2 years baby weight gain food

Best Weight Gain Foods for Babies and Toddlers

By Min On July 8, 2022, Updated August 3, 2022

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Here are the top foods to help your baby or toddler gain weight. All of these are high calorie whole foods that can be easily added to your child's food to make it more filling and delicious.

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Does your child need to gain weight?
Best Solid Foods for Babies to Gain Weight (6 months and up)
Weight Gain Foods for one year old and beyond
Nutrition Supplement for Weight Gain
Tips for Adding High Calorie Foods
High Calorie Baby Food Recipes (and for toddlers)

Does your child need to gain weight?

First, it's important to determine if your child is indeed underweight and in need of intervention.

There are so many factors that influence how your child grows, such as genetics (that's a HUGE one), nutrition, environment, and activity.

So when you find yourself comparing your child with how other babies are growing, please remind yourself that every child is unique. Healthy babies come in all shapes and sizes.

If your child is in the 10th percentile, this doesn't mean they're doing better or worse than your friend's child who is in the 70th percentile.

You can rest assured that your child is getting adequate nutrition and growing properly if they're maintaining a usual and predictable pattern of growth on the curve.

On the other hand, if you start to see flattening of the curve or dips, or your child seems to always be hungry, these high-calorie, high-fat foods will help them with healthy weight gain.

Top Foods for 8 Month Old

Best Solid Foods for Babies to Gain Weight (6 months and up)

Breast milk and/or Infant Formula
Avocado
Banana
Beans
Beef
Butter *
Chicken thighs or drumsticks
Coconut
Eggs *
Full-fat Dairy products * (whole milk, cheese, yogurt, cream cheese, sour cream, cottage cheese, etc. )
Lentils
Peanut Butter *
Nuts *
Nut or Seed Butter * (e.g. almond, cashew, pumpkin seed, sunflower seed)
Oils (avocado, olive oil, sesame oil *)
Potatoes (both white and sweet potato)
Whole grains, like Quinoa
Salmon *
Sardines *
Seeds (hemp, chia, sesame, pumpkin, or flax seeds *)

Note: Foods with * by them are one of the top allergens. When first introducing, be sure to serve a tiny amount.

Weight Gain Foods for one year old and beyond

Continue serving all of the foods listed above. However, you may find that it's becoming more challenging to feed your toddler who seems to be showing less interest in eating and displaying picky eating tendencies.

Be sure to read my top foods for 1 year old post to better understand and help navigate through this tricky feeding phase.

My top tips for feeding your underweight child is:

Make every effort to include high-calorie, high-fat foods as much as possible
You might be tempted to offer high calorie foods, like ice cream, soft drinks, juice, pizza, milkshakes, etc. And while it might add a few pounds to your child, those foods will not provide the nutrients they need for healthy growth.
Instead, focus on serving nutritious meals with essential nutrients. You want to add extra calories not empty calories.
Feed them every 2-3 hours.
If your child doesn't eat much during mealtimes, you may consider providing up to 3 snacks, including a bedtime snack for additional calories.
Consider snacks as mini-meals so your child gets up to 6 eating opportunities to consume adequate calories and nutrition.
Don't pressure them to eat - it will only backfire and can actually shut down their appetite.

Here are some specific tips on how to help your underweight child.

Nutrition Supplement for Weight Gain

Many families turn to these as they are a convenient way to boost calories and nutrients to support weight gain. My personal recommendation is to focus on food first.

However, if your child is really struggling, then talk to a dietitian or health care provider to find the type that is most appropriate for your child.

Tips for Adding High Calorie Foods

Babies and toddlers have small tummies so it's important to try to make every bite count with healthy fats and important nutrients.

But this doesn't mean you have to spend all of your hours and energy in the kitchen.

Here are some super easy ways to help your baby gain weight.

