I think you're on the right track with preferring whole foods. Kids eating a western diet generally don't need supplemental protein like the kind in protein bars and shakes. I wouldn't go that route unless a pediatrician specifically suggested it.

We also still use whole milk to add calories. And I second the suggestion to add butter, where possible. I even add butter to pasta for my picky kid before adding the meat sauce. I also butter the inside of sandwich rolls before adding filling.

My kids will also eat muffins and pancakes made with whole wheat flour, and we use whole wheat pasta. Just eating mostly whole grains can add a good amount of protein to their diet.

Lots of good tips - coconut is another good mix in.

Bone broth
Avocado
Butter pancake, add extra egg
Fried ice cream
Any decaf frappuccino drinks from Starbucks!

We do nightly ice cream sanctioned by the dietician.

Anonymous wrote:OP here, will stop responding to every post separately, but thank you for the ideas.

Also, for anyone else who is looking for these tips, so far our biggest win in this category is something we are calling "chia toast" -- it's a slice of whole grain toast with Nutella and peanut butter and then coated with a solid layer of chia seeds. The Nutella makes it feel like dessert to DD but I can usually get a full serving of chia seeds (2 tablespoons, about 5g of protein) on the toast. With the peanut butter and bread, it winds up being a pretty filling snack or even a breakfast in a pinch.

Looking for more stuff like this! Easy, less processed, but much higher in fat and protein than crackers and cereals and that kind of thing.

OP, I like the toast idea. Did your child have any issues with constipation or stomach issues with all those chia seeds, though?

Also look at "energy balls" - lots of different recipes out there and lots of variations. Basically just take oats, nut butter, and whatever mix ins you like. Maybe some honey to help bind it together. Good right out of the fridge, and it will keep longer refrigerated.

Another thing I used to make a lot for DS when he was younger was greek yogurt ice cream bars. I think I used these molds: Ouddy Life Popsicle Molds Set of 2. You just stir together high protein greek yogurt (I used Fage 2% or 5%) mixed with peanut butter or pb powder. You can add honey if you want it sweeter. I also swirled in some blobs of jam. Freeze in molds, then coat in dark chocolate and roll in chopped nuts. These were basically just a high protein, less sugary treat for those of us in the family who like Haagan Daz bars.

Stop responding to every post

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We aren’t dealing with that specific issue, jr I have a skinny kid who moves a lot so I try to keep his calories up. Sounds like Dr gave you good advice including switching to WM which we did last year too.

Dates stuffed with but butter

Greek yogurt parfait with trail mix on top

Nut butter and Greek yogurt smoothies. You can use peanut butter powder too

Greek yogurt muffins. Can add vegetables, fruit, nuts to this

Greek yogurt Frozen ”bark”

Guacamole with chips or with a quesadilla

Also add an extra drizzle of olive oil or an extra pat of butter to meals.

Ice cream for dessert

Thanks. Do you have a good Greek yogurt muffin recipe to share? Also now googling Greek yogurt Frozen "bark" as that sounds very promising for snacks and as a lunchbox treat...

Yes damn

We worked with an incredible feeding therapist i McLean- she helped us with calorie boosters and also helped us as parents learn how to approach meals with our picky eater. It was a total game changer.

Easiest banana bread:
2 well mashed mushy bananas
1/2 stick of butter
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar (white or sugar cane for a deeper taste - I use a scant cup )
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup or milk or 1/4 milk and 1/4 Greek yogurt or sour cream
Protein powder (sub for some of the flour)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 /pinch of kosher salt


You can cream butter and sugar. Or just mix melted butter and sugar. Faster and i can't tell the difference once baked.
Add egg, then milk and vanilla mixing well.
Stir in flour and soda/powder and salt
Add bananas last

Fill a greased loaf pan
350 degrees for like 35-40 min until toothpick is clean.

Serve warm or later toasted with a pat of butter. It's a lot of sugar but I haven't found another recipe with less that baked up well.

OP here, will stop responding to every post separately, but thank you for the ideas.

