You have to love the contractions of children–some kids actually need to gain weight, find meal time an annoyance that takes them away from their activities, and are oblivious to the diet/calorie counting world of grownups. Though healthy eating to gain weight naturally can be a challenge when you serve a nutritious meal and receive looks like they are about to eat a plate of dancing beetles. Eliza Savage, RD at Middleberg Nutrition navigates a healthy eating approach for young eaters.
A stealthy smoothie by adding such powerhouse ingredients as avocado and protein powder.
“Keeping kids on a healthy nutritional track can be challenging, whether you have a tantrum-prone toddler, picky preschooler or finicky grade school age child,” says Savage. “I recommend including children in food choices from the beginning, involving them in shopping and cooking (when appropriate), and exposing them to as many foods as possible.”
Fruit, avocado and nuts are snack stables for a healthy diet.
Adults take note, it’s not just your cannot-leave-the house-without-clean-counters neuroses that kids will absorb—your outlook on meals also fits in the composite. Says Savage, “Children pick up on parents’ habits, so if you have your own aversions and communicate those to the child, they are likely to follow suit.” Whether you think avocados should be worshipped or are an awkward mushy fruit that really should be a vegetable, to a child in need of a few healthful pounds, pitch wholesome foods you may not favor as a wonder food their favorite super hero loves.
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- Be creative with ingredients that are nutritious and healthy.
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- French style yogurt doctored for the picky eater by mixing with fruit and other add-ons.
Savage’s tips to healthfully increasing your child’s caloric intake:
- Increase dietary fat: Options include adding avocado or guacamole to their meals, drizzle olive oil or butter on veggies or grains, nut or seed butter to snacks, swap oatmeal made with water for whole milk and include cheese or full-fat yogurt to their rotation.
- Blend it: Make smoothies or milkshakes with whole milk and nut or seed butter. Blend extra cheese or olive oil into sauces, preferably with extra veggies.
- Increase carb intake with nutrient dense snacks like raisins and dried fruits/mangoes.
- Consider what your child likes and then how to modify. If you need more recommendations, speak with a registered dietitian.
Keep your kitchen stocked with fresh, healthy options. Make it fun by treating meals as a social activity, such as experimenting with new recipes like whole wheat burritos, pancakes and, a snack favorite, smoothies. Considered the stew of drinks, you can patchwork a smoothie with household staples like peanut butter, chia seeds, yogurt and honey.
Recipe: Blueberry banana nut smoothie
Serves: 3
Ingredients:
1 cup blueberries (frozen or other berries can be substituted)
1 ripe banana
1 tsp ripe avocado
1 tsp honey
3 tbsps honey
1 cup almond milk
1 tsp Healthy Height
1 tsp chia seeds
Put blueberries in blender. Cut banana into cubes and add with the remaining ingredients. Blend to the consistency you prefer.
Snack time does not have to be about chips and cookies.
Resources:
Strawberry and vanilla milk: Orgain
Vanilla almond milk: Mooala
Jar glass: Mason Jars
Healthy Height shake mix: Healthy Height
Powdered peanut butter: Peanut Butter & Company
California tea towel: Cat Studio
Spoons: French Bull