Yogurt with
- hemp seeds and banana
- mashed avocado and chia seeds
- peanut butter and cooked quinoa
- flaked salmon or sardines
Toast with
- mashed beans and tahini
- almond butter, banana, and unsweetened coconut flakes
- mashed avocado and hemp seeds
Oatmeal or lentils with
- hummus
- mashed avocado and beans
- eggs and sweet potatoes
Mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes
- with butter and cheese
- with minced chicken or beef and yogurt
- added as a quesadilla filling with cheese
Eggs
- fried in olive oil
- scrambled in butter with quinoa
- scrambled egg avocado sandwich
Smoothies with avocado, peanut/nut butter, seeds, milk, or yogurt
Cook vegetables in extra oil, butter, tahini, etc. You can also serve them with high-calorie dips like nut butters, yogurt, guacamole, bean dips, etc.

High Calorie Baby Food Recipes (and for toddlers)

In addition to the simple ideas above, here are some actual recipes that can help your child gain weight while learning to enjoy a wide variety of flavors and textures.

Breakfast

Single Serve Chia Puddings for Babies and Kids

Single serve chia seed pudding for babies 6 months and up is the perfect make ahead breakfast or snack that you can whip up in under 5 minutes!

Get the recipe

Healthy Sweet Potato Cookies

These super moist sweet potato cakes made with just 5 simple ingredients, including chickpeas, oats, and chia seeds, are perfect for babies and toddlers.

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Peach Banana Smoothie

Creamy and perfectly sweet, this 5-minute, high-protein peach banana smoothie is the perfect breakfast or snack for the whole family!

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Banana Overnight Oats

These banana overnight oats are a perfect make ahead breakfast or snack option for babies, kids, and adults alike!

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Peanut Butter Chickpea Cookies

Made without flour and sugar, these peanut butter chickpea cookies are so easy to make with just 5 ingredients.

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Healthy Yogurt Muffins

Light, fluffy, and incredibly moist, these whole wheat greek yogurt muffins are made with just a handful of ingredients and can be flavored in so many ways!

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Banana Peanut Butter Sandwich

Invite fun and variety into the classic banana peanut butter sandwich by grilling and adding unexpected but delicious ingredients that kids and adults will enjoy!

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Green Smoothies for kids

These healthy green smoothies for toddlers and kids are super easy to make and can be enjoyed as a quick breakfast or snack.

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Peanut Butter Cheerio Cereal Bars

These no-bake peanut butter cheerio bars are so easy to make with pantry ingredients! They are the perfect breakfast or snack for kids.

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Vegetable Omelette

Nutritious and easy to make, this baby-friendly omelette made with whatever veggies you have on hand is the perfect breakfast/snack for babies and toddlers!

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Healthy Banana Recipes for Babies and Kids

Transform plain ol' banana with these super fun and easy breakfast or snack ideas that you can make with your child!

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Healthy Zucchini Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies

These zucchini oatmeal cookies are so easy to make with wholesome, minimal ingredients and no added sugar!

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Carrot Cake Oatmeal Smoothie Bowl

Loaded with nutrition, this carrot oatmeal smoothie bowl is the perfect veggie smoothie (but thicker!) for babies, kids, and adults!

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Vegetable Waffles with Peanut Butter

EASY to make, healthy peanut butter vegetable waffles for babies and kids! A great way to enjoy more protein, fat, and veggies for breakfast.

Get the recipe

Lunch

Vegan vegetable quinoa muffins

Made with healthy ingredients like broccoli, carrots, and quinoa, these egg and dairy-free vegetable muffins with quinoa are perfect for baby led weaning and school lunchboxes.

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Chickpea Patties (gluten free)

These flavorful chickpea patties with quinoa are easy to make with simple pantry staples. Shape them into patties or even nuggets

Get the recipe

Scrambled Egg Sandwich

Making a scrambled egg sandwich isn't hard. But here are some simple tips to take this iconic breakfast to the next level!

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Chicken pesto flatbread pizza

This pesto flatbread pizza is the perfect busy weekday meal! It can be on the table in under 20 minutes with minimal effort and ingredients.

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Omelette Pizza

Pizza eggs - your favorite pizza toppings, flavorful sauce, protein-rich eggs, and cheese all cooked to perfection in one pan. Enjoy for breakfast or any time of the day!

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Hummus Grilled Cheese

10 minutes is all you need to whip up this exciting twist on a kid favorite lunch - grilled cheese. The simple addition of hummus will amp up flavor and nutrition.

