Hi friends!
I’ve been wanting to talk about healthy fats in a kids diet for a while. They are very important in a child’s diet (toddler need between 35-40% of calories from fat). But sometimes when your kiddo is a bit picky, it can be tough to make it happen. My daughter is a pretty great eater, but she has her days.
And on a more personal note, we have struggled to keep her weight up and on track. She is a tiny little thing and is VERY active (high energy like whoa) so stopping to eat is not on her agenda unless I ask. It’s really important for me to pack in as much fat as I can when I do make her snacks and meals.
I wanted to share a number of ways we make fat a priority. She eats plant-based/vegan, so the below ideas cater to that, but you can use these ideas no matter what your child’s diet may be. I hope it helps to bring some variety to the plate.
1. Chia seeds in plant-based yogurt and pudding.
This is a really easy way to add a boost of nutrition, extra fat, and omegas-3s. This chia pudding recipe is our go-to. I also will stir a tbsp into her yogurt whenever she has it – breakfast or snack.
2. Coconut oil in oatmeal.
I’ll add about a tbsp of coconut oil to her morning oats to amp up the fat factor.
3. Coconut oil on toast.
Another way we use coconut oil is as a butter substitute on toast. She hardly notices the difference. I will sometimes add a layer of jam on top of it, too.
4. Olive oil on veggies.
A really easy way to get fat into a veggie dish is to use a decent amount of olive oil or whatever your cooking oil preference.
5. Nuts in pasta sauce.
Cheesy cashew sauce on pasta is an easy and very tasty way to win over your kids. I will also add some to red sauces every once in a while (look Willow, it’s pink pasta sauce!) I also make green pasta using walnuts or almonds in kale or basil pesto. She loves that!
6. Cashews blended in smoothies.
I don’t give Willow whole nuts yet (choking hazard) but I do love to blend cashews in her smoothie for extra creaminess and fat.
7. Nut butters in oats and smoothies.
Peanut and almond butter are favorites in our house and are easy to add to oatmeal and smoothies. I will also stir some into her syrup for pancakes, too. Just an added bonus tip. ;)
8. Avocado in smashed bean/chickpea salad.
I will use mayo for chickpea and bean salads, but sometimes I’ll add avocado too or skip the mayo entirely. Avocado is one of the healthiest (and tastiest) fats around.
9. Full-fat coconut milk in soups and chia pudding.
I always have a few cans of full-fat coconut milk ready to go because it makes a great addition to soups (so creamy) and works well in our chia pudding recipe.
10. Coconut cream in smoothies and pudding.
Coconut cream is much thicker than milk and it works well in smoothies and pudding.
11. Ground flaxseed in oatmeal. and pancake mix
Ground flaxseed is not only great in baking, but adding to things like oatmeal and pancake batter. I always add a heaping tbsp to Willow’s oats and will toss into whatever batter recipe I am using for her pancakes.
12. Tahini in hummus.
I’ll use about 1/4 of tahini (ground up sesame seeds) in my hummus recipe. My daughter LOVES hummus, so this is always a win.
I hope that even one or two of these are new to you and will be a welcome addition to your child’s plate. Thanks for reading along, as always. x
