Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Will he eat yogurt? Nuts? Granola? Shredded Coconut?

Yes. Life yogurt. We haven’t done whole nuts yet due to choking hazard (he’s two) but do nut butters.

I go to the Amish Market and get full fat yogurts.

I have a bunch of “toppings” in the snack closet my kids can put on their yogurt.

Chopped almonds, chopped pecans, pumpkin seeds, chai seeds, coconut, granola, sunflower seeds, mini chocolate chips, dried blueberries

I also slice fresh fruit.

I have a child who needs to gain weight and it was recommended by his nutritionist.

Try lentils. My kid likes the Annie’s brand lentil/veg soup. She has it over WG rice.
If he likes beans and nut butters and eats dairy he’s probably getting enough protein.
Have you tried eggs different ways? Mine doesn’t like them scrambled but will eat a fried egg over easy on a mini bagel.

I know you said no added sugar but my kids will eat almost anything teriyaki (pan fry with 2:2:1 soy sauce/mirin/rice vinegar) including veg and tofu and they adore zucchini bread. Sometimes a smidgen of added sugar is worth it in my option.

Also, offer fresh while carrots when he’s teething. In general my kids will avoid cooked veg in/with meals but are somewhat open to fresh vegetables offered straight, weirdly.

Anonymous wrote:Will he eat yogurt? Nuts? Granola? Shredded Coconut?

Yes. Life yogurt. We haven’t done whole nuts yet due to choking hazard (he’s two) but do nut butters.

Ways I like to sneak veggies in:

“Carrot cake” or yellow squash oatmeal- cook shredded veg with the oats so they soften, or you can make a baked version. I usually add raisins and/or nuts, and use a little maple syrup/honey in place of sugar.

Zucchini/sweet potato noodles, or cauliflower rice- sometimes I do half regular pasta (or half regular rice) to make it less obvious

Sloppy joes with a bunch of finely diced veggies and cauli rice

You said he’s cold sensitive, but would he prefer a popsicle to a smoothie? I make fruit smoothies and add some type of veg (spinach, chopped beets, carrot, cucumber), mix with Greek yogurt, and pour into popsicle molds.

We do a carbonara style pasta with egg for protein, you can also add pureed white beans to sauces for extra hidden protein. Greek yogurt, cheese, steamed extra firm tofu, beans and rice, and silken tofu in smoothies are also simple protein sources for picky vegetarian kids.

Will he eat yogurt? Nuts? Granola? Shredded Coconut?

Anonymous wrote:He won’t eat meat and rarely eats vegetables.

We have no diet restrictions as a family but prefer no overly processed foods or added sugars.

We offer veggies with almost every meal and sometimes they’re licked or chewed but not eaten much. Peditrician says as long as we are offering that’s all we can do.

Bonus points for high protein and iron rich meals with “hidden” veggies.

Lol. For hidden veggies, you can put steamed puréed cauliflower and puréed spinach in nearly anything - marinara, Mac and cheese, burgers, omelets, chili, curries, lasagne, ground meat for tacos, etc.

Sometimes kids eat more veggies w charcuterie.

Anonymous wrote:Does he eat pasta and sauce? You can hide a ton of veggies in red sauce.

If he likes smoothies, blend frozen veggies in. The cauliflower/carrot/broccoli mix works really well for that.

He loves pasta but not red sauce (it tends to give him a face and butt rash anyways).

I can sneak in some shredded carrots (very finally shredded) into his Mac&Cheese and he usually eats it. Easiest is putting some steamed broccoli and spinach in his pesto.

He doesn’t seem to love smoothies. He’s very temperature sensitive.

My kid like that is now a vegetarian adult. Just keep trying veggies, tofu, beans, cheese, high quality grains, sweet potatoes.

Anonymous wrote:Can you combine whatever he likes with tofu or beans? Like a bean burrito with cheese?

Bean & cheese burritos/quesadillas are a staple. So is mac&cheese and pesto with added veggies.

But adding tofu is a good idea.

Does he eat pasta and sauce? You can hide a ton of veggies in red sauce.

If he likes smoothies, blend frozen veggies in. The cauliflower/carrot/broccoli mix works really well for that.

How old?

Can you combine whatever he likes with tofu or beans? Like a bean burrito with cheese?

He won’t eat meat and rarely eats vegetables.

We have no diet restrictions as a family but prefer no overly processed foods or added sugars.

We offer veggies with almost every meal and sometimes they’re licked or chewed but not eaten much. Peditrician says as long as we are offering that’s all we can do.

Bonus points for high protein and iron rich meals with “hidden” veggies.