Your child may have a difficult time gaining weight if she's a picky eater. If your doctor has recommended that your child gain some weight, it's not an invitation to give your child fast food at every meal. Instead, choose a diet of nutritious foods that are full of healthy fats, vitamins and nutrients. Work closely with your child's pediatrician. He may have specific diet recommendations and may also want to rule out any malabsorption problems.
Start With Breakfast
An early breakfast is an opportunity to add more calories to your child's diet. Even if he says he isn't hungry, coax him to eat a small, nutritious breakfast. Healthy breakfast options include oatmeal with nuts, raisins and apple slices or a slice of whole-grain bread with peanut butter and bananas on top. Adding a nutritious beverage, like a fruit smoothie with flax seeds blended in will boost the calorie count without making him feel too full.
Add Calories to Favorite Meals
Don't completely change your child's diet. If she has favorite dishes, there's no need to take them away. Instead, add healthy fats and calories with toppings, spreads and sauces. If your child loves chili, add a dollop of sour cream or yogurt and a sprinkle of grated cheese. If macaroni and cheese is her favorite meal, add condensed milk to the recipe, sprinkle some breadcrumbs on top, and stir in some steamed veggies, such as broccoli or spinach.
Offer Second Helpings
When you're offering your child a variety of nutritious foods every day, he's likely to find a few that he really enjoys. Offer second helpings of any dishes he likes, as long as he's getting some variety with other nutritious foods. If your child wants another helping of mashed potatoes, let him help himself. But if he has eaten only mashed potatoes for dinner, offer an alternative, like a green salad with sunflower seeds and avocado or a piece of grilled chicken.
Serve Smaller, More Frequent Meals
If your child doesn't have the appetite to eat a large dinner, offer smaller and more frequent meals throughout the day. Your child may respond favorably to eating small meals five or six times a day instead of a large breakfast, lunch and dinner. Offer a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast, a container of yogurt with nuts and berries as a snack, an open-faced sandwich for lunch, a small salad with black beans, avocado and cheese for a snack, a small piece of vegetable lasagna with cheese on top for dinner and a slice of toast with peanut butter and bananas on top for a snack. When your child eats small, more manageable portions, she may feel less overwhelmed at mealtimes.
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