Also, for anyone else who is looking for these tips, so far our biggest win in this category is something we are calling "chia toast" -- it's a slice of whole grain toast with Nutella and peanut butter and then coated with a solid layer of chia seeds. The Nutella makes it feel like dessert to DD but I can usually get a full serving of chia seeds (2 tablespoons, about 5g of protein) on the toast. With the peanut butter and bread, it winds up being a pretty filling snack or even a breakfast in a pinch.

Looking for more stuff like this! Easy, less processed, but much higher in fat and protein than crackers and cereals and that kind of thing.

Anonymous wrote:Are you willing to compromise on "processed" and "healthy" to get fat and calories into her? My picky kindergartener won't eat plain full fat Greek yogurt, even with honey, but will eat storebought flavored "protein" yogurts.

OP here. So yes, we already compromise on this -- we can sometimes get her to eat full fat Greek yogurt with honey or other mix ins, but in her lunch I give her the proceed high protein yogurt because I know for sure she'll eat it at school. Her lunch is actually pretty processed for this specific reason -- it's the best way to ensure she actually eats a full lunch at school. Previously I was doing more Whole Foods in her lunch and her lunchbox was coming home with too much food still in it, so I gave int.

But that's why I'm trying to avoid the heavily processed foods for snacks and breakfasts, to balance it out.

Anonymous wrote:Will she eat chips and guacamaole?
My kid loves avacado and that’s a healthy fat. I literally just smush it and add some salt.

Eggs with cheese on
Full fat yogurt, either as a yogurt or put in a smoothie.

Chips yes, guacamole we are working on. She used to eat it, I don't know why she stopped.

Anonymous wrote:I also recently bought high protein cereal. I think it’s special K.

What about soy - soy milk, tofu

Will she eat fish? Mine will eat shrimp, salmon (especially if cooked with butter and brown sugar and soy) and surprisingly, canned sardines. I just rinse the sardines and add them to pasta.

OP here. We are working on tofu, which I love, but I haven't found a recipe she'll reliably eat yet. Soy milk we already use in smoothies and I sometimes give her with cereal, but the pediatrician wants us doing the full fat milk with vitamin D instead.

Anonymous wrote:We aren’t dealing with that specific issue, jr I have a skinny kid who moves a lot so I try to keep his calories up. Sounds like Dr gave you good advice including switching to WM which we did last year too.

Dates stuffed with but butter

Greek yogurt parfait with trail mix on top

Nut butter and Greek yogurt smoothies. You can use peanut butter powder too

Greek yogurt muffins. Can add vegetables, fruit, nuts to this

Greek yogurt Frozen ”bark”

Guacamole with chips or with a quesadilla

Also add an extra drizzle of olive oil or an extra pat of butter to meals.

Ice cream for dessert

Thanks. Do you have a good Greek yogurt muffin recipe to share? Also now googling Greek yogurt Frozen "bark" as that sounds very promising for snacks and as a lunchbox treat...

Anonymous wrote:I make my own banana bread with whole milk/yogurt and protein powder. My youngest (6) is also not a meat eater much so we upped her protein intake this way. It's a favorite snack and lunch (paired with cheese sticks and fruit)
If you want to add more incremental calories, fry/sautee in coconut oil and butter. We do a lot of very buttered seeded bread toast. Amazing how much of it kids can consume. We get kerrygold or Plugra as it tastes better.
Biggest game changer for us was getting her to eat scrambled eggs. Gateway was fried rice with egg oddly. Now I make my own scrambled eggs, add some milk or cream. And also very eggy fried rice with lots of butter for dinner some days.
Full fat Greek yogurt with choice or jam and mix ins (Cheerios etc).

OP here -- thank you this is very helpful. I have definitely been scouring for high fat/protein baked goods that we can make as snacks and to toss in her lunch since that's something she'll eat pretty reliably. I know you say it's your own recipe but do you have a jumping off point for that banana bread recipe? Would love some kind of base recipe with whole milk and yogurt that I could customize different ways for variety but have been having trouble finding a good one.

She used to eat omelettes regularly but randomly stopped a couple years ago. But she loves rice so I'm going to try your fried rice idea and see if that works. She will eat tons of stuff with eggs in them but currently isn't eating eggs on their own.