Healthy fat foods for baby
Healthy Fats for Babies – Happiest Baby
By Gabrielle McPherson, MS, RDN, LDN
On This Page
- Avocados
- Plain Whole Milk Yogurt
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Light Tuna
- Almond Butter
- Ground Pumpkin Seeds
- Whole Eggs
- More Healthy Eating Tips
Babies’ bodies make great strides in the growth department during their first year. But you probably knew that! You’re the ultimate witness to your baby outgrowing their diapers and sleepers at the speed of light. Who can resist those sweet thigh rolls and knuckle dimples? It’s no wonder babies need about half of their daily calories to come from fat.
But that’s not all fat does for your infant. Fat is a must-have nutrient for rapidly developing brains, nerves, and eyes—benefiting your baby's thinking skills and ability to see clearly. Read on to learn about seven healthy sources of fats you might want to consider adding to your little one’s high chair tray—and ideas for how to serve them!
Avocados
The creamy green fruit doesn’t shy away from offering lots of essential nutrients. Not only are avocados excellent sources of heart-healthy fats called monounsaturated fats, but they’re also brimming with fiber, folate, vitamin E, and B6.
Thanks to their impressive nutrition profile, avocados can help keep your little ones’ digestion and immune health in check.
In addition, the fruit may help guide your baby’s growth by offering a cargo of calories in every munch.
How to serve avocado to your baby:
- Replace butter with avocados in a mini muffin recipe.
- Fork mash a quarter of an avocado and mix with one to two ounces of apple or pear puree.
Plain Whole Milk Yogurt
Babies can’t handle whole milk until 12 months of age, however whole milk yogurt is perfectly safe and healthy! Digesting yogurt is easy on baby’s tummy and it’s a rich source of probiotics to support a healthy gut. In addition to coming loaded with nutrients—including calories, protein, vitamin B12, and bone-building minerals such as calcium and phosphorus—whole milk yogurt is easy to eat and doesn’t require any prep (pro tip: Keep some on hand in the fridge for no-fuss meals!).
Full-fat yogurt contains saturated fat, as do most animal products. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans says to limit saturated fat for good health.
But recent research tells us it may not be an enemy to health after all. So, skip the skim yogurt and reach for the full-fat. Also worth noting that the plain variety may not sound as yummy as vanilla or strawberry, but it contains less sugar (which helps protect your baby’s oral health).
How to serve yogurt to your baby:
- Add two tablespoons of baby oatmeal to two ounces of plain whole milk yogurt. Mix in ⅛ teaspoon of alcohol-free vanilla extract.
- Blend one ounce of pureed berries with two ounces of plain whole milk yogurt.
Olive oil is an easy addition to almost any food you offer your babe. It’s full of a monounsaturated fatty acid called oleic acid, or omega-9, granting it powerful inflammation-fighting antioxidant ingredients.
There are many types of olive oils on grocery shelves today. Be sure to look for extra virgin olive oil (EVOO). Compared to regular olive oil, EVOO is a bit pricier, but it’s also less processed and therefore has more nutrients.
How to serve extra virgin olive oil to babies:
- Mix a teaspoon of EVOO into mashed bananas and sprinkle with cinnamon.
- Drizzle EVOO onto sheet-pan roasted veggies and cut into small pieces or fork mash.
Light Tuna
Babies need essential fatty acids like DHA and EPA, two types of omega-3 fatty acids found in fish that support an infant’s brain and eye health. The catch? Fish can contain mercury, a heavy metal that can damage the nerves and brain in excessive amounts. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, canned light tuna has the lowest amount of mercury among tunas, making it the best bet for your babe. Still, stick to no more than one ounce of canned light tuna each week to be safe.
How to serve tuna to your baby:
- Mix a half ounce of canned light tuna with ⅛-¼ cup of plain yogurt.
- Offer your baby small pieces of tuna drizzled with EVOO to keep them moist.
