Is Your Child Underweight? Ideas to Make Food Count
Jun 08, 2023
Children should constantly be growing to maintain proper development. When your child is a picky eater, very active, or refuses meals and/or snacks, their growth may not be consistent. This may be displayed on their growth chart as declining percentiles, weight plateaus, or constant ups and downs.
A common way to help with slowed growth is to put your child on a nutritional supplement. However, there are other strategies for making meals and snacks count.
Use of High-calorie Foods and Additives
The easiest way to increase calories is by adding high calorie options to foods your child enjoys! This helps get the most “bang for your buck.” You can add these high-calorie foods and additives to your child’s portion if you prepare a meal for the family to share.
Foods
Uses
Butter or Oil (avocado, olive, canola)
Spread on toast or sandwiches
Add to vegetables, oatmeal, mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, pasta, rice, vegetable purees, etc.
Heavy cream or whole milk
Use instead of water or milk in oatmeal
Use in mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, fruit purees, etc.
Cheese
On top of everything!
Full-fat yogurt
Use as a dip or in smoothies
Replacement for low-fat “kid” yogurts
Maple Syrup
Add to smoothies, oatmeal, yogurt, etc.
Honey *Not for children <1 yr of age
Add to smoothies, oatmeal, yogurt, toast, etc.
Avocado
Smash on toast
Add to smoothies
Mash and use as a dip
Peanut butter or nut butter
Use as a dip
Add to smoothies, milkshakes, oatmeal, yogurt, etc.
Full-fat coconut milk
Add to smoothies, milkshakes, oatmeal, or soups
Use when making rice instead of water
Use in baked goods
Sweet Potato
Use in soups or casseroles
Eggs
Serve cooked in butter or scrambled with whole milk and cheese
Banana
Add to smoothies, milkshakes, oatmeal, yogurt, etc.
Black beans or other beans
Add in soups, stews, or casseroles
Blend into baked goods
Puree with cream cheese/sour cream and use as a dip
High-calorie Snack Ideas
When choosing snacks, make sure you have at least two food groups! This will help the snack be higher in calories and is a good general rule of thumb to provide a more nutritious snack.
Crackers + cheese
String cheese + grapes
Hard boiled eggs + crackers or fruit
Bagel with cream cheese
Hummus + pretzels or veggies
Full-fat yogurt + granola + fruit
Trail mix
Protein snack bars
English muffin or apple + peanut butter
PBJ sandwich
Celery with peanut butter
Full fat cottage cheese + Fruit
Strategies to Increase Your Child’s Intake at Mealtimes
You can provide lots of high-calorie food options, but it won’t help if your child refuses to eat at mealtimes. These tips below may help increase how much your child will eat.
Have set meal and snack times with a goal of three meals and two to three snacks each day.
Offer just one snack in between meals to limit grazing.
Limit mealtimes to 30 minutes and snack times to 15 minutes. After this set time, the food can be taken away. The more consistent you are, the easier your child will get used to this schedule.
Avoid allowing your child to eat/drink one hour before mealtimes.
Offer food first and limit beverage consumption at mealtimes.
Avoid being a short-order cook. This means what you provide at mealtimes is what your child has to eat. Ensure you provide at least one or two high calories foods on their plate that you know they will accept.
Be a good role model by eating a balanced diet with your child.
Limit juice to four ounces per day
If you are concerned with your child’s growth or intake, speak with your pediatrician or dietitian for further guidance.
Elizabeth Grove is a Clinical Dietitian at Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s Comprehensive Pediatric Feeding and Swallowing Program.
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