You asked about non-whey protein drinks, and there are many other types of protein powders available including rice, egg whites, and vegetable sources like peas and soy. The Biological Value is highest in whey, eggs, milk, meats, then legumes and other foods. B.V. is the measure of a protein's ability to be used by the body. The higher the B.V. number the more protein your body will be able to use. It takes nearly twice as much protein from beans (49) to equal the same amount in beef (80), while whey is 100-159, eggs-100, milk-91, chicken-79.... Gelatin is an excellent source of protein and you can make healthy "Knox Blocks" and other gummy-type gelatin enriched snack recipes using 100% juice (apple, grape, orange, pineapple, etc.), coconut milk, almond milk..... Lots of recipes if you look on-line. There are two types of gelatin, the "common" one that gels, such as Knox, and the "better" brands like Dr. Benard Jensen's, NOW brand, and Great Lakes Gelatin in the red container. Great Lakes Gelatin in the green container mixes in cold liquids but doesn't gel - great as a smoothie add-in or added to nearly any beverage (6 grams protein per tablespoon). If I find my energy lagging in the afternoon (I suspect it has something to do with getting up at 3 a.m. everyday), I'll mix gelatin in a beverage (hot or cold) and drink that instead of finding a snack. While traveling I add 1/2 of a packet of Hansen's Natural Fruit Stix (sweetened with Truvia) to a bottle of water and also add 1 T. of Great Lakes Gelatin (green container). Lots of health benefits from gelatin and that includes the gelatin from making meaty bone broth. Broth in a thermos would be another good high-protein snack. No offense to anyone who enjoys soy in their diet, I personally wouldn't recommend any type of soy for consumption, and especially for a child. For more information: "The Whole Soy Story" by Kaayla T. Daniel, PhD, CCN. Other choices would be to make your baked goods with almond flour (or other nut flours) or coconut flour (which usually require a LOT of eggs in the recipes - the muffins I made yesterday have 1/2 an egg per muffin and is why one muffin for an adult is very satisfying and filling - plus coconut flour is very high in fiber). There are also some really good recipes that use cooked beans (or canned) in recipes including muffins, cookies, brownies, etc. I make several snack foods using sprouted beans/seeds/grains to increase the protein level. [I'm more concerned with sticking to low-glycemic foods and choose foods on the lower-half of the glycemic index of foods. Trying to avoid diabetes, which runs rampant in hubby's family.] Beans not only add protein and fiber, it also replaces most of the fat in these recipes. You can also replace a portion of wheat flour (up to 20%) with bean flour to increase the protein level. FYI: Use small white beans for bean flour (I mill my own) because it has the least amount of beany flavor when added to baked goods. Even better if you sprout, dry (in a dehydrator), and grind the beans into flour. Sprouting will increase the nutrition of the beans and reduce the hard-to-digest phytates and enzyme inhibitors. But foremost, keep in mind the daily recommended amount of protein for your small child. Generally, 0.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight for 4-to-6-year-olds. An extra-large egg (you could choose medium-size eggs when serving them to a small child to reduce the serving size), two tablespoons of peanut butter or one-half cup of beans provide six to eight grams of protein each, which is about the same amount in each ounce of lean meat, fish and poultry. There are also two to four grams of protein in each serving of breads and cereals and one to three grams in a serving of most vegetables. -Grainlady

Just to report in... tish, I bought the So-Delicious in vanilla flavor and thought it was OK. Then based on another recommendation, tried the chocolate Almond Breeze in my coffee and that was yummy! I really don't care about cheese. DH couldn't live without it, but I've never been a huge fan -- although I do like pizza, so that's a tough one. And I don't care about ice cream in the winter months... but talk to me again in June. I probably will never completely eliminate all dairy, but I can definitely cut back significantly. In the end, I may just go back to regular old milk in my coffee, and I may have the occasional cheese pizza, etc. I was somewhere today where there were limited options for lunch, so I "had" to have a ham sandwich. I don't know what I would have done if I was really a vegetarian (instead of someone trying to impersonate a vegetarian for a week). Take the ham out of the sandwich, I guess, or go hungry!

For the average person though, one who feels fine eating everything, exactly what am I going to be feeling if I give up these foods? If you feel fine, why bother? In other words, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. But I would say it's worth trying for anyone who doesn't feel as well as they would like to. Another thought, Ellen . . . I don't know how old you are, but many people seem to do just fine eating whatever, but then at some point don't tolerate certain foods as well as they used to. Their digestion gets quirky, they lack energy, and so on. My severe allergy to solanine (in all the nightshade vegetables and a few other things) didn't start until I was in my thirties, and has gotten progressively worse. Momrox, I have a tendency toward high cholesterol too, but have kept it in check by being very careful about saturated fats, plus eating oat bran. I've eaten oat bran (raw or cooked) every day for years. I just had my cholesterol checked, and it was 168. That's good for me. Now I have to do better with triglycerides, which are inching up. They're just borderline, though--nothing like the dangerously high numbers I had years ago, before I gave up sugar and lowered my carb intake. When I was stricter about carbs than I am now, my numbers were excellent. I'm sorry about your husband. I'm a widow too, and have to guard against mindless eating. It slips in.... I just came across this website with info on JJ Virgin's approach. I'm sure there are loads of other resources too.

Before leaving for the new post... Maybe I collect stray cats - have 9 ...and roses... can't have any beautiful objects like yours - especially not vases...the cats climb on everything and then whatever is there falls down and breaks... :-) but I love blue (cobalt especially) vases and bottles, and Jim, I adore those Gijoe doll-statues... they are so well made, perfectly rounded of, with so much attention to detail... I have never seen them. we only have Barbie and Ken dolls here... my brother used to collect Matchbox cars... I never had anything that special... except my cats and my roses... yes Carol... how sad what mankind does to nature... horrific.... I am going to delete the post with the elephant photo's until I've contacted my friends to ask their permission to post it permanently :-) so glad you liked seeing that.... please spread the news - stop purchasing ivory... the sad thing is, when you think about it - all the keys in a piano are made with ivory, that such a beautiful creature had to die to create such beautiful music..ironic isn't it? all for man's pleasure....