Adding Extra Calories

I've become an extra calorie adding ninja.  Adding more calories and fat into Buster's purees was easy.  A tablespoon of heavy cream here, a pat of butter there, an egg stirred in as I heated up a puree was great for calories and protein.  Now that we seem to be past the puree dependency (today is day 5 of "big boy meals") it's going to be more of a challenge.  I'm going to have to get creative because he doesn't like condiments on his foods.  He needs whatever he is eating to have a consistent texture all the way through.  In the last few days we have become very dependent on mac & cheese.  So, I'm adding some cream cheese to make it a little extra fattening.  I also think I will be able to get away with a dusting of parmesan cheese on veggies because he likes the flavor and for the most part, it will melt into whatever I grate it over.

Today we have therapy.  I'm going to ask our therapist to try tiny bites of chicken nugget with him.  He tends to try things for the first time better with her than with me.  I think just the change up of person is good for him plus, I'm his mom and he feels more comfortable refusing me.  Also, she's just more fun.

The following information is from Lurie Children's Hospital's Feeding Clinic site:

Adding Calories

Each day include an extra 200 to 400 calories in your child's diet. Add calories to everything your child eats and drinks. Each of the following is about 40 to 50 calories per serving.

​1 teaspoon vegetable oil​	​1 teaspoon butter/margarine​
​1 teaspoon mayonnaise	​ 1 teaspoon peanut butter
​2 teaspoons honey​	​2 teaspoons sweet condensed milk
​2 teaspoons salad dressing​	​1 Tablespoon tartar sauce
​1 Tablespoon Miracle Whip®	​1 Tablespoon cream cheese
​1 Tablespoon whipping cream	1 Tablespoon cheese spread​
​1 Tablespoon chocolate syrup	​1 Tablespoon chopped nuts
​1 Tablespoon jelly	​1 Tablespoon sugar
​1 Tablespoon syrup	​1 Tablespoon caramel sauce
​1 ½ Tablespoons raisins​	​1 ½ Tablespoons granola
​2 Tablespoons hummus	​2 Tablespoons sweet and sour sauce
​​2 Tablespoons BBQ sauce	​2 Tablespoons parmesan cheese
​​3 Tablespoons catsup	​3 Tablespoons dry milk powder
​​1 egg (never raw)	​1/3 envelope Instant Breakfast powder

• One half teaspoon oil stirred into mashed potatoes, yogurt, applesauce, pudding and milkshakes
• Salad dressing, mayonnaise, sour cream and cheese spread as a dip for chips and vegetables
• Crackers or bread with peanut butter, jelly, honey or cream cheese
• Dry milk powder or Instant Breakfast added to milk, pudding and yogurt
• One cup milk powder to each quart of whole milk
• Caramel sauce, yogurt and honey as a fruit dip
• Granola, raisins, honey and nuts added to cereals or yogurt
• Tuna salad with mayonnaise and chopped hard boiled eggs

Make sure your child’s teeth are brushed after meals and snacks, especially if adding extra sweets.

Do not offer peanut butter, raisins or nuts to a toddler or a child with swallowing or chewing problems.

Learn more in the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition about picky eaters – which can progress to extreme food selectivity or food aversion.