Kids can be very tricky to feed at times and as parents, we worry about if they are getting enough nutrients to grow. So we do our research and find many types of nutrition shakes for kids, but with so many options what do we go with? Well, today we are going to look at Boost Kids Essentials and Orgain Kids Protein to figure out which one of these may be better for you and your kid.
Disclaimer: This post does contain affiliate links.
What are kid’s nutrition shakes good for?
I want to start off first by explaining what kids’ nutrition shakes are good for. Nutrition shakes are made for kids who have been lacking in the main nutrients they need to grow healthy.
Often times they are used for kids who are picky eaters that don’t get nutrients from the foods that they will eat. Many kids’ nutrition shakes have a good amount of calories for underweight kids to gain the healthy weight they need as well.
They also are great for on-the-go when you can’t make a healthy meal or even as a snack to make sure they are getting their nutrients throughout the day.
I do suggest talking to your pediatrician about how many drinks a day that you can give your child of these nutrition shakes because every kid is different. And your pediatrician might recommend a different brand for your kid based on what they need actually need.
Why do I keep nutrition shakes on hand?
There are so many reasons I keep kids nutrition shakes on hand and because you never know when you will need them it is best to have some stocked up.
Personally I know that my daughter has her ups and downs with her appetite and there are times she really doesn’t want to eat much. So during these times, I give her nutrition shakes to make sure she at least is getting some nutrients that she won’t be eating.
My daughter also happens to be a picky eater which is why I give her some of her shake mixed with whole milk to make sure she is still getting her milk and her nutrients. By mixing with milk it makes the shakes last longer if you don’t need to give them much each day or each meal.
I know that we are often on-the-go and so during those times I want to make sure that she has enough nutrients to still grow and have energy throughout the day.
Now we are going to move on one of her favorite kid nutrition shakes and that is Boost Kids Essentials.
Boost Kids Essentials
Kids Essentials was created by Boost for kids ages 1 to 13 to give them the nutrients and protein that they are lacking in. The shakes usually come in a 4-pack and each carton is 8.25 FL OZ (244mL). One carton is a serving and each serving contains 7 grams of protein, 25 essential vitamins and minerals, and 240 calories.
You can usually find them in some Walmart’s, Walgreens, and of course online at Amazon and the Nestle website.
My daughter loves their vanilla and chocolate versions and I have been able to give them to her since she was a 1-year-old.
I will say that it is really great that Boost made their nutrition shake fit for a 1-year-old because it makes it easier to make sure that your kid can get the vitamins they need at such a young age. And when you have a 1-year-old they most likely aren’t going to get all of their veggies and vitamins through all of their foods.
Another great part about Boost Kids Essentials is that they have a carton that is resealable. Yup, a twist cap can make a huge difference and I love that so much about these shakes.
Now I will put the pros and cons below, but I do want to talk a little bit about the main con of this shake. And that is that it does contain both milk and soy.
The reason that I really consider this a con is that for those that are lactose-free they can’t drink this because it has milk. Then there is also a problem with having soy products and that is that it can mimic estrogen-like hormones which if having too much can do more harm than good. But do note that soy can be bad if you have too much of it on a daily basis.
So if your child can have milk and you don’t mind the soy then Boost Kids Essentials can be a good option for you.
Quick reminder: I am not a doctor, physician, or an expert on any of this, just a mom who wants to keep her child healthy and hopefully help you along the way as well.
Now onto the pros and cons, I have found while using Boost Kids Essentials.
Pros
- 7 Grams of Protein
- 27 Essential vitamins & minerals
- 2 Grams of Fiber
- 240 Calories
- For ages 1-13
- Twist cap carton to reseal
- 3 Flavors to choose from Vanilla, Chocolate, & Strawberry
- Higher in calories (for the underweight kids who need to put on some weight)
- Can be found at Walmart, Walgreens, and online on Amazon and the Nestle store
Cons
- Hard to find in-stores (Check for it in Walmart’s in the baby section in the Pedialyte isle, not all Walmart’s carry them)
- Higher in calories (Not so good for a child that doesn’t need to add on weight)
- Added sugar (9 Grams)
- Contains Milk and Soy
Orgain Kids Protein
Another nutrition shake that my daughter loves is Orgain Kids Protein. These come in 8.25 FL OZ cartons in a 12 or 24 pack. Each carton has 8 grams of protein, 26 vitamins and minerals, 10 fruits and veggies, and is only 180 calories.