Almond Butter
While peanut butter is the typical first choice for nut butters (experts recommend introducing potential allergens to babies early to prevent food allergies), almond butter is an excellent alternative that also boasts many nutrition benefits.
Almond butter is loaded with calories to support all that growing babies do in their first year of life.
It also is a major source of monounsaturated fats, fiber, vitamin E, iron, protein, and calcium—all super important for a baby’s health. Tiny eaters have a greater chance of developing an iron deficiency, so almond butter can help keep their levels up!
How to offer almond butter to babies:
- Mix a teaspoon of almond butter into 2 ounces of plain whole milk yogurt.
- Mix a teaspoon of almond butter into 2 ounces of cooked baby barley cereal. Add breastmilk or formula if it gets too thick.
Ground Pumpkin Seeds
Also known as pepitas, pumpkin seeds are flat, oval, and green in appearance without their shell. Like nuts, they’re rich in monounsaturated fatty acids to build healthy hearts and fiber to keep our bowels moving smoothly. Pumpkin seeds contain a wealth of nutrition, including significant amounts of phosphorus, manganese, magnesium, and iron.
Whole pumpkin seeds pose a choking risk, but you can make them safe for your bub to eat by grinding them in a high-power blender or food processor and mixing them into Baby’s food.
How to serve ground pumpkin seeds to your baby:
- Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of ground pumpkin seeds into 1/4 cup of mashed sweet potatoes.
- Add 1 teaspoon of ground pumpkin seeds into blueberry puree or offer halved fresh blueberries coated in ground pumpkin seeds.
Whole Eggs
When you give your baby cooked whole eggs (that means whites + yolks) you’re also serving up monounsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats, iron, protein, zinc, and vitamin D. The most nourishing part of an egg is the yolk, so there’s no need to separate egg parts after cracking them open. With all that nutrition, eggs are hard to beat! Just be sure to thoroughly cook the eggs to reduce the risk of foodborne illness (uncooked eggs can carry salmonella).
How to serve your baby eggs:
- Whisk one egg with a half tablespoon of breastmilk and formula and scramble until fully cooked.
- Boil one egg for 10 to 12 minutes and cut it into small pieces.
More Healthy Eating Tips for Babies:
- The Best Proteins for Babies
- The Best Finger Foods for Babies
- The Best Foods for Babies 6 to 9 Months
- The Best Foods for Babies 10 to 12 Months
- How to Store Baby Food
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REFERENCES
- USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020–2025
- Impact of Low-Fat and Full-Fat Dairy Foods on Fasting Lipid Profile and Blood Pressure: Exploratory Endpoints of a Randomized Controlled Trial, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, September 2021
- Omega-9 Oleic Acid, the Main Compound of Olive Oil, Mitigates Inflammation during Experimental Sepsis, Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, November 2018
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Guidelines for Eating Fish That Contain Mercury
About Gabrielle McPherson
Gabrielle McPherson, MS, RDN, LDN is registered dietitian in Missouri who specializes in community and pediatric nutrition.
Gaby is passionate about encouraging families to eat well in simple, practical ways that are realistic...and delicious! When not working, Gaby loves cooking, baking, and making messes and memories with her sous-chef/preschooler Charlotte.
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Disclaimer: The information on our site is NOT medical advice for any specific person or condition. It is only meant as general information. If you have any medical questions and concerns about your child or yourself, please contact your health provider.
The importance of fat in baby's first foods — Morton's Grove
What you’ll find in this post:
About 50% of calories should be coming from fat until around 12 months old. Look for quality fats including butter or ghee, meat cooked on the bone, coconut oil, or extra virgin olive oil (more options in post).
A specific type of fat, DHA, is especially important for babies. Fat makes food taste good, offering veggies cooked in fat (roasted, steamed, mashed, or BLW style) may increase acceptance.Strolling the baby food aisle of target is something I’ve been known to do. It’s so close to the diaper aisle so I can’t help but wander over there after picking up wipes, just out of curiosity.
