high fiber foods for toddlers

[HumbleLuna]

Any suggestions for high fiber foods I can feed my little guy? He eats way too much dairy and is very constipated all the time. He is 20 months old.
Thanks,
Heidi

[Drummer's Wife]

Does he like fruit?

[Sugarshoc]

Besides lots of fruits, I make spelt pancakes for my little one. She loves them and they are rich in fiber. I got the recipe from the King Arthur Whole Grain book.

[Holiztic]

Well, we do a magnesium supplement (Baby Calm) for two related reasons: 1) to balance his high calcium intake (lots of dairy here too) and to help with his movements (though constipation isn't too much of an issue, just slightly hard poops). It also helps his mood/behavior (not a big problem for us, but just toddler stuff like fighting bedtime and transition issues)

[Rico'sAlice]

Besides the obvious fruits like pears, plums, and peaches, avocado actually is very high in fiber.

[columbusmomma]

Baked beans are great too

[inkedmamajama]

blueberries and raspberries and strawberries! also beans

[elanorh]

Good suggestions. Also:

Weetabix (sp?) breakfast cereal - it's pretty much just whole grain and no additives. We would soak it in meat drippings or serve it in the morning with milk. I think that shredded wheat would probably be similar? If you do cold cereals, there are a few which are legitimately whole grain (that is, just the grains and not sugar etc. added).

We eat whole grain breads. Oatmeal is a frequent breakfast food. Carr's Whole Wheat crackers (if/when you give crackers) are whole grain. If something is available in a 'whole grain' version, then that's what we do. We do half whole wheat pasta with all our pasta meals (half white, half wheat - I have friends who swear by the enriched-with-egg-all-whole-wheat pastas, but my dd1 is allergic to eggs).

Lots of fruits and vegetables -- unpeeled whenever possible. Pears are a great source of fiber especially with the peel on.

[snowbunny]

You might consider adding more probiotic foods to his diet - kefir and yogurt since he likes dairy so much. Probiotics can help with constipation too and sometimes fiber-rich foods can be tough on little bellies. Also, is he drinking enough water? Are you still nursing?