While many parents try to find ways to keep their children from getting fat, other children have trouble gaining weight. Doctors often use weight charts to determine how children's weight compares with averages for his age and height. Although heredity plays an important role in body shape and size, increasing caloric intake may help your underweight child gain a few pounds. Choose nutritionally dense foods to encourage good health. According to the Mayo Clinic, children ages 4 to 8 should receive about 20 percent of daily calories from fat, 50 percent from carbohydrates and 30 percent from fat.
Step 1
Prepare your child's morning cereal with equal amounts of cream and milk. If the taste bothers him at first, start by mixing three parts milk with one part cream, gradually decreasing the milk and increasing the cream to supply equal parts of each. Switching from regular milk to higher-fat mixtures can increase his caloric intake, while supplying other nutrients, such as calcium.
Step 2
Make her sandwiches with more meat. Meat contains calories and protein that help provide energy and build muscles. Use bread that contains whole grains, rather than white flour, to increase her intake of vitamins and fiber. Add some cheese to her sandwich to supply additional calories. Use favorite spreads and condiments to dress up her sandwiches and make them more appealing.
Step 3
Encourage him to eat nutritious snacks that contain plenty of calories. For instance, spread peanut butter over whole-grain bagels and serve with a glass of juice or whole milk. The American Academy of Family Physicians encourages adding peanut butter to foods your child already eats. Use peanut butter as a dip for apples to provide extra calories through healthy fats. Place a bowl of high-calorie, nutritious nuts, such as walnuts and almonds, on the coffee table or kitchen counter. Encourage him to grab a handful of these treats whenever he passes the bowl.
Step 4
Make her high-calorie, balanced meals that provide protein, carbohydrates, healthy fats and other nutrients, including vitamins and minerals. The University of California, Davis Cancer Center suggests adding chopped, cooked meats to other dishes, such as pasta, pizza, salad, soup and macaroni and cheese. Add additional eggs to casseroles to increase the caloric content.
Step 5
Schedule an appointment with your doctor if your child fails to gain weight after increasing the calories in his diet. Your doctor may want to run tests to determine whether an underlying health condition is responsible for his inability to gain weight.
Things You'll Need
- Dairy products
- Meat
- Whole grain foods
- Peanut butter
- Nuts
- Eggs
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