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Easy Salmon Bean Salad

This mayo-free, refreshing yet hearty salmon bean salad couldn’t be easier to make! You can serve with crackers, vegetables, bread, salad, cheese, or whatever you fancy!

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Curry Chicken Avocado Salad

EASY, healthy curry chicken salad with avocado and vegetables for babies, kids, and adults! It's high in protein and perfect for a quick lunch at home and school lunchboxes.

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Healthy Beef Meatballs

These healthy beef meatballs are made with just 5 simple ingredients and are egg free and dairy free. Tender and flavorful, these are perfect for babies and kids of all ages!

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Mini Shepherd's Pie Muffins

A quick and easy, baby and kid-friendly twist on an Irish classic comfort food, these mini shepherd pie muffins are filled with beef, vegetables and topped with creamy mashed potatoes

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Dips

Zucchini Pesto with Almonds

Upgrade pasta with this simple and healthy zucchini pesto. It is light and creamy and can be ready in 15 minutes!

Get the recipe

Beetroot Pesto Pasta Sauce

Made with simple, wholesome ingredients, this beetroot pesto comes together in minutes and makes for the perfect pasta sauce for babies, kids, and adults!

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Broccoli Hummus Dip

If your child won't eat broccoli or you've been looking for different ways to serve it, give this hummus a try! It's also a great way to pack in a lot of nutrition for babies and kids.

Get the recipe

Pumpkin Seed Spinach Hummus

this spinach hummus with pumpkin seeds instead of tahini is a healthy snack or meal for babies and toddlers. It is so versatile and here are some ways to serve it to your family.

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3 Ingredient Thai Peanut Coconut Sauce

Made with just 3 ingredients, this Thai peanut sauce with curry paste and coconut milk is a great way to introduce spicy flavor to babies and kids.

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Creamy Roasted Cauliflower Dip

This creamy roasted cauliflower dip made with an ENTIRE head of cauliflower, tahini, and milk is super simple to make, delicious, and versatile. It will be an AWESOME way to make veggies exciting for kids!

Get the recipe

Beetroot Dip with chickpeas

4 nutritious ingredients, a food processor/blender, and dippers are all you need for this smooth, creamy, and vibrant beetroot dip for babies and toddlers!

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Diner

Easy Bolognese with Vegetables

This kid-friendly veggie-loaded meat sauce with ground beef and medley of vegetables is hearty, filling, and nutritious!

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Instant Pot Peanut Chicken and Broccoli

Another EASY, 30 minute weeknight meal you can enjoy with your baby and kids! This Instant pot chicken and broccoli is also a great way to continue exposing your child to one of the top food allergens, peanuts.

Get the recipe

One Pot Creamy Broccoli Pasta

In need of an easy weeknight dinner? 15 minutes is all it takes to make this healthy one pot creamy broccoli pasta

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No stir Quinoa Risotto with Mushrooms

This 30 minute mushroom quinotto or quinoa risotto is much easier to make compared to traditional risotto and requires zero stirring!

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Vegetarian Sweet Potato Lasagna with Quinoa

This vegetarian sweet potato lasagna with quinoa requires no boiling of noodles and assembly couldn't be easier!

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Thai Red Curry Pasta

20 minutes and a handful of pantry items are all you need to whip up this super easy vegetarian Thai red curry pasta with vegetables.

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Pizza Casserole with Couscous

this pizza casserole is not only quick and easy to make but also nutritious, with ingredients like chicken, whole wheat couscous, and spinach!

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Beef Stuffed Shells with Veggies

These stuffed shells with ground beef and vegetables are a hearty make ahead dinner or freezer meal for the whole family to enjoy!

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Vegan African Peanut Stew

This vegan African peanut stew is rich and flavorful and uses staple pantry ingredients. Made in one pot, requires minimal prep work, loaded with nutrition - It's an easy family meal!

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Chicken Spinach Quinoa Casserole

A baby and kid-friendly comfort meal you don't want to miss! This chicken spinach quinoa casserole with black beans is super easy to make and loaded with iron and protein.

