Getting enough calories

[sbgrace]

I'm really struggling with calories w/my son with allergies. His allergies mean I have to make everything. He's not a great eater now since we lost his favorite foods. He does eat a lot of our main dinner. But it's not usually really calorie rich (chicken and vegetables, pasta, etc). But snacks are hit and miss. Mostly he'll eat the crackers I make but hot cereal, muffins, pancakes are all rejected. He likes vegetables but that isn't adding much calorie wise. it's further complicated by the fact that we need to keep fat at around 20% of calories because of metabolic conditions. I was reading the average six year old eats 1800 calories. How? I just don't get it.

[kjbrown92]

It is hard to add calories without fat. My regular suggestions frying things, using meat drippings, coconut milk, avocado, all add fat along with the calories. What about fruit? He can't have nuts and sesame, what else can't he have? Why don't you just give him dinner leftovers for the other meals. You don't have to have traditional breakfast, lunch, dinner foods. I've had chicken bone broth with rice for breakfast before. Does he like waffles? My kids like waffles better than pancakes for some reason because they can dip them easier (buckwheat waffles).

[tanyalynn]

So you really need starchy or grain-y stuff, don't you.

Are white potatoes ok? My kids will eat a ton of them--mashed, roasted, boiled (dipped in ketchup), hash-type potatoes (I never actually do all the grating, drying, whatnot).

Other starchy foods--ever consider plantains? They sell them at our grocery store, not sure how widely available they are, but they look interesting, I was thinking a sliced/fried/caramelized type approach. My kids like sweet potatoes, I bake/roast them as wedges, so the bottom caramelizes.

An upper limit of 20% fat, or at least a range averaging around there, that's tough. When in doubt, like Kathy, I just add fat, but that's clearly not your solution.

Congee? Basically gruel, but tasty, over-cooked grain in more water than it needs, or use chicken stock to make it extra tasty. It can be pudding-like in texture and my kids like that.

Would sweetening the muffins help? Not that any of us want them eating more sugar, but if you think extra calories, and the nutrients that are going along would be worth the trade-off...

[mamafish9]

My 6yo doesn't eat anything near 1800 calories - holy cow!!!

If he likes your dinners, can you just keep extra, in small portions, that he can have the next day or two as snack?

We keep precooked, frozen butternut squash and sweet potato on hand - they heat quickly, add a little butter (or whatever works for you) and salt and instant snack.

Can he do eggs? Pumpkin pie filling is another common snack here (made with safe milk, I've used all kinds, but never tried it with an egg sub).

Will he do any kind of pudding/custard/yogurt?

Pizza pockets - we made them with GF crust, it was a bit tricky, but workable

Meatballs make fast, yummy snacks.

My kid won't eat muffins/pancakes predictably either, can you tell .