Food advice for small kids

[LindsayO 13]

Hello,

My guy will be 5 in July, and has always been a little guy. To illustrate, size 4 pants are still way to big for him.

His energy is fine, everything else is fine. But his doctor has always been concerned about his weight and I refuse to give him pediasure.

I do use the Whole 30 template as a guide, and thankfully he does eat veggies, lots of eggs, avocado, compliant bacon, olives, and coconut. He'll only eat a few pieces of meat on his plate though.

Any suggestions? I feel like I've done everything possible to give him whole 30 foods. He's not crazy about potatoes, (he does love sweet potato fries.....)

And he does eat plenty of regular SAD food at daycare during the week.

[ShannonM816 5599]

You can focus on adding more fat to his meals, that's an easy way to up the calories. Ranch dressing to dip veggies in, for instance. We don't recommend smoothies for most people, but you could find smoothie recipes using compliant ingredients -- like something with coconut milk, bananas, and almond butter, maybe. Not as a meal replacement, but a supplement/treat. Will he eat avocado or olives? Those would be good higher calorie items that could be easy snacks.

[LindsayO 13]

Thanks!

[KTH1010 41]

Hey! I second the smoothie suggestion. I also make black tea with collagen peptides (a powder that dissolves super easily) and tons of coconut cream, and my kids love to taste it so much that I make a caffeine-free version for them. tons of protein and good fat! 

[LindsayO 13]

Thanks! I do something similar but I add the peptides to milk.

[Alexendra 0]

 

[Anhe 1]

Maybe if you cook meats cut in bite size with veggies (like stir fry, kebab with veggies/salad) and then add a dressing on top, could he eat more meat that way with everything mixed?