them reach their full potential physically and cognitively, while potentially helping them avoid a variety of conditions associated with the modern American diet.
Overview of the Carnivore Diet
Let’s start with the basics, what is the carnivore diet? While unconventional, this nutritional regimen is becoming more and more popular among adults, especially parents trying to feed their children healthier meals.
It’s not necessarily new, although a recent surge in interest is undeniable. As a matter of fact, this diet reflects how our ancestors may have eaten before modern dietary norms evolved. Here’s what you need to know…
How Does it Work?
So, how does the carnivore diet work? Perhaps a better question is, what can you eat on carnivore diet? As the name suggests, it’s all about eating meat, fish, eggs, and certain dairy products while avoiding plant-based sources entirely.
Yes - that means your kiddos won’t be consuming any fruits, vegetables, or grain-based foods. This goes against one of the most generally accepted nutritional principles of getting plenty of color on your plate through fruits and vegetables, but there’s a reason for that.
Advocates argue that, despite its restrictive nature, the carnivore diet can still provide all essential nutrients while avoiding common dietary irritants that cause problems for children. Think gluten, sugar, and artificial additives.
The Philosophy Behind the Regimen
We briefly mentioned it above, but the carnivore diet strips back modern eating habits to more closely align with the ancient dietary regimen our ancestors would have eaten.
This more primal way of eating is also appealing for busy parents who are sick of stressing about getting enough variety in their kids’ meals.
The truth is, many of the nutrients you’ve been led to believe are essential - like fiber - may not be as important as you were told. In fact, some of these could be doing more harm than good.
In a world full of overly processed, sugar-laden foods targeting kids, the concept of returning to basics is compelling. So, is a carnivore diet healthy? Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of carnivore diet for kids below.
What are the Benefits of the Carnivore Diet For Kids?
Getting your kids on the carnivore diet sounds like a profound shift, and one they might resist at first. They might scream and cry when you tell them they can’t have their fruit snacks anymore, or that the chips they eat with lunch are off limits now.
Parents know they have to pick and choose their battles wisely. So is this one worth fighting? We think so, and it all comes down to the well-documented physical and mental benefits of carnivore diet for kids.
Improved Cognitive Function and Focus
We probably don’t have to remind you how hard it is to get kids to focus on something, be it in school or extracurricular activities. Many of the foods they eat on a daily basis only make this worse, which is where the carnivore diet becomes particularly intriguing.
The diet’s focus on high-quality fats, particularly from sources like fatty fish, eggs, and grass-fed meat, provides essential nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids. These play a pivotal role in brain health and development.
You don’t just have to take our word for it, though. Countless studies have pointed to omega-3s as a great way to improve memory, focus, and overall cognitive performance in children.
Meanwhile, your little one won’t be dealing with the brain fog and energy crashes that often come with high-carb diets, processed sugars, and refined carbohydrates. This will help them concentrate better in school.
Supports Physical Growth and Development
It’s crazy how quickly children develop, they’re like weeds. If you blink, you’ll miss a growth spurt. Still, what you feed them impacts the rate at which they develop physically.
Since protein is the building block of growth, it makes sense that you’d want to ensure your kiddos are eating enough of it. The carnivore diet’s focus on high-protein sources aligns perfectly with this need.
Every bite your child takes on this diet is filled with complete proteins, which provide all the essential amino acids necessary for muscle growth, tissue repair, and overall physical development.
The diet also gives your kids plenty of essential vitamins and minerals like iron, zinc, and vitamin B12, all of which have their place in physical development as well.
Better Energy and Stable Blood Sugar
The carnivore diet won’t just have your kids feeling more focused but physically energized to tackle each day as well. It’s not the same type of energy you see them exhibit after a sugary snack, but rather a more sustained boost that lasts all day long.
Fat is a long-lasting fuel source, and when paired with protein, it can keep blood sugar levels steady throughout the day. This means fewer meltdowns, better mood regulation, and more consistent energy, especially during school hours or after physical activities.
In contrast, high-carb, sugary snacks might give a temporary energy boost but are often followed by a crash, leaving kids feeling tired and irritable. No thanks!