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Low Sodium Baked Spaghetti Pie

Baked spaghetti pie with ricotta that's healthy and easy to whip up. It's the perfect comfort food recipe for the entire family!

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Instant Pot Korean Chicken and Potatoes

If you're in need of a quick and easy weeknight family meal, here's an Instant Pot Korean chicken and potatoes recipe that everyone, including babies, will enjoy!

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Do you want to minimize picky eating and set a solid foundation for a lifetime of healthy eating habits?

Check out this 3 month mastering self-feeding program! It’s the closest thing to me being in your kitchen

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About Min

Thank you so much for stopping by! I am Min, a Registered Dietitian, a Christ follower, a wife, and a mom to our two miracle babies! Currently, I’m having a ton of fun feeding their tummies and sharing our baby led weaning journey! Follow me on Instagram if interested in seeing daily menu as well as tips and tricks.

Reader Interactions

Best foods for weight gain in babies & toddlers (0 to 3 years)

This post has been updated with a new list of weight gaining recipes at the end of this post for toddlers – above 1 year old. Many readers have been asking for suggestions on best foods for weight gain in babies & toddlers. I have shared the tips that one can follow. If you are a new reader to this blog and have reached here looking for weight gaining foods or recipes for your little heart, please read this food chart for babies above 8 months.

I suggest following the recipes on the post as well for a good weight gain. I would also suggest to read the comments before posting your query here as similar queries may have been answered in the comment section below.

If you are looking for a food chart for baby around 6 months, you can refer this post on solids for 6 months baby.

Best foods for weight gain in babies & toddlers (0 months to 3 years)

1. Breast milk is one of the best foods for babies under 6 months to gain weight. Since mother’s milk is more nutritious than any other foods, it is good to exclusively breastfeed babies for the first 6 months.

If a baby is breast fed, mum needs to eat more nutritious foods to have enough milk supply and to increase the quality of milk.

To increase the milk supply in lactating mothers’ foods like milk, lentils (DAL), garlic, flax seeds (alasi in hindi or avise ginjalu in telugu), chickpeas (chana), almonds, whole grains, methi leaves, methi seeds, dill leaves (sabbasige soppu in kannada), fennel seeds (saunf), cumin (jeera) have been proved to be beneficial. One needs to include these in their diet moderately.

At least 2 protein rich meals and a breakfast should be included in the diet of a lactating mother. For vegetarians lentils / dal is a best protein rich food.

Chickpeas can be enjoyed by mums having babies older than 3 months. If using they need to be soaked overnight, soft cooked with turmeric and other Indian spices to prevent vata dosha.

Traditionally gond ke laddu, dry fruits ladoos and copra ladoos were eaten by lactating mothers to improve the quantity and quality of breast milk. Here are some protein rich ladoos which you can try after consulting your elders.
Gond ke laddu
Dry fruits ladoo
Copra ladoo (or dried coconut ladoo)

Here is a simple homemade powder for increasing milk supply in lactating mothers. Dry roast equal quantities of cumin and fennel seeds till they turn aromatic. Cool them and grind to powder.

Mix ½ tsp powder in ½ tsp warm ghee and consume 30 minutes before food 2 to 3 times a day. Desi ghee works best. This can be consumed for 2 weeks, followed by a break for 4 to 5 days and then repeat the cycle.

This also helps to reduce colic in breastfed babies. A small portion of ajwain/ carom seeds can also be included.

2. There is also a wide population of women who are unable to breast fed due to medical or professional reasons, yet their babies tend to grow well in terms of height and weight. For babies who are not breast fed, Formula milk has been proved to be of great help.

If your baby is over 6 months and you intend to stop breastfeeding, then choose a good formula milk with the help of your pediatrician. Formula milk is mostly balanced and has adequate nutrition which may not be available in dairy milk.

Formula milk helps to gain good weight in most babies, but one needs to be patient in trying out what works best for your baby. Many women express that formula milk is not good and hence should choose dairy milk.

Both have their own pros and cons. In the recent years, cows raised in farms are not grass-fed and are mostly on hormones either in their feed or injected to produce more milk. So it may be more unsafe than the formula milk.

