I have shared 12 ways I sneak healthy fat into my toddler’s diet before, but I figured I would try to pull more resources together for you – foods and recipes, in particular. This was a big thing for me a while back because my toddler needed to gain some weight. She is very active and has no time to eat… 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 good amount of fat.
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.
Here are some healthy fats to incorporate into your kiddo’s diet:
- 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
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
So there you have it – healthy fats! Let me know what else you’d like me to compile. We’ve covered iron, calcium, protein, and now fats… so if there is something else that I missed, go ahead and shout it out in the comment or on Instagram. Thanks for being here. x
