Helping your child gain weight: energy boosting ideas

(meat, chicken, fish, eggs, yogurt, dairy, lentils, beans, tofu, nuts and seeds)

Compare jarred meats/chicken and choose ones highest in fat, protein and calories.
Select high fat cuts of meat and offer chicken thigh over chicken breast.
Add canola/olive oil or non-hydrogenated margarine when making homemade foods.
Add gravy to foods.
Add parmesan cheese, ricotta cheese, eggs or breadcrumbs into ground meat dishes and serve with cream sauce.
Select fattier fish like salmon, mackerel, trout, herring and sardines. Prepare with butter/oil for added fat.
Mix avocado into stewed meats or fish for creamier texture.
Scramble eggs with added oil and high fat cheese. Add raw eggs to soup while they are cooking.
Add nut butter or peanut butter powder (PB2) into sauces, hot oatmeal, Greek yogurt and smoothies or use as a dip.
Use hummus, edamame, or other mashed beans, as a dip for crackers or vegetables.
Add tofu (regular or silken) to soups, smoothies, congee, pasta sauces or pan fry pieces for your toddler to hold and eat.
Add meat, beans, lentils into soups or stews.
Crush nuts/seeds and use as a coating for chicken or fish.
Add cheese into mashed potatoes, sauces, scrambled eggs, casseroles, meats and stews.
Choose high fat Greek yogurt to mix with fruit, serve with waffles, pancakes or add to muffins or smoothies. Mix with powdered ranch and enjoy as a vegetable dip or sandwich spread.
Use full fat coconut milk as a base for soups or when making Thai curry.
Add powdered milk to soups for a creamier texture.

(breads, pasta, rice, quinoa, crackers)

Use breast milk or iron fortified formula instead of water when preparing infant cereal.
Add ground or chopped nuts, chia or flax seeds into breakfast cereals or oatmeal.
Add nut butter to hot infant cereal or spread onto toast, pancakes or waffles.
Prepare peanut/nut butter sauces to serve over rice or pasta.
Soak French toast in eggs and high fat milk and then pan fry using oil or non-hydrogenated margarine or butter.
Spread outside of bread with non-hydrogenated margarine or butter before making grilled cheese.
Table cream (18-30% M.F.), whipping cream (more than 36% M.F.) or powdered milk can be added to mashed potatoes, hot cereal, oatmeal, soups, congee, pancake batter, pasta sauce and casseroles.
Add non-hydrogenated margarine, butter or oil to rice, pasta, quinoa or other cooked grains.
Add quinoa into soup or use in meat/fish/lentil patties as a binder.
Melt cheese on whole grain bagel or English Muffin for homemade pizza.
Add wheat germ to homemade bran muffins or soft granola bars.
Add healthy fats, such as chia seeds, hemp hearts, ground flax seeds and nut butters into baked goods.
High fibre cereals can be great finger foods. Make your own trail mix by mixing cereal with raisins, nuts, seeds or chocolate chips.
Raisins, nuts and seeds can be a choking hazard for children less than 4 years of age. If your child is under 4 years old, chop/crush the dried fruit, nut, seeds and chocolate chips into tiny pieces.

Melt grated cheese or add cheese sauce to steamed vegetables.
Add canola/olive oil, table or whipping cream when cooking vegetables.
Add vegetables cooked with added fat into meats, infant cereals or baked goods.
Dip vegetables into hummus, bean dip or homemade Greek yogurt/ranch dip.
Make homemade potato or sweet potato fries to dip into ranch dressing or mash with added maple syrup.
Spread avocado on toast or crackers, mix with mashed lentils or add to sauces, high fat yogurt, egg or tuna salad, smoothies or casseroles.
Dip banana circles or fruit slices into peanut or nut butter.
Dip apple slices into high fat Greek yogurt and sprinkle with ground nuts for added crunch.
If purchasing commercial jars of pureed fruit, add 1 teaspoon of whipping cream or oil to each 4 oz jar. This can then be mixed into infant cereal or yogurt.