A thorough research is conducted before any formula milk is sold in the market. So as a mother, you are the right person to choose between cow’s milk vs formula milk.

For babies above 12 months, fresh dairy milk can be used. Do not use milk that comes in tetra packs for babies and toddlers.

3. Foods like potato, pumpkin, sweet potato, dal, ghee, ragi, almonds, yogurt, eggs and milk help the baby to gain weight. Please take a pediatricians’ suggestion before you start any of these foods. As always follow a 3 day test rule.

How to make mashed potato for baby ?

Always choose hard potatoes that do not have any sprouts grown over them. Sprouted or soft potatoes are not healthy to use.

Wash and peel off the skin of the potato. Cook potato in excess water either in pressure cooker or a rice cooker steam basket or in a pot. It should be soft cooked.

While it is still hot, take it to a feeding bowl and mash it to soft. Add the potato stock that was left after cooking to make smooth puree. using a small steel glass you can easily mash it.

Add a pinch of ajwain and ghee and serve it warm. The same way you can also make mashed sweet potato for baby. Best time to serve these is for breakfast or lunch.

It can also be cooked along with rice to make a rice potato khichdi. You can find the recipe of sweet potato here (new post)

How much potato or sweet potato for baby?

7 months baby – 1 tbsp 2 to 3 times a week
8 to 10 months – 2 tbsp. 2 to 3 times a week
10 to 12 months – 3 to 4 tbsp. 2 to 3 times a week
toddlers- use your judgement . Can be served 5 times a week to daily.

Serve potato or sweet potato at least 2 to 3 times a week with little ajwain powder and ghee. Avoid when baby has tummy upset, colic or spit ups.

Moong dal and urad dal help a lot to gain weight in babies & toddlers. Urad dal is a power house of nutrients, high in calcium and protein and also EFA , essential fatty acids that help to develop the brain. So Idli is a very healthy food for babies.

Using urad dal make idli and serve with mild rasam or dal ka pani and ghee. This can be fed daily. You can find the recipe of soft idli here and a rasam recipe for babies here.

Include dal preferably moong dal or tuvar dal in lunch or breakfast every day. Do not mix dal with yogurt or milk. Just a simple vegetable dal rice khichdi works great for babies in gaining weight.

If your baby tends to get bored, change the vegetables used in the khichdi to give a different taste. You can find the recipe of dal khichdi here

Ragi porridge also helps to gain weight, it also strengthens the bones, teeth and helps for the overall development. Here is a complete post on how to introduce ragi to babies and how to make sprouted ragi flour for babies.

Yogurt and homemade paneer are also a good choice for babies over 8 months to gain weight. Serve yogurt alone or with brown rice and white rice in equal quantities.

I always used to make one cup curd separately for both my babies since it is not recommended to serve cold yogurt from the refrigerator. Also avoid serving in the evening or night.

how much yogurt/ curd to serve for babies ?

2 tbsp homemade unsweetened yogurt/ curd can be fed to 8 to 10 months baby, 2 to 3 times a week (avoid during winters)
4 tbsp can be fed to a 10 to 12 months baby. 3 to 4 times a week (avoid during winters)

Eggs also help babies to gain weight. Prefer boiled eggs instead of scrambled eggs. There is a loss of nutrition in scrambled eggs especially the protein content.

you can find the recipe of homemade curd here.

How to feed egg to baby ?

Make a hard boiled egg. Remove the yolk and take small portion of it and mash it with a pinch of cumin powder, add very little water and mash the egg to blend it well with water. It should become a smooth paste.

how much egg for 7 months old baby ?

For a 7 months baby – Start feeding a tsp of the above said mashed egg yolk. It can be served 2 times a week.
For 8 months baby – a tbsp and then increase the quantity.
For 10 months baby – by the end of 12 months a baby can eat the entire mashed yolk.

Include banana, papaya, apple, pear and chikoo (sapota). Serve banana at least 4 to 5 times a week. We give the small variety banana to babies. Avoid it when baby has cold and phlegm.

Serve a warm apple sauce or apple oats when the baby has cold and congestion. Banana helps to gain weight and most fruits helps to digest foods better since they contain natural digestive enzymes.

