High fat food suggestions

[Franni]

Hello, ladies.

DD and I have just returned from the ped. I discovered that despite eating me out of house and home, DD has actually lost 1/2 lb and have just maintained her height. I did some backtracking and realized that most of DD's diet is vegetables, fruits, carbs and lean protein...in that order. The ped is not concerned, but the nurse suggested ice cream and shakes. OK, I don't necessarily have a problem with ice cream, but I think that's just way too much sugar. so I am on the lookout for some high fat foods (that are still relatively healthy) to add into her diet?

Any suggestions?

[solongtogo]

what about cheese?

How old is your DD?

[jki]

Avocado.

[elladee]

Full fat yogurt - If you want flavored yogurt, get the all natural plain stuff and add your own fruit to cut down on the unnecessary sugar.

[Franni]

DD is 20 months and loves cheese to death. She also love Yo Baby.

I just bought some avocado to have her try out.

[knzbound]

Hummos.

I have a big list I got from a ped. GI when my DD was having weight issues. The list is high-calorie rather than just high fat, but I will post here if you are interested.

[daisysue62]

Definately avocado, cheese, whole milk yogurt, legumes (dd loves black beans!)

[Club924]

DD also had her 15 month WBV appt yesterday and she's only in the 5th percentile for weight - 19 lbs (that's an improvement from her -5% from her 12 month WMB).

Her pediatrician suggested mixing Carnation Instant Breakfast (http://www.carnationinstantbreakfast.com/Products/PowderDrinkmix.aspx)

http://www.carnationinstantbreakfast.com/images/pro_detail_powder_img.jpg

in her milk. they have "no sugar added" versions, so i think we're going to try that. the ped also suggested having her drink Pediasure as well.

[EJH]

avocado, cheese, whole milk yogurt (i buy stoneyfield organic plain, then mix my own fruit into it.

the daughter of one of my coworkers had a really hard time gaining weight, the ped had them putting butter on bread etc for her. what about cream cheese?

[catmom]

My DD won't eat plain avocado, but she LOVES guacamole to death. We use my Dad's method... 1.5 tbsp salsa to 1/2 an avocado. I use mild salsa for her, and she eats this with a spoon.

Also: sunflower seed butter (great alternative to peanut butter), cream cheese, gravy on meats, butter or olive oil on veggies, cheese on pasta, my DD likes refried beans with cheese and salsa ...

[Ohana]

We had similar issues with DD when she was younger. I did a lot of hummus and cheese. Scrambled eggs with cheese was a fave. I also added a drizzle of EVOO to most of the food she ate.

DD couldn't tolerate yogurt or milk, but I think those would be good options.

Can you add a dab of butter or EVOO to her veggies, and offer some higher calorie veggies like avocado? Also, instead of chicken breast, offer chicken thighs, etc.

[Kristen78]

When can you start feeding your baby cheese and yogurt (like yo-baby). I would like to try these things with my DD but dont know when its ok to start. She is 8.5 months. I am not terribly concerned with food allergies.

Thanks!

[KarenS]

Anyting with whole millk, cream, etc. Cream cheese, yogurt, milk, cream, cottage cheese.

Avocados.

Nuts and sunflower seeds if she's old enough to have them and you're not worried about allergies. Almonds are especially high in good fats.

Olives.

Soybeans (will she eat edamame?)

Eggs, especially the yolk.

If you don't want her to have the sugars of ice cream, make smoothies with full fat vanilla yogurt and fresh fruit. Add some nut powder as well.

Karen

[magdesilver]

kristen, I gave yogurt and cheese between 8-9 months and DD did great.

club924, you might want to check the ingredients of the NSA instant breakfast. I believe it has artificial sweeteners.

[Sarah]

I used to give my (low weight) DD
avocadoes
butter/olive oil on things
cheese toast
tofu sauteed in olive oil, garlic, and a tiny bit of soy sauce
dark meat chicken
full fat yogurt (not yobaby, too much sugar for me, but I used plain and add vanilla and or fruit puree)

[Renrel]

Avacado
Flax seed oil mixed into other foods
eggs
peanut butter (depending on age and alergies)
salad dressing for dipping the vegis into
Cheese - on its own, in sandwhichs, in eggs, melted on to bread,
whole fat yogert

[Kristen78]

magdesilver - how did you serve the cheese? My DD does not have the pincer grasp quite yet. She also is just gettting her first tooth. If I gave her cheese what would be the best way to give it? I feel so clueless with all of this food stuff! I feel like I am serving the same stuff (veggies, fruit, cheerios, and biscuits) over and over again. I tried chicken and pasta tonight and she seemed annoyed. She needed water to wash it down with.

