According to the University of Nevada, 25 percent of children have trouble eating, either because they are picky, have food allergies or for another reason. There is serious cause for concern when eating habits or medical conditions cause a child to become underweight. Childhood is a time of rapid growth, where nutrition is incredibly important. Parents who are concerned about their child's weight can help him gain weight using a few simple techniques.
Step 1
Stop forcing your child to eat when he is not hungry. The University of Nevada states that children should never be forced to eat because it can worsen their attitude towards meal time. Instead, offer and encourage your child to eat small, frequent meals. In addition to breakfast, lunch and dinner, offer two to three snacks every day. Let your child decide how much of the meal he will eat.
Step 2
Switch your child from low-fat or fat-free dairy products to full fat dairy products like whole milk and regular cheese. The University of California Davis Cancer Center states that if your child is underweight you can make milkshakes with whole milk or use whole milk in hot cocoa. This will add extra fat and extra calories into the diet.
Step 3
Add toppings to as many foods as possible. The University of California Davis Cancer Center recommends using condiments and add-ons to increase the calories in your child's diet. Try adding cheese to scrambled eggs, sandwiches and baked potatoes. You can also put butter on rolls, mayonnaise in sandwiches and dressing on vegetables.
Step 4
Include nuts in your child's diet every day, unless your child is allergic. Nuts can help your child to gain weight because they are calorie-dense yet not too filling. Offer a handful of trail mix as a snack, add ground nuts as a coating on chicken and top foods like apples, celery and crackers with a generous serving of peanut butter.
Things You'll Need
- Calorie dense foods like nuts, full fat dairy products, peanut butter, olive oil and granola
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