The nutrients from other foods are better absorbed by the body when a good amount of fruits are consumed (the right way).

Follow the rule, of feeding fruit alone without mixing with other foods at least once a day. Strictly do not serve fruits and milk together.

4. Ghee also helps to gain weight – How much ghee to serve for babies and toddlers ?

Start with only few drops a day when you introduce ghee to your baby. Try using organic and grassfed or desi ghee. Desi ghee can be found in ayurvedic stores or can also be bought online.

If you notice symptoms like coughing, itchy eyes or rubbing eyes or rashes stop it. Try with a new brand or try with homemade ghee. If your baby or toddler do not like the flavour of ghee, I suggest making ghee at home.

Just add few curry leaves towards the end when you make ghee at home, it adds a good aroma.

Excess usage of ghee may suppress the baby’s appetite, so use only as needed, a mother is the best judge. I followed the following measures for my babies and no cheese or butter was given to them.

If using butter then reduce the proportionate amount of ghee from the below mentioned quantity.

7 months ½ tsp ghee divided among 2 servings – start with only a few drops of melted ghee
8 months ¾ to 1 tsp ghee divided among 2 servings
10 months 1 to 1 ¼ tsp ghee divided among 3 servings
12 months on wards 1 to 1 ½ tsp ghee divided among 3 servings

Some babies may not digest fats in ghee well especially if formula milk, cheese, or butter are already a part of the diet. You can try with only half of the above quantity.

5. Can i use almonds / badam for my baby?

Experts advice not to introduce nuts to babies until 1 year as they may end up with severe allergies. So i would suggest waiting until your baby turns an year old especially if there is an history of allergy in your family.

However i have used almonds from 8 months for both my babies. Those who would like to try may start with almonds since these are the only kind of nuts that are slightly alkaline (apart from chestnuts).

Alkaline foods help us to keep our body healthy and energetic. Always try using soaked almonds. Soaking also increases the alkaline nature and hence digest well.

Soaking for about 5 to 6 hours also helps to peel the skin. They can be ground with little water and then used to cook baby foods like oats, ragi, rice etc.

6. Physical activity

Allow the baby to crawl freely, do not restrict your babies to prams or rocking chairs. Being physically active helps babies feel hungry in time. They are less fussy and eat or drink well.

Burping is very important as it helps to relieve the babies from colic and they tend to drink better. Gently Burp before feeding, in between the feeds, Burp after the feed. Keep the baby in upright position for at least 15 minutes after a feed.

Foods for weight gain in toddlers (above 1 year)

Breakfast menu
Pesarattu with ghee
Idli with ghee (1:2 proportion) – use search box for idli recipe
Soft thick dosa with boiled mashed potato
Chick pea / chana soup
chana dosa (with steamed mashed carrots)
moong dal soup
carrot milkshake
oats uttapam (use carrot for topping, follow method 2)
jowar dosa: you can make uttapam with carrot topping. Jowar makes bones strong and helps to gain good weight.
ragi mudde with rasam or any soup.
paneer paratha – no stuffing, good finger food too for snack in the evening
Boiled egg – boiled eggs have more nutrition than scrambled eggs. So try serving boiled egg with mild flavorings like pepper, cumin powder, ajwain and salt.

Suggestions from experienced mothers are welcome and highly appreciated to enhance this page.

Disclaimer: Please check with a pediatrician before you follow any of the tips or foods mentioned in this post.

My Heartfelt Thanks to all the Readers who have been consistently sharing with us their personal experiences with their babies, this has helped many new mothers to understand the baby food patterns and other food related issues.

Wishing a Wonderful Motherhood to all the MUMS

Sample menu for a 2-3-year-old toddler

Diet based on fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy products and one serving of protein per day

By age 2, children can usually eat most foods on their own - no longer need to grind their food in blender or mash with a fork. Some parents, inspired by such changes, often let the child try new foods, while others, on the contrary, are in no hurry to feed the baby with almost adult food.