Something I noticed a while ago is that very few ready-to-eat baby foods contain one of the most important nutrients for babies: fat. You’ll find lots of yummy fruit combos, some veggies (also sweetened with fruit incidentally), and some grain based options, but VERY little fat. Seeing as this is an absolutely crucial nutrient for babies around the age of solid introduction (about 6 months), what gives?
Babies need a lot of it.
About 50% of calories should come from fat until about 12 months. Much of that is covered by breast milk or formula, but it’s a great idea to get into the habit of including energy dense (high fat) foods right from the start.
Many times, first foods focus on fruits and veggies. While these are super important foods to include, without fat and protein they don’t provide a balanced intake for baby.
In the older baby and toddler years, growth slows and nutrient needs decrease oftentimes bringing a decrease in appetite along with it. Habitually cooking and serving foods with nutrient dense healthy fats can come in handy during those phases when kiddos may be eating less - every bite counts.
Fat makes food taste good.
Vegetables are commonly offered as first foods, and for good reason: it doesn’t get more nutrient packed than a good leafy green. Bitter veggies like broccoli and kale provide the additional benefit of exposure to a challenging flavor, which may lead to greater acceptance of more foods down the road. The thing is, few of us as adults like to eat plain steamed broccoli we usually top it with a little butter and a sprinkle of sea salt. Providing these veggies to babies doesn’t have to be any different (even if that steamed broccoli is pureed rather than whole!).
Certain nutrients like vitamins A, D, E, and K are fat soluble vitamins, meaning dietary fat needs to be present in order to dissolve them for storage in the body. Many times these vitamins are found in foods naturally containing fat, such as animal products. Some forms of these nutrients are present in plants, where there isn’t always a built-in source of fat to aid in absorption. Added fat can actually help make sure we absorb as much of the good stuff as we can.
An extra special fat: DHA
DHA, a type of omega-3 fatty acid, plays a particularly important role in brain development. It can be found in seafood (some safe options for baby include sardines, herring, mackerel, skip jack tuna, and wild caught salmon - salmon and tuna are both overfished, and I recommend using these options sparingly), a fish oil supplement, or an algae based supplement. Small amounts of DHA can also be found in pastured eggs and dairy.
Omega-3 fatty acids come from the algae eaten by fish, and when it comes to supplementation, it makes the most sense in my opinion to go straight to the source and choose an algae based DHA supplement over one from fish oil.
Note that the only plant-based/vegan source of DHA is algae. The type of omega-3 fatty acids that come from other plant-based sources cannot be efficiently converted into DHA in the body. Unless your baby regularly consumes seafood (1-2 servings per week), a supplement that contains both DHA and EPA is recommended (talk with your pediatrician about the right supplement option for your babe). Omega-3 fatty acids including DHA transfer into breast milk, so if you are a nursing mom, make sure you are getting enough as well.
Healthy fats for baby:
Aim to add a little fat to most of babies first foods. Some examples include steamed broccoli topped with butter (pureed or served in whole florets), butternut squash mashed with coconut cream, any veggie soft roasted with ghee, or apples sliced and sauteed in coconut oil until soft. The following options all provide “healthy” fat sources that can withstand heating without producing harmful trans fatty acids.
Coconut oil, coconut cream, or coconut butter
Butter or ghee
Extra virgin olive oil
Beef (cooked on bone for additional nutrients)
Dark meat chicken (cooked on bone for additional nutrients)
Fatty fish - some of the best options are sardines, cooked oysters, mackerel, or herring and occasionally smoked, fresh, or canned wild caught salmon (salmon are in danger of being over fished, so I am conscious of how often I choose this nutrient packed option).
Whole milk plain yogurt or kefir
Liver and other organ meats
Egg yolk
Small amounts of nut butter (mixed into a puree or thinly spread on steamed fruits or veggies) - look for options that are simply nuts or nuts and salt with no added oils or sweeteners.
When it comes to fats and oils, I vary the options I purchase from the store in order to get all of the benefits various types offer. For example, I rotate olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, along with animal fats butter, ghee, and occasionally lard to balance out saturated with unsaturated fats (both are beneficial, especially for babies and toddlers!).
