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. She is very active and doesn’t like to sit still for long… it was turning into a struggle at times to get her to finish her meals! That meant I had to make sure I packed in the healthy fats so if she didn’t eat it all, at least she got a decent serving of the good stuff.
Healthy fats are so important for brain and physical development, so I hope the following helps you to see that there are more healthy fats out there than just avocado and nut butter.
Following the options and meals, I’m sharing 12 ways I sneak healthy fats into my toddler’s dishes. She eats plant-based/vegan, so the below ideas cater to that, but you can use the ideas no matter what your child’s diet may be. I hope it helps to bring some variety to the plate.
Healthy Fats for Kids
- Avocado
- Chia seeds
- Coconut oil
- Coconut yogurt
- Full-fat coconut milk
- Peanut butter
- Almond butter
- Sunflower butter
- Olive oil
- Avocado oil
- Nuts (cashews, walnuts, pecans, etc.)
- Ground flaxseed
- Tahini
- Edamame
- Shredded coconut / coconut flakes
- Coconut-based cream cheese
- Black olives
Healthy-Fat-Rich Meals Ideas
Breakfast
- Chia pudding
- Coconut yogurt mixed with chia pudding
- Oatmeal with coconut yogurt mixed in
- Oatmeal with nut butter
- Smoothies made with full-fat coconut milk, nut butters, coconut yogurt, or a bit of coconut oil
- Oatmeal with fruit, granola, and shredded coconut
- Pina colada yogurt (coconut yogurt with pineapple bits & shredded coconut)
- Bagel/english muffin/toast topped with nut butter, avocado, cream cheese, or hummus
- Toast spread with coconut oil and jam
- Toast or pancakes topped with chia seed jam
- Pancakes with ground flax
- Maple oatmeal with ground flaxseed
- Vegan waffles or french toast topped with nut butter
Lunch/Dinner
- Mashed chickpea & avocado sandwich
- Cream cheese & tomato sandwich
- Cream cheese & cucumber sandwich
- Cashew mac & cheese (pictured above)
- Green pasta
- Roasted veggies (prepared with avocado, olive, or coconut oil)
- Avocado and bean salad
- Cheese quesadilla topped with guacamole
- Peanut butter and jelly
- Almond butter and jelly
- Vegan grilled cheese (grilled in coconut, olive, or avocado oil)
- Black bean tacos with cashew queso cheese
- Broccoli & cheddar soup (prepared with full-fat coconut milk)
- Any creamy soup prepared with coconut milk!
- Cream of mushroom pasta
- Veggie alfredo pasta
- Peanut butter & banana roll-ups
Ways to Sneak Healthy Fats In
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.
🌿Explore more plant-based nutrition:
- Calcium-Rich Foods for Vegan Kids (+ Meal Ideas)
- Protein-Rich Foods for Vegan Kids (+ Meal Ideas)
- Iron-Rich Foods for Vegan Kids (+ Meal Ideas)