You can find them in the 12 count packs at Walmart, Orgain, and Amazon. Or you can get the 24 pack at Costco.
Now there are many great reasons to choose Orgain and I first want to start off with the fact that is was developed by a doctor. The doctor, Dr. Andrew Abraham, MP, has kids of his own and wanted to create a drink for them as well. He made this nutrition shake that gluten-free, made without soy ingredients, with plenty of protein and fruits and veggies.
I absolutely love many aspects of this shake because it does have more protein than Boost Kids Essentials and it has fewer calories. This means that more kids can have this drink without gain excess weight that they probably don’t need.
If your kid is underweight you may want them to drink more of this or to go with something like Boost just to add on those extra calories.
Orgain Kids Protein is made for kids ages 2 and up so you can start early in the toddler years when pickiness seems to grow a bit. It also comes in the three flavors chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry. I do suggest that you don’t get strawberry for toddlers especially at 2 only because they don’t seem to like the taste, but they will love the chocolate and vanilla instead.
Another few great parts about this shake is that it is Non-GMO, USDA Organic, and preservative-free. All things that make this momma happy.
There are some cons to Orgain Kids Protein though. It is more expensive than Boost Kids Essentials, it is not resealable and instead has loose straws, and it does contain milk.
If your kid is lactose-free than both shakes are not for you and if you want to feed only vegan foods this is not for you because of the milk. Then the cartons are not resealable which is sad for those who only drink a little bit at a time and can be spilled easier if you aren’t careful.
Now when it comes to the loose straws it can be annoying because it only has a straw insert for your kid to drink out of it, but they only attach packaged straws to the back by a small amount of glue which doesn’t hold well. So you will most likely lose your straws especially if you are taking it for on the go. If you do take it with you I suggest taking the straw off and putting it somewhere you can easily find it like a pocket in your bag or so.
Below are the pros and cons for you to take a better look at.
Pros
- 8 Grams of Protein
- 26 Vitamins & minerals
- 10 Fruits and veggies
- 3 Grams of Fiber
- 180 Calories
- Ages 2+
- Gluten-Free
- Non-GMO
- USDA Organic
- Preservative-Free
- Doctor Developed
- Made without Soy ingredients
- Complete nutrition
- Three flavors: Chocolate, Vanilla, and Strawberry (Younger kids usually like chocolate and vanilla more)
- Can be found at Walmart, Costco, and online at Orgain or Amazon
Cons
- Expensive
- Not resealable
- Contains Milk
- Added sugar (9 Grams)
- Loose straws get lost often
- The child should be 2 years old or older (not helpful for the 1-year-old picky eaters)
My preference between Boost Kids Essentials and Orgain Kids Protein
I honestly like both in certain aspects. For Boost Kids Essentials I loved that I was able to give it to my 1-year-old and that it does come in a resealable carton. But I do plan on switching over to Orgain Kids Protein for the most part.
The reason being that Orgain is soy-free, organic, and has fewer calories which is better for my daughter since she is not underweight. My daughter loves the taste of the chocolate and vanilla and will get excited when she knows she gets to drink it. I also love the fact that it does not have preservatives and I can find it more often than I can find Boost Kids Essentials.
I will say that if you do have a picky 1-year-old to go with Boost Kids Essentials, but once they turn 2 or if you already have a 2-year-old+ then to go with Orgain Kids Protein.
Another thing I will say is that if you are on a tighter budget to go with Boost Kids Essentials since Orgain is a bit more expensive. If you have the budget for Orgain Kids Protein then go for it if you decide it is best for your kid.
If you are reading this to the very end then I do want to thank you with a discount code for Orgain if you do decide it is right for your family. So get 30% off your first order with the code MOMWHORAVES when you order the shakes online at Orgain. It works for as many items as you want to get, but it does not work on the subscription of any of the items.
If you have any other nutrition shakes you want me to review or compare for you then leave me a comment below so that I can check them out.
