High Calorie Food for Toddler

Boosting calories in your toddler’s diet can be challenging. Therefore, the main goal is to make every bite count! The following guidelines will help you make the most of your child’s meals. 

• Fortify foods with fats such as butter, margarine, oil, cream cheese, mayonnaise, or half & half. Fats are calorie dense and essential for brain development during the first two years of life.
• Provide structured meals and snacks in order to avoid “grazing” (sipping & nibbling) throughout the day 
• Always feed nutrient dense foods BEFORE liquids
• Avoid low calorie liquids such as juice and water
• Offer high calorie snacks so that your toddler gets the most out of snack time – think of snacks as mini-meals
• Use full-fat dairy products – milk, yogurt, cheese

CHEESE

• Add shredded cheese to vegetables, pasta, rice, casseroles, sauces, and baked potatoes. Add extra cheese to pizza.
• Eat desserts with cheese (i.e., cheesecake, Danish, etc.)
• Provide string cheese or cheese and crackers for a snack

EGGS

• Layer calories into scrambled eggs by making with half & half, cooking in butter, and adding cheese on top. If your child likes more flavor, serve with ketchup.
• Homemade French toast – dip bread in egg and half & half mixture, cook in butter.
• Egg salad & deviled eggs
• Add a sliced hardboiled egg to salads, sandwich fillings, casseroles, and creamed dishes

PROTEIN-RICH FOODS

• Eggnog – always select pasteurized eggnog, never use raw eggs
• Whole milk yogurt – mix in 1-2 Tbsp. half & half
• Frozen pudding popsicles, pudding, custard
• Ice cream, milkshakes, frozen yogurt, chocolate milk
• Deli meat slices
• Small meatballs made from ground beef or turkey
• Homemade breaded chicken fingers or fish sticks
• Chicken salad with mayonnaise

STARCHES (ALL TOPPED WITH YOUR CHILD’SFAVORITE SPREAD!)

• Waffles, pancakes, French toast 
• Muffins, croissants, doughnuts, cake, banana bread, raisin bread
• Mini bagels with cream cheese
• Pasta with olive oil or butter
• Potato salad with mayonnaise
• Bread sticks with hummus
• French fries, later tots
• Crackers and cheese

FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

• Pan-fried potatoes/homefries
• Fried zucchini, mushrooms, eggplant, and onion rings
• Peas, carrots, broccoli, etc. topped with cheese
• Cucumbers with ranch or sour cream dip
• Avocado slices
• Bananas
• Papaya and mango slices
• Raisins, craisins, dried apricots (diced small)

QUICK HIGH CALORIE RECIPES HIGH CALORIE MILK:

1. Mix 3-oz. whole milk with 1-oz. half & half
2. MILK WITH CARNATION INSTANT BREAKFAST:   Mix 16-oz. whole milk with Carnation Instant Breakfast (This can also be prepared with the high calorie milk recipe.)
3. ORANGE CREAMSICLE SHAKE: Mix orange juice and vanilla ice cream to desired taste and consistency
4. FRUIT SMOOTHIE: In a blender, mix whole milk yogurt, high calorie milk, and fruit (fresh or frozen) to desired taste and consistency
5. PURPLE COW: Mix high calorie milk with 2 Tbsp. grape juice concentrate
6. SUPER GRILLED CHEESE: Dip 2 slices of bread into egg and high calorie milk mixture, Add cheese slices to bread ,Grill with lots of butter or margarine
7. PEANUT BUTTER DOUGH: Mix approximately equal amounts of creamy peanut butter and powdered milk together. Aim for dough-like consistency ,Sweeten with honey to taste and shape into cookies for your child to eat