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Tips and Tricks to Add Calories to Your Child’s Meal
Bridget Swinney MS, RDN, LD

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    Bridget Swinney MS, RDN, LD
August 28, 2024 Children
Boy Eating Orange
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Sometimes kids grow so fast that it’s hard for them to eat enough!

This happened to Kati’s daughter Isabella, whose doctor recommended she eat more high-calorie foods. Kati asked her WIC Nutritionist for help. Here’s what she suggested to help Isabella get more calories:

  • Offer regular meals and snacks.
  • Encourage her to help prepare meals and snacks with you; she will be more likely to eat them if she’s involved in the process.
  • Avoid high-sugar foods and sweet drinks between meals because they spoil appetites.
  • Use whole milk and whole milk yogurt instead of low-fat or fat-free.
  • If she’s thirsty before meals, only offer water so she doesn’t fill up on other drinks.

Easy Ways to Add Calories

Adding healthy fats to your child’s diet is the easiest way to increase calories.

  • Use extra oil when cooking or add extra oil, butter, or margarine to cooked veggies, potatoes, pasta sauce, and pasta.
  • Add avocado to sandwiches, dips, egg salad, or smoothies.
  • Use extra mayonnaise on sandwiches, chicken, or tuna salad. Make “special sauce” by mixing it with a little ketchup to use for dipping chicken or French fries. Mix mayonnaise with pickle relish to make tartar sauce for fish sticks.
  • Spread nut butter* thinly on toast, crackers, or sliced fruit. Nut butter also gives good flavor and extra calories to smoothies and oatmeal.

*CAUTION: nut butters, especially chunky varieties, can be a choking hazard for children under 4. Don’t give your child spoonfuls of peanut butter. Nut butters can be thinned with applesauce to make them easier to eat.

  • Make hummus with beans or chickpeas, lemon, oil, and garlic.
Hummus and Veggie Tray
Hummus and Veggie Tray
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Corn Cereal with Milk
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  • Milk is a super-healthy WIC food that can be used in many ways. Choose whole milk only for your child who needs more calories and children aged 1-2. Limit the amount of milk your child drinks to 2 cups a day.
  • Serve milk with meals or over cereal.
  • Use milk to make hot cereals, puddings, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, and smoothies.
  • Make creamy canned or homemade blended soups.
  • Yogurt is a great way to add calories and calcium, especially if your child is not much of a milk drinker.
  • Blend with frozen fruit for a yummy smoothie.
  • Make a parfait by adding fruit and some crunchy WIC cereal on top.
  • Freeze yogurt with pieces of fruit in small cups for frozen treats.
  • Make a topping for pancakes and waffles by mixing yogurt with fruit and jam.
  • Make overnight oatmeal with milk, yogurt, and fruit.
Blueberry Smoothie
Yogurt
Cheesy Pasta Bake
Cheese
  • Cheese is lactose-free and can be used in many ways!
  • Slice and eat with apple or pear slices, or crackers.
  • Sprinkle grated cheese on broccoli, cauliflower, potatoes, and other veggies.
  • Melt extra cheese into macaroni and cheese or mashed potatoes.
  • Make cheese quesadillas or grilled cheese sandwiches.
  • Add cheese to any sandwich.
  • Sprinkle cheese over pasta, meatloaf, chili, and casseroles.
  • Make nachos with mashed beans and cheese.
  • Cream and sour cream
  • Cream and sour cream can be added to veggies like cooked leafy greens, potatoes, and pasta.
  • A few tablespoons of heavy cream or half-and-half can be added to low-fat milk.
  • Make a “loaded potato” with cheese, sour cream, and chopped ham.
  • Make a dip with sour cream and Ranch dip mix or taco seasoning.
  • Add sour cream to tacos, enchiladas and nachos.
Veggie Tray with Ranch
cream

Sample Menu

Breakfast

Overnight oatmeal made with Greek yogurt and whole milk, chopped banana, and cinnamon.