Fatty foods on a child's menu: what and when - Parents.ru
About nutrition
- Photo
- Vesnaandjic/Getty Images/E+
nutritionist, Ph.
D.
Dairy products
A child can be given cottage cheese, cheese, sour cream, but not high fat content. "Weighted foods" can cause digestive problems. In addition, there are as many important nutrients in them as in standard counterparts, but the calorie content is many times greater. And one more rule: the higher the fat content of the product, the worse iron and calcium are absorbed from it. But fat-free options for crumbs are also not needed, so ideally you need to maintain the traditional bar: for milk and kefir it is 2-3.2%, for cheese - 35-45%, for cottage cheese - 5-9%, for sour cream - 10−20%.
Butter with a fat content of 72-82% can be added to porridge from 5 months starting from 1-4 g (by the year the volume is brought to 5-6 g).
Meat
Duck and goose are rich in fat, so they are not offered to children. All other types of meat are not contraindicated for babies, the main thing is to choose the right piece if you are preparing food for the crumbs yourself.
The younger the animal and the higher the grade of meat, the better. In the class of mammals, the tenderloin is considered the leanest, in birds - the breast. In meat baby purees, the amount of fat is strictly regulated, and there is no need to fear an overdose. As a complementary food product, meat is introduced from 6-7 months.
Fish
Low-fat varieties (perch, cod, flounder) can be offered to a baby from 8 months. Some manufacturers add salmon to ready-made canned food, but the amount of fat in them does not exceed the age norm. It is impossible to achieve such a result in an ordinary kitchen, therefore it is better to offer home-cooked salmon no earlier than 6 years old, like all other fatty varieties (mackerel, halibut, etc.).
- Photo
- skynesher/Getty Images/E+
Wrong output
Fatty foods often appear on a child's menu too early, because many mothers are willing to bet that their baby is the thinnest in the world.
An extra portion of meat with vegetables is unlikely to be eaten by the baby, so parents use a trick, replacing milk with cream, bread with buns, cod with halibut, and with a clear conscience treat him with pancakes and dumplings. But high-fat foods are not harmless: they do not leave room for healthy food and form bad taste habits. Only a doctor can help a baby with low weight: only by establishing the cause of the problem, you can choose the appropriate treatment and prescribe the right diet.
More useful and interesting materials about proper nutrition for children are in our channel at Yandex.Zen .
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In childhood, you can lay a strong foundation for a healthy diet for a lifetime. Do you have to force your child to eat healthy food? Use our seven tips and make your life easier.
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Get the whole family together! The kids will love the communal feast!
Children are mostly visual beings. Look: is the table set beautifully, does the food look fresh and tasty? If so, then the chances that the children themselves will come running to the table increase significantly. If the parents are patient, turn off the TV, and the whole family gathers at the table, then dinner will become a much more enjoyable experience.
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More fish - food that kids will love!
You say children don't eat fish? So, you just do not know how to cook and serve it! Carefully looking around the supermarket shelves, you will find fish cakes, crab sticks and fish hearts. You can also find fish in gravy, fried fish, fish filling for sandwiches raw or soaked in soy sauce.
The variety of recipes knows no bounds. Do not give up and there is sure to be a dish that children will like.
Oily fish is high in vitamin D, which is important for normal bone growth and development and supports immune system function. Fish is also rich in omega-3 fatty acids, essential for optimal brain and vision development and function. Thus, if you teach your children to eat more fish, you will be doing them an invaluable service.
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More varied and healthy food
The more balanced your diet, the healthier it is. Do not be afraid to experiment in the kitchen, even if the younger family members are skeptical about your creativity. Let the children try all the dishes, but do not force them to finish eating. Children have a peculiarity: the first, second and third times they will turn up their noses at the new food, and on the fourth they may suddenly feel like it. When you offer your child a new food or drink, be prepared for him to refuse at least before he decides that the dish is still edible.
