Chances are you're trying to eat more protein, but should your children be too?

Protein has become the nutrient of the moment for adults, but nutrition researchers say the same push does not automatically apply to children.

Dietitians point out that most New Zealand children already meet or exceed their protein needs through ordinary meals containing dairy, eggs, meat, legumes and grains.

The bigger gaps in children's diets tend to be fibre, vegetables and iron rather than protein, and heavily marketed protein products can displace those foods.

Specialists recommend focusing on balanced whole-food meals and treating protein supplements as unnecessary for most healthy children unless a clinician advises otherwise.