High-calorie Diet For Toddlers

Children are considered toddlers from ages 12 months to 36 months. During that time, they experience a lot of growth but also tend to have strong food preferences and an innate dislike of new foods. Sometimes special needs require specific diets, as in children who were born prematurely or with a low birth weight. These children may continue to need more protein than others to maintain proper growth. Protein supplementation from nonfood sources should be administered or prescribed only by a doctor.

Recommended Intake

The Pediatric Nutrition Handbook states that toddlers eat approximately seven times a day and that snacks represent a quarter of their daily calories. Toddlers 1 to 2 years old get approximately 59 percent of their calories from table food. A balanced diet that includes whole grains, fruit and vegetables, protein, dairy, cheese and milk, meat, fish and poultry should be encouraged to prevent malnourishment. The proportions of these foods can be adjusted to increase calorie count.

Food Preparation

Adding calories can be achieved by changing the preparation of your child's food. For example, you can add mayonnaise, cheese, cheese sauce and sour cream to sandwiches and crackers. Combining nut butters with vegetables, crackers and sandwiches is also appropriate. Meats and vegetables can be topped with gravy and cheese sauces to increase calorie count. Another way to add calories is to choose cream-based soups instead of clear ones.

Snacks

Snacks are an important tool for adding calories to your child's daily diet. Children consume two or three snacks a day, and toddlers can easily manage finger foods such as hot dogs, fish sticks and chicken fingers. Although fruit and vegetables are healthy choices that should be continued, dried versions of both will be more calorie-dense than fresh versions.

Eggs and Dairy

As would be expected, whole milk provides more calories and fat than low-fat or skim milk. Whole milk yogurts and cheeses, along with egg-based products, can be prepared separately or combined to increase calorie density. Children's Healthcare of Atlanta recommends adding powdered milk to other foods and beverages to increase calorie content.

Protein Fortification

If you prefer the convenience of ready-to-eat foods, many foods and beverages marketed commercially are fortified with extra fat and calories. Cereals, cereal bars and snack crackers are some examples of these foods. Several brands of high-calorie and high-protein meal replacement drinks are widely available. These supplemental drinks are formulated in a variety of flavors and can be consumed as snack foods.