I need ideas for high-calorie foods!

zenbride05

Hi--I'm new to post here, but my DS has been struggling with gaining weight since he was about 6 months old. He is on Prevacid, which has helped, but he is not gaining as much weight as the GI specialist wants (he's 2 years old now, and just made it into the 5th percentile for weight). I guess I need to add more fat (butter, oils, etc) to the stuff I fix for him, but I'm kind of out of ideas other than the usual suspects...peanut butter and cream cheese.

If anyone can share their "recipies" for some high calorie foods, I'd love to hear it. If he doesn't gain weight, he'll have to go in for a scope, which I don't want! So I need to fatten him up!

TIA

skittles_123

Is he still on whole milk? I know my neices struggle with gaining weight, they are 3 and still on whole milk. Whole milk baby yogurt, cheese are also other things that come to mind. Sorry I couldn't be of more help.

kchoi

ryan's ot just suggested adding non-fillers to foods.  like you mentioned butter and oils.  you can also add full fat sour cream, full fat cheese/cheese sticks, yogurts, etc...

DandelionMom

Coconut milk, peanut butter, banana smoothies helped.??

mylove2005

i have added carnation instant breakfast shakes with whole milk into dd diet every day

amajane

Pediasure, mashed potatoes made with butter and whipping cream, french fries.

EnglishMajor03

Greek yogurt is great.  I buy the full fat plain and then add in a tbsp of jelly for flavor (which adds an extra 50 calories).

Pudding is also pretty high calorie (Handi-snacks in the baking aisle) and to add more calories I just added the powdered pudding mix to it.  For instance, I will buy vanilla flavored pudding (pre-made) and a box of the vanilla flavored pudding that you would make yourself, but just add a small amount of the powder to the pudding.  Mix well though!  it can be a little grainy.

If he likes Mac and Cheese, I make it with whole milk and lots of butter.

Also, if he likes veggies/fruit, use dips!  They can add a lot of calories too.

FWIW, I think it's great that your LO is in the 5th percentile!  Lots of kiddos on here (including mine, for a long time) aren't even on the chart!

SweetMonkey

I really like this baby center board for FTT, Max is not FTT, but he is small and is only 2% on the charts. so I have had a lot of luck w/ the ladies there giving advice and making feel better.

https://community.babycenter.com/groups/a118605/failure_to_thrive

and here is a list of ideas and cal counts that I once found. I add coconut cream (not coconut milk) to his milk, or I use half and half, and we do the pediasure and carnation instaint b-fast. plus I try and get him to eat high fat foods as much as I can.

High Fat Calorie Boosters

High fat calorie boosters general give you ?more bang for your buck?. That is because fat has more calories per gram than carbohydrates or protein. Sometimes extra fats can make reflux or delayed gastric emptying worse. If your child has these problems, please discuss what boosters would be best for your child with your dietician and or physician.

Calorie Booster: Calories per Tablespoon (on average):

Heavy whipping cream 50
Tub/soft margarine (don?t use stick due to trans. Fat) 50-70
Butter 100
Parkey liquid margarine 70
Peanut butter 100
Scandishake 35
Squeeze cheese 50
Shredded cheese 35
Salad dressing 50
Cream cheese 30-80
Sour cream 50
Egg yolk 50-60/1 LG
Coconut milk 30
Oils (vegetable, canola, corn, peanut) 120
Mayonnaise 50-60
Benecalorie 110
Microlipds 68

Lower Fat Boosters Calories per Tablespoon (on average):
These calorie boosters contain more of a combination of fat, carbohydrates, and
sometimes protein.

Duocal 42
Dry whole milk powder 40
Carnation Instant Breakfast 22
Sweetened Condensed Milk (low fat) 60
Sweetened condensed Milk (whole milk) 65
Nesquick 30
Avocado 25
Infant formula powder 40/scoop
Wheat germ 25



Fat Free Boosters

These calorie boosters are fat free and many contain a lot of sugar. Some of them
are best when used in combination with other boosters so that thye don't make the
food too sweet.

Calorie Booster Calories per Tablespoon (on average):

Maple syrup/pancake syrup 50
Sugar-brown, white or raw 50
Chocolate syrup/strawberry syrup 50
Corn syrup 60
Honey (do not use under the age of one) 50
Fruit jam/jelly 35
Apple butter 35
Polycose 23
Non-fat dry milk powder 30
Molasses 50

This list is compiled/copied from paperwork from Richmond?s Feeding Program
Richmond, VA.

__________________

 

jerseycaptive

Could you follow recipes from the ketogenic diet? You could probably google it, but speak to your doctor about it first, of course.

C&H

I make a milk mixture of 1-2 ounces heavy cream, 2-3 ounces whole milk and 3 tablespoons carnation instant breakfast. The cream alone is about 100 calories per ounce. I figure if my ds drinks at least 2 of these concoctions a day he is getting about 550-600 calories on top of everything else. Other than that I do a lot of cheese, butter etc.

miesl

Another place to look for good recipes for high cal foods would be cystic fibrosis message boards - high instance of FTT.

Does your DS have oatmeal or hot cereal for breakfast?  Quick way to add a bunch of calories to that is to use heavy cream instead of water when you make the cereal.  It tastes great, and it adds a bunch of calories.

As far as shakes go - I'm pretty sure the Carnation VHC is the winner - 560 cal per can.  DH loves them.

https://www.amazon.com/Carnation-Instant-Breakfast-VHC-Case/dp/B000NOOQXK

Another option are the Resource Breeze juice boxes.  Fewer calories, but clear liquids.