Tips for Healthy Weight Gain for Kids

My husband and I have been trying different ways to help our little boy in gaining weight. Although my mother-in-law has been saying that my husband’s built when he was my son’s age is the same, I am worried about his health and weight. I do not want to divulge my little boy’s weight. What I can describe is that his weight is not good at his age. Every time we visited his pediatrician, I would always tell her about it and she suggest several ways for a healthy weight gain. Pediasure is the milk of my son.Kids have really different moods and development.

My son loves to eat any fruits and vegetables but he eats less rice. I have noticed that he loves to eat super delicious tasting foods like the foods served at food chain or restaurants. Sometimes I found myself always buying at food chains or ordering food deliveries just to let him eat enough food. This is unhealthy that is why I also tried to prepare something special at home but still he eats less. Because of the poor eating habits, I am now monitoring my child’s attitude in eating and the foods to prepare for kids with small appetite.

I know that it is not that easy but as a dedicated mom, I will always do my best to achieve what is right for him. This post will marked my devotion for the ways or alternatives to help my child in gaining weight the healthy way.

Tips for Healthy Weight Gain for Kids

• Increase your child’s calorie intake above what he burns daily. A 500-calorie increase per day should result in a 1-lb. per week gain.
• Prepare quality foods that have a high number of calories per serving at every meal or snack like peanut butter, eggs, cheese, nuts, full-fat dairy and bean dips. Offer high nutrition but more calories per servings like white or sweet potatoes, corn, peas, raisins, dates and dried apricots instead of broccoli and carrots.
• Allow your child to eat in small portions often and take in calories when her appetite allows. Eating six to eight small meals of high-calorie foods is an effective way to get her all the calories she needs for weight gain. A good alternative if your child does not want to eat is to offer full-fat milk mixed with dry milk powder or 100 percent juice between meals to add calories.
• Help Stimulate your child’s appetite by moderate physical activity.

Great ideas for calorie-boosting:

• Add whole milk, instant breakfast drink powder, bananas, flax seed oil and nut butter to smoothies
• Offer peanut butter with all-fruit spread on whole wheat toast as a sweet high-calorie snack
• Add cheese to scrambled eggs or noodles
• Give a nutritious dessert such as ice cream, pudding or flavored full-fat yogurt.
• When going out, bring a pack of Cheese sticks, buttered popcorn and granola bars which are high-calorie snack.