|  | Family Health | Toddlers Health

Ways to Increase Calories in a Toddler's Diet

Toddlers can be picky eaters. Even though you decide what your toddler gets served during meals, whether he eats any of it is up to him. Getting your toddler to eat can sometimes be a frustrating battle. If your toddler is underweight, there are slight dietary adjustments you can make so he consumes more calories.

  1. Full Fat Instead of Low Fat

    • Adding fat to your toddler's diet will result in extra calories. Instead of using low-fat or non-fat dairy, serve full-fat dairy. Adding 1 cup of instant dry milk powder to 1 quart of whole milk will increase the calories. Other ways you can increase calories is by adding butter and gravy to dishes you make for your child. If you make baked or mashed potatoes, be sure to add butter and gravy to them. Meat dishes can easily be fortified with butter or margarine without your child even noticing it.

    Fruits And Vegetables

    • Fruit can be offered as snacks in between meals or as dessert. To increase the calories of fruit-snacks, you can add a dollop of peanut butter for dipping or you can serve fruit with ice cream or yogurt. Opt for the higher caloric fruits such as avocados and bananas. Dried fruits such as raisins and diced apricots, are good choices also. Potato slices and vegetables such as zucchini, eggplant and mushrooms can be fried in butter to add calories.

    Protein

    • To increase calories in protein, prepare fish sticks or chicken fingers for your toddler and add an extra layer of breading to them. Chicken salad can be made with mayonnaise and pieces of hard boiled eggs. Dipping French toast in eggs or adding eggs to pancake batter will also increase the calories. Eggs are a good source of protein and can be prepared in many ways. If your child is picky, adding ketchup to eggs may help or making scrambled eggs with cheese and ham can also work.

    Starches

    • Starchy foods come in a wide variety. Breads, muffins, cookies, bagels, rice, pancakes and waffles can all be served with your child's favorite toppings and spreads such as butter, maple syrup, peanut butter and cream cheese. If you plan on serving pasta, prepare it with butter and olive oil for additional calories. Crackers with cheese or peanut butter make a good snack.

Toddlers Health - Related Articles