Fewer Digestive and Allergic Reactions
Many common digestive issues, like bloating, gas, and stomach discomfort, can be linked to foods that contain grains, gluten, and other plant-based fibers.
Fortunately, you can put these problems in the past by getting your kids on carnivore diet. Since the diet focuses on a small range of whole, animal-based foods, it minimizes the risk of accidental exposure to allergens.
Other Reasons to Get Your Kids on Carnivore Diet
Health benefits aside, this dietary shift is going to make your life a whole lot easier as a parent. Sure, you won’t be able to send your children off to school with packaged snacks and meals. But, preparing meals becomes simpler when you’re focusing on a small ingredient selection.
You can easily cook in bulk, and the diet allows for straightforward cooking methods like grilling, roasting, or frying. Fewer ingredients also mean less time spent grocery shopping, saving you time and energy.
Picky eaters love this diet, too. You’re not going to have to fight your kids to try those weird vegetables on their plate, or bother them with a boring snack consisting of fruit. We’ll introduce you to the best low carb snacks that kids love later on.
First, let’s look at the other side of the coin. Is the carnivore diet SAFE for kids?
Is the Carnivore Diet Safe for Kids, Though?
While we’re big-time advocates of the carnivore diet for kids, you should know why carnivore diet is bad in some cases. There’s no dietary regimen out there that is right for everyone, and this one is no exception.
So, let’s go over some of the potential carnivore diet side effects and tips on mitigating them for your child as you work to make this transition.
The Adjustment Period
The biggest issue parents face when starting their kids on carnivore diet is the adjustment period, which is also known as the “carnivore flu.” During this time, your child may experience fatigue, irritability, headaches, and digestive discomfort.
This is simply the body’s response to relying on fat as its primary energy source instead of carbohydrates. It will pass within a few weeks, but in the meantime, it can be uncomfortable.
Keep your child hydrated along the way by giving them water with electrolytes, particularly sodium, potassium, and magnesium. Bone broth or salted meat can also help.
One of the biggest hurdles, though, will be convincing them they don’t need those sugary snacks they’ve come to know and love. Kids don’t care about their health, they just want what they want.
You’ll have to find a suitable replacement, which is where our carnivore chips come in. More on that later.
Nutrient Deficiency
The other big issue associated with the carnivore diet for kids is nutrient deficiency. They won’t be getting any fiber on carnivore diet, nor will they have a great source of vitamin C. These are really only found in plant-based foods. So, what can you do?
Simple - sneak some organ meats into your kids’ meals! Liver, for example, is a nutrient dense source of vitamin C, and your kids won’t even know it’s in there. Meanwhile, eggs and fatty fish can offer other vital nutrients like choline and omega-3s.
If you’re still worried about nutrient deficiencies, though, there are a few options. You can use carnivore diet supplements to fill in those gaps. Or, you can try getting them on a modified carnivore diet for kids.
This involves continuing to eat certain plant-based foods occasionally while keeping the focus on animal-based foods. While it may compromise the carnivore diet results to a certain extent, it can alleviate concerns of deficiency.
The key takeaway here is that all of the claims against starting your kids on carnivore diet can be mitigated with careful planning, be it carnivore diet constipation or carnivore diet and cholesterol. So, let’s get into how to start the carnivore diet for kids below!
Tips on Starting Your Kids on Carnivore Diet
While making the transition to the carnivore diet for yourself can be stressful, it becomes even more challenging when trying to get your kids to do it. That’s why we’ve put together this quick list of carnivore diet tips to make it a seamless journey.
Gradual Transition
The carnivore diet rules can be jarring, so don’t make the mistake of cutting out plant-based foods cold turkey. Instead, slowly but surely start making the switch over.
You’re probably well aware of how resistant to change kids can be. So if they don’t really notice anything is changing on a day to day basis, they won’t be able to fight it!
Start by slowly reducing their intake of processed foods, grains, and sugary snacks while increasing their consumption of meat, eggs, and dairy. It can be as simple as replacing their usual side of pasta with a serving of bacon or swap out sugary cereals for scrambled eggs.
Before you know it, they’ll be eating a more carnivore-friendly diet - they might not even be wise to it, either! But if they do have objections or questions, be honest with them. They might not appreciate it now, but they certainly will down the road.
