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Here are the top foods to help your baby or toddler gain weight. All of these are high calorie whole foods that can be easily added to your child’s food to make it more filling and delicious.
First, it’s important to determine if your child is indeed underweight and in need of intervention.
There are so many factors that influence how your child grows, such as genetics (that’s a HUGE one), nutrition, environment, and activity.
So when you find yourself comparing your child with how other babies are growing, please remind yourself that every child is unique. Healthy babies come in all shapes and sizes.
If your child is in the 10th percentile, this doesn’t mean they’re doing better or worse than your friend’s child who is in the 70th percentile.
You can rest assured that your child is getting adequate nutrition and growing properly if they’re maintaining a usual and predictable pattern of growth on the curve.
On the other hand, if you start to see flattening of the curve or dips, or your child seems to always be hungry, these high-calorie, high-fat foods will help them with healthy weight gain.
Seeds (hemp, chia, sesame, pumpkin, or flax seeds *)
Note: Foods with * by them are one of the top allergens. When first introducing, be sure to serve a tiny amount.
Weight Gain Foods for one year old and beyond
Continue serving all of the foods listed above. However, you may find that it’s becoming more challenging to feed your toddler who seems to be showing less interest in eating and displaying picky eating tendencies.
Be sure to read my top foods for 1 year old post to better understand and help navigate through this tricky feeding phase.
My top tips for feeding your underweight child is:
Make every effort to include high-calorie, high-fat foods as much as possible
You might be tempted to offer high calorie foods, like ice cream, soft drinks, juice, pizza, milkshakes, etc. And while it might add a few pounds to your child, those foods will not provide the nutrients they need for healthy growth.
Instead, focus on serving nutritious meals with essential nutrients. You want to add extra calories not empty calories.
Feed them every 2-3 hours.
If your child doesn’t eat much during mealtimes, you may consider providing up to 3 snacks, including a bedtime snack for additional calories.
Consider snacks as mini-meals so your child gets up to 6 eating opportunities to consume adequate calories and nutrition.
Don’t pressure them to eat – it will only backfire and can actually shut down their appetite.
Many families turn to these as they are a convenient way to boost calories and nutrients to support weight gain. My personal recommendation is to focus on food first.
However, if your child is really struggling, then talk to a dietitian or health care provider to find the type that is most appropriate for your child.
Tips for Adding High Calorie Foods
Babies and toddlers have small tummies so it’s important to try to make every bite count with healthy fats and important nutrients.
But this doesn’t mean you have to spend all of your hours and energy in the kitchen.
Here are some super easy ways to help your baby gain weight.
Smoothies with avocado, peanut/nut butter, seeds, milk, or yogurt
Cook vegetables in extra oil, butter, tahini, etc. You can also serve them with high-calorie dips like nut butters, yogurt, guacamole, bean dips, etc.
High Calorie Baby Food Recipes (and for toddlers)
In addition to the simple ideas above, here are some actual recipes that can help your child gain weight while learning to enjoy a wide variety of flavors and textures.
Breakfast
5 from 17 votes
Single Serve Chia Puddings for Babies and Kids
Single serve chia seed pudding for babies 6 months and up is the perfect make ahead breakfast or snack that you can whip up in under 5 minutes!
These super moist sweet potato cakes made with just 5 simple ingredients, including chickpeas, oats, and chia seeds, are perfect for babies and toddlers.
Light, fluffy, and incredibly moist, these whole wheat greek yogurt muffins are made with just a handful of ingredients and can be flavored in so many ways!
Invite fun and variety into the classic banana peanut butter sandwich by grilling and adding unexpected but delicious ingredients that kids and adults will enjoy!
Here's how to make any protein-packed Greek yogurt smoothie! With just the perfect amount of sweetness and creaminess, you can enjoy this thick smoothie for breakfast or as a quick snack any time of day.
Nutritious and easy to make, this baby-friendly omelette made with whatever veggies you have on hand is the perfect breakfast/snack for babies and toddlers!
Banana sushi is a fun and quick meal or snack with endless opportunities to add your child's favorite fillings, from fruit and chocolate chips to even vegetables!
Made with healthy ingredients like broccoli, carrots, and quinoa, these egg and dairy-free vegetable muffins with quinoa are perfect for baby led weaning and school lunchboxes.
Pizza eggs – your favorite pizza toppings, flavorful sauce, protein-rich eggs, and cheese all cooked to perfection in one pan. Enjoy for breakfast or any time of the day!
10 minutes is all you need to whip up this exciting twist on a kid favorite lunch – grilled cheese. The simple addition of hummus will amp up flavor and nutrition.
This mayo-free, refreshing yet hearty salmon bean salad couldn’t be easier to make! You can serve with crackers, vegetables, bread, salad, cheese, or whatever you fancy!
EASY, healthy curry chicken salad with avocado and vegetables for babies, kids, and adults! It's high in protein and perfect for a quick lunch at home and school lunchboxes.
These baby meatballs are made with just 5 simple ingredients and are egg free and dairy free. Tender and flavorful, these are perfect for baby led weaning, toddlers, and the whole family.
A quick and easy, baby and kid-friendly twist on an Irish classic comfort food, these mini shepherd pie muffins are filled with beef, vegetables and topped with creamy mashed potatoes
Made with simple, wholesome ingredients, this beetroot pesto comes together in minutes and makes for the perfect pasta sauce for babies, kids, and adults!
If your child won't eat broccoli or you've been looking for different ways to serve it, give this hummus a try! It's also a great way to pack in a lot of nutrition for babies and kids.
this spinach hummus with pumpkin seeds instead of tahini is a healthy snack or meal for babies and toddlers. It is so versatile and here are some ways to serve it to your family.
This creamy roasted cauliflower dip made with an ENTIRE head of cauliflower, tahini, and milk is super simple to make, delicious, and versatile. It will be an AWESOME way to make veggies exciting for kids!
4 nutritious ingredients, a food processor/blender, and dippers are all you need for this smooth, creamy, and vibrant beetroot dip for babies and toddlers!
Another EASY, 30 minute weeknight meal you can enjoy with your baby and kids! This Instant pot chicken and broccoli is also a great way to continue exposing your child to one of the top food allergens, peanuts.
This vegan African peanut stew is rich and flavorful and uses staple pantry ingredients. Made in one pot, requires minimal prep work, loaded with nutrition – It's an easy family meal!
A baby and kid-friendly comfort meal you don't want to miss! This chicken spinach quinoa casserole with black beans is super easy to make and loaded with iron and protein.
If you're in need of a quick and easy weeknight family meal, here's an Instant Pot Korean chicken and potatoes recipe that everyone, including babies, will enjoy!
Thank you so much for stopping by! I am Min, a Registered Dietitian, a Christ follower, a wife, and a mom to our two miracle babies! Currently, I’m having a ton of fun feeding their tummies and sharing our baby led weaning journey! Follow me on Instagram if interested in seeing daily menu as well as tips and tricks.
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