[magdesilver]

Kristen,
I don't remember 100% as it's been a while, but my DD loved (and still loves) shredded cheese, right from the bag (she'd shove handfuls in her mouth). Also I would take a piece of cheese and melt it on a piece of bread in the microwave for about 10-15 seconds, let it cool enough, and rip it into pieces. It is plenty soft that way, kind of a beginner's grilled cheese.

[Franni]

knzbound Hummus sounds great. Can you post the recipes?

Thanks, Ladies for all the wonderful suggestions. I really wanted "healthy" high fat options rather than having to resort to a bag of pork rinds and you have given me a great place to start.

[yby1]

I like this hummus recipe

http://www.mediterrasian.com/delicious_recipes_hummus.htm

If DD will eat eggplant, you can try baba ghanoush as an alternative to hummus

http://appetizer.allrecipes.com/AZ/BabaGhanoush.asp

[Renrel]

I used to make DS infant cereal most mornings with avacodo, flax seeds and bm mixed in. Made for a nice high fat start to his day. He was still eatting it into his early toddler days.

[Dally]

Cheese
Whole milk
Whole milk yogurt
butter

I have a low-weight child and we seriously slather butter on her toast, waffles, pancakes, you name it.

Perhaps not healthy, but DD loves it: ice cream :o

OK, I realize my suggestions are all dairy, but you have so many non-dairy healthy suggestions already, I thought I'd throw these in (and echo some others).

[Kanga]

When can you introduce cheese? I know you're supposed to wait until 12 mo for cow's milk, but is that just cow's milk by itself and not mixed in with other foods?

[happy1nuv]

avacado "ice cream": cut a banana into slices and freeze. In food processor, blend the frozen banana slices and either 1/2 or all the avacado... Nic LOVES this.

avacado hummus: 2 avacados, 1 can chickpeas (no salt variety), a squeeze of lemon, 1 clove garlic (use a smaller clove, not a huge one). Can add tahini if you want a lil more fat... Nic eats this with a spoon...I use tortilla chips or veggies...

Cookies: In food processor, blend 2 c. oats(not instant) with 2/3 c. almonds (can probably up the almonds for more fat) til its powdery. Put in bowl. Then mash 4 ripe bananas, 1/4 c. light olive oil (or whatever oil you want), 1 tsp vanilla. Combine wet and dry ingredients, put cookie sized dollops on greased cookie sheet...bake at 350 for 13-16 minutes. YUMMY...I swear, I end up eating more than Nic does...

I made an almond paste the other day... don't remember exactly how. (I used it like sour cream on fajitas, then as a spread for sandwiches... nic ate it straight out of the bowl and loved it.... I don't remember the exact quantities... but I threw a bunch of stuff into the food processor: almonds, garlic, lemon juice, almond milk (to get the right consistency)... and you can make a whole bunch of different sauces out of ground nuts by just adding abit of oil or soy/nut/rice milk....
:)


eta: I dont remember where I read this...but, I remember reading that the raw nuts are less allergenic than roasted...so you might want to go that route if you do the nut thing. And...I have 2 books that say that you can introduce nuts(not peanuts), starting with almonds, at 9 months... (they do give the caveat that they think the benefit outweighs the risk and a whole section on why... I don't remember the authors, but one is Disease Proof Your Children and the other is Boost Your Childs Immune System (or something like that...I can look it up if you are interested)

[AlisonCO]

When can you introduce cheese? I know you're supposed to wait until 12 mo for cow's milk, but is that just cow's milk by itself and not mixed in with other foods?


Cheese and yogurt are usually OK around 8-9 months because unlike straight cow's milk, the lactose is broken down a bit making it easier to digest. We started with cottage cheese at 8 months and yogurt a couple of weeks later.

Thank you all for the suggestions - my 10 month old is in the 10% for weight so we are pushing the healthy fats now in hopes that she doesn't drop father at 12 months!

Right now DD loves avocado cheese toast - melt a good high fat cheese on a lightly toasted piece of bread, melt in microwave and when it cools a bit, spread avocado on the top.

[Sarah]

When can you introduce cheese? I know you're supposed to wait until 12 mo for cow's milk, but is that just cow's milk by itself and not mixed in with other foods?
Also, the main reason that they say no cow's milk is because they are scared you will hear that it's okay and start feeding it to your baby as a BM or fomula subtitute. While it's not safe for that, it's perfectly fine in small quantities. I gave my DDs yogurt, cheese, and other dairy at 6 months and they're fine.

To the OP- both my kids were/are late teethers, not cutting first teeth until 13 mos amd 11 mos, respectively. But they have been fine with almost all foods. We never even did babyfood, we just give DD small chunks of whatever we are eating.