• Skip to content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Shop ModernMom
  • Become An Insider

ModernMom

The premiere destination for moms

  • Parenting
    • Pregnancy
    • Baby
    • Kids
    • Tweens and Teens
    • ModernMom Monday Videos
  • Cooking
  • Living Healthy
    • Breast Cancer
    • Health & Fitness
    • Body after Baby
    • Beauty
    • Relationships
    • Love
  • Lifestyle
    • Crafts
    • At Home
    • Education
    • Travel
    • Pets
    • Decorate
    • Money
    • Brooke Burke
  • Celebrate
    • Holidays
      • Easter
      • Valentine’s Day
      • New Year’s
      • Christmas
      • Hanukah
      • Halloween
      • Thanksgiving
    • Birthdays
    • Parties
  • Must Have
  • Contests
  • Entertainment

High Calorie Toddler Foods

January 25, 2011 by ds_51230 Leave a Comment

If you’ve got a finicky eater on your hands, you may be worried that she’s not getting enough calories. It’s normal for children to go through phases with their food, only wanting to eat certain foods. As a parent, though, you should carefully plan her meals to ensure that she gets as much nutrition as possible, even if she has a limited number of foods she enjoys.

Why Give High Calorie Foods

Toddlers should be eating around 1,000 to 1,400 calories per day, according to KidsHealth. This might be easy for an adult to eat, but with smaller portion sizes and picky eating habits, some toddlers won’t reach this amount. Without enough calories, your toddler will not grow properly, a condition called “failure to thrive.” By serving your child high-calorie foods, you ensure that he gets all the calories his growing body needs.

High Calorie Toddler Favorites

All toddlers have different likes and dislikes, but here are a few common favorites in the high-calorie food department:

  • Cheese
  • Milk
  • Yogurt
  • Peanut butter
  • Chicken nuggets  
  • Eggs 

 

Note – when choosing dairy products, choose the full-fat varieties. Your toddler needs the calories and fat for growth.

Adding Calories to Favorite Foods

If your toddler’s favorite foods tend to be low calorie, you can look for ways to add to the calorie count. For example, cook eggs in butter or oil rather than using a nonstick pan. You can add a breakfast mix to milk in order to add both calories and nutrition. Add high-calorie toppings like cheese or butter to vegetables. Offer yogurt or peanut butter for dipping fruits.

Nutrient Density

When choosing high-calorie foods for your toddler, pay attention to the nutritional content of the foods that you choose. If you can get your toddler to eat more calories in the form of yogurt or fortified milk, for example, it’s more nutritious than simply adding oil to a recipe. Encourage your child to eat fruits and vegetables, incorporating higher calorie ingredients along with the nutrient-dense, but low-calorie, foods.

Junk Foods

Junk foods like chips and candy can have a small place in everyone’s diet, but they shouldn’t form the bulk of it. Even though your child may need extra calories, you shouldn’t supplement her diet with junk foods. Some children will turn down a nutritious meal, only to ask for cookies later. Save junk foods for the occasional snack and focus on increasing calories through healthier foods.

For more information, check out this guide to high calorie food for toddlers from Framingham Pediatrics

Comments

comments

Filed Under: Food & Drink

About ds_51230

Maggie McCormick is a freelance writer that specializes in SEO content. She lived in Japan for three years teaching preschool to young children and currently lives in Honolulu with her family. Her work has appeared on eHow, and she received a BA in women's studies from Wellesley College.

Reader Interactions

Primary Sidebar

Tell a friend

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Search

ModernMom Boutique

ModernMom TV

Featured

Third Child

I Want a Third Child, Except, I Really Don’t

Something strange has been happening to me lately:  I keep … [Read More...] about I Want a Third Child, Except, I Really Don’t

Must Have

ToniBox

Meet Toniebox – A Loveable Storytime Friend For Your Kids

If you are looking for something to occupy your children … [Read More...] about Meet Toniebox – A Loveable Storytime Friend For Your Kids

Did you know?

basal temperature as sign of pregnancy

Basal Temperature As Sign of Pregnancy

Cravings & the Sex of the Baby

Cravings & the Sex of the Baby

When Can a Baby Hear in the Womb

When Can a Baby Hear in the Womb ?

average breast size of a woman

The Average Breast Size of a Woman

What Can I Substitute for Butter When Making Frosting?

Advantages & Disadvantages for Children in a Single-Parent Family

Meals That Pair With Corn on the Cob

Meals That Pair With Corn on the Cob

Footer

  • About Us
  • Contact ModernMom
  • Advertise With Us
  • Press
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Contributors

Copyright © 2021 Modern Mom. All Rights Reserved.

Reproduction of any portion of this website only at the express permission of Mom, Inc.

The information provided on ModernMom is for educational use only. It should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.