Dieting tips for kids who need to gain weight

Everywhere you look these days, it seems like the spotlight is on overweight kids. Childhood obesity is a growing concern, particularly in the U.S. It’s a much-discussed topic among parents, doctors, health experts, teachers and everyone in between.

While overweight kids will face a number of health problems associated with their weight, underweight kids are equally at risk for health issues.

In fact, although both conditions are harmful to health, being underweight can be more dangerous than being overweight.

Stir fatty dairy products like heavy cream, whole milk, butter and powdered milk into everything you can like soups, oatmeal, cereal, and desserts. Have full-fat ice cream every night for dessert, yay!

Cheese in can be very fatty and kids typically love it. Melt some cheese on everything from: scrambled eggs, toast and breads, baked potatoes and meatloaf. Make a cheese sauce to dip anything and everything into. Get creative!

Read also: Here’s proof that even a bit of exercise is better than nothing

Smoothies can be popular with kids. Try some creative “milkshakes.” Start with ice cream or frozen yogurt and whole milk. If you want to sneak in extra nutrients and calories, add some protein powder or peanut butter to a milkshake, even add some fruit. If it’s a fruity smoothie, try to get some kale, spinach or other veggie in there as well. Experiment with flavours and pack in as many calories and nutrients as you can.

Deep frying foods may go against everything you’ve been taught, but it’ll provide fats and calories for your underweight kids. It’s true, fried foods aren’t ideal for health, but the point is to get them to eat and grow. You can either fry in olive oil or deep fry vegetables, like green beans and zucchini, meats and many other things.

Dips are fun for kids and you can sneak fats into them, especially if you make them yourself. Take some ranch dressing packets and stir in full-fat ingredients like sour cream, heavy cream or full fat mayonnaise.

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