Healthy Weight Gain Foods for babies & kids

Looking for healthy weight gain foods for babies and kids (0-3 years) to gain weight? Follow these simple and nutritional recipes that will help your little munchkin gain weight and stay healthy.

BEST WEIGHT GAIN FOODS FOR INFANTS AND TODDLERS

Maintaining the weight of your little one can be challenging. From teething to occasional sicknesses like diarrhea and vomiting can impact weight gain in toddlers and kids. While some kids gain weight easily, others require a specialized diet plan. This handpicked list of super healthy weight gain foods for toddlers will help establish a healthy eating pattern and ensure that your kid is consuming a diet full of important nutrients. 

BREAST MILK

There can be no food as good for your baby as breast milk. It is a naturally balanced, easy-on-the-stomach superfood customized for your little one. For very little infants, lots of breast milk is the way to gain a healthy weight!

Weight Gain FOODS FOR Babies ABOVE 6 months

PULSES

An excellent source of vitamins and minerals like magnesium, iron, zinc, and folate, pulses can be introduced to babies who are 6+ months of age. They are rich in protein and fiber which makes them a super healthy choice for weight gain in toddlers and infants. Initially, you can introduce different types of pulses in the form of soup or daal to your little heart which will help in quick weight gain. Once your baby is 8 months or older, you can feed them pulses in the form of khichdi. 

BANANA

Banana is rich in carbs, potassium, and vitamins with a pleasing taste. It is also readily available and easy to carry, making it a great nutritious snack. You can feed your baby mashed bananas, steamed bananas, or blend them into purees and smoothies. Kerala also has a proud tradition of making dried banana powders for infants, which helps weight gain.

Check the vitamins guide chart for kids.

GHEE

Homemade ghee is a source of great healthy fats, free of any harmful preservatives and chemicals. You can add ghee to baby porridges, rice, purees, and in cooking for a lip-smacking taste and health. Ghee goes well with both sweet and savory food. Take care to use moderate amounts.

DRY NUTS

Dry Fruits are a good source of energy and calories for the growing little ones. You can powder nuts like almonds, pistachios, walnuts, and cashews and give them to your baby. Start in small amounts and increase as your baby grows.

CURD / YOGHURT

Homemade curd and yogurt are good probiotics loaded with goodness. They help in building a healthy immune system and are easy to digest. You can add curd or yogurt to salads, and rice, or make buttermilk for your kid for a healthy weight gain.

GRAINS

It is customary in many parts of south India to feed multi-grain porridges to babies. You can mix ragi, rice, wheat, almonds, and a few bits of coconut to make a healthy porridge for your baby. For tiny babies, you can soak them overnight, blend and boil the extract with a little water and sugar/salt. For babies older than ten months, you can dry roast and powder grains to cook porridges.

FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

Babies can be fed little amounts of fruits and vegetables every day. Beginning early not only helps their weight gain but also provides a dashing variety of flavors and textures in their diet with great nutrition. Fruits like pears, mangoes, apples, and apricots, and vegetables like pumpkin, carrots, beets, and sweet potatoes are very good for babies.

POTATOES

Potatoes are rich in carbohydrates, natural phenols, carotenoids, and other vitamins and minerals that help in weight gain. It also has a low-key taste that goes well with many recipes. You can add potatoes in curries, soups, or gravies you make for your family and then feed only those potatoes to your baby later.

EGGS

Eggs are a wholesome food that helps in good weight gain. The egg yolk can be given to babies from around 7 to 8 months. You can introduce the whites later because they tend to digest slowly and cause allergies commonly. Eggs are versatile – you can make egg rice, pudding, toast, boiled, poached, or scrambled eggs for your little one.

BUTTER

Fats are good energy sources that help increase your baby’s stamina. They are also the best choice for underweight babies. Avoid salted butter for babies. Too much butter can be heavy, so feed in moderate amounts. You can add half a teaspoon of butter to every meal for your baby. You can use it as a spread on sandwiches, rotis, dosas, or puris; you can also add butter while cooking.

WEIGHT GAIN FOODS FOR BABIES ABOVE ONE YEAR

FISH

Fish is mostly protein, which comes under bodybuilding food. Adequate amounts of fish are a must for all children, whether underweight or overweight. The rich omega-three fatty acids and vitamin D are a treasure for the growing ones. Avoid buying canned fish and fish containing mercury for your little ones. Also, remember to give babies lots of water throughout the day when they have fish.

MILK

Cow’s milk is a popular food that helps maintain a good weight. You can give two glasses of milk every day once the baby is one year old. If your baby is not fond of plain milk, you can make smoothies and milkshakes for your little one.

MEAT

Meats are a good option for healthy weight gain in babies. Meats are rich in fat, protein, amino acids, zinc, iron, and selenium. You can add a serving of meat for your baby every day. Some meats may cause constipation, so compensate with some fibers and lots of water/juices in the diet.

Final Takeaway

The journey of weight gain is different for every child – some babies stay lean, and some stay chubby. The key is to focus on whether they are or not active and healthy overall. Keep an eye on the number of wet nappies in infants and developmental milestones in older babies. A graceful balance of the diet is the way to go for all!

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