Each of the approaches has its own truth: the digestive system of two or three year olds is already quite mature, but not yet strong enough. What should be the menu for the baby, each family decides in its own way, but the general principles are the same: food should be healthy and varied. Let's try to find out what meaning experts put into these definitions. nine0003

The four main food groups for children

When deciding what to feed a child of 2-3 years old, parents can focus on the following main food groups: fruits and vegetables, cereals, dairy products, protein foods. Different foods in each of these groups contain different nutrients, so it's important to rotate foods in each category.

Fruits and vegetables contain vitamins, minerals, fiber and water. It is recommended to give them at every meal, and it is also the best option for a snack. Try experimenting with fruits, vegetables, and berries of different colors and flavors, whether fresh or boiled, baked, or steamed. You should not remove the skin from apples, cucumbers and other fresh products, because it also contains useful substances. nine0003

Just because your child is not in a hurry to try new fruits and vegetables, it does not mean that he will never like them. Try to set an example: when children see that their parents eat different foods, they will soon want to try it too. This also applies to other products.

cereals also contain essential minerals and fiber, and give your child the energy he needs to grow and develop. This includes a variety of cereals, bread and pasta. Together with vegetables and fruits, these products form the basis of the daily menu. nine0003

It is better to choose foods with a low glycemic index, such as buckwheat porridge, whole grain pasta, and wholemeal bread. They are absorbed more slowly, which means they provide a supply of energy for a longer time and accustom the digestive system to work.

Dairy products contain protein and calcium necessary for growth, and lactic acid products promote digestion, so milk and its derivatives should also be included in the daily diet. For young children, it is better to choose milk, cheese, cottage cheese, kefir or natural yogurt. It is commonly believed that the higher the fat content of dairy products, the more “natural” they are, but this is not so. It’s better not to chase percentages and choose low-fat foods for both children and adults. nine0003

Protein is a real "building block" for the body, and its best sources are meat, fish, poultry, eggs and legumes. However, it takes a lot of energy for the body to process protein foods, so one serving per day is enough. It is enough for a small child to eat lean meat once every 2-3 days, it is better if it is beef, chicken or turkey, as well as liver. Twice a week, instead of meat, you can cook boiled or baked boneless fish fillets. A boiled egg every other day, boiled or canned beans will complement the baby's protein menu. nine0003

The best drink is plain water

Children need a lot of water - this is the cheapest and healthiest drink that quenches thirst. It is better to avoid tea, soda, flavored milk and water, and replace packaged juices for as long as possible with freshly squeezed ones (a juicer is useful here), compote or fruit drink. Industrial juices are too high in sugar, which is not healthy at all and can lead to addiction to sweets. The later the baby loves sweets, the better.

Spicy, sweet, salty - adults only

Smoked meats, spicy foods (including sauces such as mayonnaise and ketchup), convenience foods should not appear on the child's menu. Acquaintance with salty, as well as with sweet, is better to postpone to a later age - this way you will reduce the risks of excess weight and high blood pressure in the future. Moreover, salt and sugar are already hidden in many products. For the same reason, it is better to avoid chocolate, cakes, cookies, lollipops, chips and other fast and street foods. The body is also not yet ready for mushrooms at this age. nine0003

How often to feed and how to cook?

At 2 years old, it is better to feed a child five times a day (approximately every 3 hours) - breakfast, lunch and dinner plus two light snacks with vegetables, fruits or a glass of milk or kefir with bread. From the age of 3, you can switch to four meals a day, adding an afternoon snack to the above meals.

Baby products can be boiled, stewed, baked in the oven or even grilled from time to time, but not fried in oil, and even more so deep-fried. The healthiest way is to steam it, this way the maximum of useful substances is preserved. Until the age of 3, it is not recommended to cook first courses for a child in meat or fish broths. They contain a lot of substances that irritate the gastrointestinal tract, and the enzymes that help to absorb these substances begin to be produced only after 3 years. For the same reason, you should not give stew or fish before this age: the broth formed during their preparation will not be digested without special digestive enzymes. But stewed vegetables - please. nine0003

A spoon for mom, a spoon for dad? No, that's enough for you

Don't worry if one of the days the child didn't eat everything you prepared for him. Our ideas about how much a small child should eat often exceed the capabilities of his body. If, in principle, he ate and does not ask for more, then this is enough.