½ cup Whole milk.

TIP: Make enough for several days and prepare in glass jars so it’s easy to grab-and-go.

Snack

Sliced cheese with whole-grain crackers.

½ cup juice.

Lunch

Small taco or tostada with beans and avocado

Melon wedge

Whole milk

Snack

Steamed, cooled carrots with ranch dip

Water

Dinner

Fish sticks or chicken strips with tartar sauce (mayo + relish) or special sauce (mayo + ketchup)

Pasta with extra butter

Spinach with sour cream

½ cup whole milk

Snack

Pudding made with whole milk

Side-Lying

Side-Lying Hold

  1. For the right breast, lie on your right side with your baby facing you.
  2. Pull your baby close. Your baby’s mouth should be level with your nipple.
  3. In this position, you can cradle your baby’s back with your left arm and support yourself with your right arm and/or pillows.
  4. Keep loose clothing and bedding away from your baby.
  5. Reverse for the left breast.

This hold is useful when:

  • You had a C-section
  • You want to rest while baby feeds
  • You are breastfeeding in the middle of the night
  • You and your baby are comfortable in this position
cross-cradle

Cross-Cradle Hold

  1. For the right breast, use your left arm to hold your baby’s head at your right breast and baby’s body toward your left side. A pillow across your lap can help support your left arm.
  2. Gently place your left hand behind your baby’s ears and neck, with your thumb and index finger behind each ear and your palm between baby’s shoulder blades. Turn your baby’s body toward yours so your tummies are touching.
  3. Hold your breast as if you are squeezing a sandwich. To protect your back, avoid leaning down to your baby. Instead, bring your baby to you.
  4. As your baby’s mouth opens, push gently with your left palm on baby’s head to help them latch on. Make sure you keep your fingers out of the way.
  5. Reverse for the left breast.

This hold is useful when:

  • Your baby is premature
  • Your baby has a weak suck
  • Your baby needs help to stay latched
  • Your baby needs extra head support
  • You and your baby are comfortable in this position
Football

Clutch or “Football” Hold

  1. For the right breast, hold your baby level, facing up, at your right side.
  2. Put your baby’s head near your right nipple and support their back and legs under your right arm.
  3. Hold the base of your baby’s head with your right palm. A pillow underneath your right arm can help support your baby’s weight.
  4. To protect your back, avoid leaning down to your baby. Bring baby to you instead.
  5. Reverse for the left breast.

This hold is useful when:

  • You had a C-section
  • You have large breasts
  • You have flat or inverted nipples
  • You have a strong milk let-down
  • You are breastfeeding twins
  • Your baby likes to feed in an upright position
  • Your baby has reflux
  • You and your baby are comfortable in this position
CRADLE hold

Cradle Hold

  1. For the right breast, cradle your baby with your right arm. Your baby will be on their left side across your lap, facing you at nipple level.
  2. Your baby’s head will rest on your right forearm with your baby’s back along your inner arm and palm.
  3. Turn your baby’s tummy toward your tummy. Your left hand is free to support your breast, if needed. Pillows can help support your arm and elbow.
  4. To protect your back, avoid leaning down to your baby. Instead, bring your baby to you.
  5. Reverse for the left breast.

This hold is useful when:

  • Your baby needs help latching on
  • You and your baby are comfortable in this position
laid-back

Laid-Back Hold

  1. Lean back on a pillow with your baby’s tummy touching yours and their head at breast level. Some moms find that sitting up nearly straight works well. Others prefer to lean back and lie almost flat.
  2. You can place your baby’s cheek near your breast, or you may want to use one hand to hold your breast near your baby. It’s up to you and what you think feels best.
  3. Your baby will naturally find your nipple, latch, and begin to suckle.

This hold is useful when:

  • Your baby is placed on your chest right after birth
  • You have a strong milk let-down
  • You have large breasts
  • You and your baby are comfortable in this position