Fats and protein at 18 months
I have an 18-month-old who is only in the fifth percentile for height and weight. The doctor says I need to feed him more fats and protein. What kind of toddler-friendly high-protein foods do you suggest?
You do have a tiny one. The fact that his height and weight are proportional is an indication that maybe he is just genetically small. Are you, his parents, small? You haven't mentioned any physiological or pathological reason for his size so I assume the doctor is not worried about his health, just his size. Of course, growing optimally is an indicator of good health.
Has your son always been small or has he dropped down into this fifth percentile from a higher one? If the latter is the case, then a regime of high-calorie foods with a good source of protein can be therapeutic. There are plenty of foods out there that will provide protein as well as fat.
Keep in mind that your son's need for protein is not too high: 16 grams (0.56 ounces) a day is the recommended daily intake. Here are some good foods to include in his diet: eggs, full-fat cheeses, full-fat yoghurt, full-fat cottage cheese (by full-fat I mean NOT the reduced or non-fat kind), ice cream and peanut butter and jam finger sandwiches. Put cheese sauce on his vegetables or potatoes. Spread peanut butter on bananas, apples and crackers. Make puddings with eggs and whole milk.
Serve hamburger meat in meatloaf or child-size meatballs. Butter his toast, pancakes and muffins. Put cream cheese on buns, bagels and fruit. Make milk shakes with full-fat milk and full-fat frozen yoghurt or a wholesome ice cream. These can also be made into a nutritious fruit shake by adding a banana and some orange juice. Bake some oatmeal biscuits or other nutritious biscuits such as carrot biscuits or peanut-butter biscuits. Flaked, boneless, cooked salmon; avocado; muffins made with plenty of oil or butter; creamed soups made with cream, not milk; and nut butters (e.g. almond butter or hazelnut butter) spread on banana bread are other suggestions.
Macaroni cheese is a real children's favourite that is high in protein, fat and vitamins. Look for casseroles that include high-fat ingredients as well as a protein source, such as Swedish meatballs, lasagne or quiche. Be sure to serve an iron-fortified baby cereal every day. You can mix it up with whole milk or cream to be sure it is high in energy value.
In general, familiarise yourself with which foods are high in protein and which are high in fat and try those foods that are included in both lists. At 18 months, most foods can be adapted to suit your son. They may just have to be cut up a little smaller or cooked a little softer.
Good luck - and I hope your son grows just like he is supposed to, whether he is meant to be large or small.
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