Making Meals Fun and Engaging
Kids are much more likely to embrace new foods if mealtime feels like an adventure. Get creative with how you present their meals. Try cutting meat into fun shapes, serving mini sliders, or making bite-sized meatballs.
Create carnivore-themed lunches, like “dino bites” made of grilled chicken or “meat lollipops” using lamb chops. The more playful the presentation, the more your child will be excited to try new things.
We have a great list of carnivore lunch ideas and carnivore breakfast, carnivore diet desserts, carnivore diet sides, and more in our blog if you’re struggling with this. Or, just follow our 30-day carnivore diet meal plan and keep things simple.
Providing Variety in Protein Sources
We can’t stress this enough - variety is everything on the carnivore diet. It’s what prevents nutrient deficiencies. So, make sure to incorporate a wide range of carnivore meat to not only provide comprehensive nutrition but to keep things fun for your kids.
Rotate between chicken, beef, pork, lamb, and seafood. Remember to include liver and heart, as these organ meats are nutritional powerhouses. Sneak them into a flavorful pâté to introduce them subtly. Browse our carnivore diet food list for more advice on what you need at the store.
Involving Kids in Meal Prep
One of the best pieces of advice we have for parents trying to start kids on carnivore diet is to get them involved. The responsibility will help them feel more invested in their health and wellness, and it will set the stage for great life skills down the road.
It can be as easy as having them help you season the meat, or cracking eggs into a bowl before you do the rest. As they grow up they can take on bigger roles in the kitchen like flipping burgers or shaping meatballs. Come high school they might be the one making you dinner!
Keeping Tasty Snacks on Hand
We’ve said a few times throughout this guide that you’re going to need to get creative on how you’ll remove your kid's favorite snacks without them making a fuss.
There aren’t many great carnivore diet snacks out there - really, it just comes down to cheese, eggs, and jerky. Fortunately, we’ve come up with something unique that adults and kids alike love: meat chips.
These contain just two ingredients, meat and salt - that’s it. They’re sourced from the most elite, ethical regenerative farms in the nation and guaranteed to be a hit amongst your children. They offer a delightful crunch before melting in your mouth. Here are our most popular varieties:
Carnivore Snax is a must-have on any carnivore meal plan, be it for kids or adults. Order yours today and taste the difference yourself. We’re confident you’ll be back for more once your kids get to try them out!
Handling Social Situations
Perhaps the biggest challenge in following a carnivore diet for kids is addressing those uncomfortable situations where they want to go over to a friend’s house for a sleepover. Or, maybe it’s a school event or family gathering and you’re worried about what they’ll have to eat.
Our advice? Don’t stress about it too much. As long as they’re eating a carnivore-friendly diet the vast majority of the time, a little bit of variance from the rules won’t harm them too much.
You can also pack them carnivore-friendly snacks or meals if you’re really worried about it. Teach your child how to handle questions from peers in a positive way so they feel confident about their dietary choices.
Tracking Progress and Adjusting
Keep an eye on how your kid feels both physically and emotionally as you navigate this dietary revolution. Are they more energized? How is their sleep? Are they complaining about any digestive issues?
You can always make adjustments based on their individual needs - whether that means adding more fats for energy or switching up protein sources for variety.
You might even find that carnivore simply isn’t for them, and that’s ok! As long as you’re doing your best to feed your kids healthy food and following a regimen that’s rooted in science, you’re doing your job as a parent.
Bringing Our Carnivore Diet Kids Guide to a Close
From cognitive function to stable energy levels and fewer digestive issues, there are plenty of reasons to take a chance on the carnivore diet for kids. We hope you have a solid grasp of the pros, cons, and tips on getting started.
Our blog has more resources to help you take the next step like following the carnivore diet for weight loss, carnivore diet macros, cheese on carnivore diet, carnivore diet with fruit, paleo vs carnivore, fasting on carnivore diet, carnivore diet for MS, and more.
Otherwise, the only thing left to do is take the next step towards transitioning your child to this dietary regimen. Carnivore Snax is a great starting point with our kid-approved carnivore diet treats. Order today and see what keeps our customers coming back for more!