The total amount of food per day for a two year old looks something like this:

250-300 g of vegetables;

150-300 g cereals; nine0003

100–200 g fruits and berries;

150-200 g dairy products;

100 g meat, fish or other protein food.

This corresponds to a daily energy expenditure of 1200–1300 kcal. At the age of three, the energy requirement increases to 1600–1700 kcal, which means that the amount of food should be gradually increased by 20–30%.

We adapt the menu to kindergarten

At the age of 3, most children start attending kindergarten. Preparation for a new life stage will be faster if you add dishes to the home menu that will be offered to the child in the garden. Make sure that the diet and dishes are similar to how children are fed in preschool institutions - this way you will save the child from additional stress when confronted with new food. nine0003

Getting to know the kindergarten menu is useful for another reason. Knowing what your baby ate during the day, you can prepare dinner from those products that have not yet been on his table. So the child's menu will remain varied, and he will not eat the same thing several times a day.

Sources:

RaisingChildren parenting portal

Happy Parents magazine and website

Photo: Pixabay, Foodiesfeed

Menu for a growing organism. What to eat to gain weight? | Proper nutrition | Health

18.02.2013 16:07

Evgeny Tarasov

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

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Photo: Shutterstock.com

How to cope with the complex developed during school years? You can relax and enjoy your own lightness, or you can make an effort, improve nutrition, go to the gym and become a Europeanized analogue of Bruce Lee. nine0003

How?

Tells Evgeny Tarasov, doctor of the highest category .

To begin with, just in case, let's scare you a little, readers: thinness can be caused by various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract or thyroid gland, hormonal disorders, or the presence of parasites (worm infestation). Sometimes it is also generated by disorders of the nervous system.

But (horror stories are over, let's breathe out) a person can be thin due to improper diet and lifestyle. In addition, underweight can be inherited. In the case when thinness is not the result of any pathologies, the situation is easy to correct. nine0003

Changing the diet

Here's what we can recommend to anyone in need of a real "weight gain": first of all, you need to increase the number of meals up to 4-6 times a day. Remember to eat slowly, chewing your food thoroughly.

Focus your diet on muscle-building foods, not fat-burning foods. And these are grains and legumes, vegetables and fruits, potatoes, dairy products (except butter), lean meat rich in proteins (better - fish and poultry). Include more nuts in your diet - they contain the most easily digestible vegetable fats. It is best to add 2-3 tablespoons of olive or sunflower oil to your favorite salads. nine0003

To stimulate appetite, add aromatic herbs to food: cilantro, parsley, dill, basil, celery.

At the same time, you should eat as little as possible foods containing so-called "simple carbohydrates" and fats (cakes, pastries, pizza, lasagna, buns), - all that increases the formation of fat in the tissues.

We strengthen the body

No amount of nutrition will make a spectacular handsome man (beauty) out of a thin young man or girl, if you do not change your lifestyle and do not give care and attention to your body. nine0003

Train yourself after a light early breakfast to do a small (for 7-10 minutes) exercise with the obligatory inclusion of breathing exercises. Ideally, in addition to morning exercises in the morning, a contrast shower and a not too intense (not up to a seventh sweat) run are highly recommended. But only if there is time and if, due to the rush, you do not fall into such stress, from which you will lose weight by half.

During the day it is advisable to do (for 20-30 minutes) exercises to develop the muscles of the abdomen, chest, arms and legs (so that they do not “swim with fat”). And to increase body weight, weight lifting exercises are very useful, stimulating muscle growth. nine0003

Menu for a growing organism

Early breakfast

2 glasses of milk or kefir

with 2–3 teaspoons of honey.

Breakfast

Oatmeal, millet or buckwheat porridge with 1 tbsp. a spoonful of honey and grated walnuts.

Bread and butter.

Cocoa with cream.

Lunch

A cup of thick soup or rich broth (not stock cubes!), or dumpling soup. And for the second - macaroni with cheese and a piece of boiled meat. nine0003

Pudding or ice cream.

Coffee with cream.

Dinner

Rice porridge with milk.