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Original poster

Fattening food ideas please - dd1 is skeletal

62 replies

Enid · 12/01/2006 09:57

she eats rather too healthily - doesn't like dairy (esp butter), would live on nuts seeds and fruit if she could. Oh and sweets as she has a sweet tooth. She eats miniscule portions and hates mashed potato. She is 6, has just been ill, but seems OK now (tired and weepy though). Yesterday she ate: 3 spoonfuls of branflakes with no milk, 1 spoonful of porridge
1 quarter of a sandwich (peanut butter)
1 carrot stick
4 spoonfuls of couscous and chickpeas and one 1cm square piece of lamb

thats IT.

Her spine and ribs stick out and her legs are like sticks.

Any suggestions of good nourishing fattening food?

OP posts:
Marina · 12/01/2006 10:54

Because of all the goody seed oils in it bp. I think that is a price worth paying - especially for the kids, who spurn seeds in anything else except a plate of Vogels toast...
enid, I bet Green & Blacks or Mackays organic are highly calorific, fit for purpose in your case.
Hope she widens out a bit soon, bless her.

Original poster
Enid · 12/01/2006 10:56

she will always be skinny I think (until she has kids if I am anything to go by)

but I actually sucked in my breath looking at her in the bath yesterday

I actually can't bear to send her to ballet or swimming this week but dh says she should go it will improve her appetite. She does want to go.

OP posts:
Marina · 12/01/2006 10:57

ballet = load-bearing exercise = good for bone density and strength. Even if they look like they'll blow away

NotQuiteCockney · 12/01/2006 10:59

Nuts are high calorie, full of goodness. The roasted ones, particularly with a bit of salt, are tastier, so she's likely to eat more of them.

Original poster
Enid · 12/01/2006 11:01

brilliant

gosh no, she won't countenance them roasted or with salt, they have to be true health food style

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NotQuiteCockney · 12/01/2006 11:03

Well, at least she's unlikely to struggle with obesity, at this rate.

Does she eat meat? Bacon, sausages, chicken?

Her diet sounds good, really. Lots of good food in there. She'll no doubt start eating more over time.

Hmm, any chance of getting her to eat without thinking about it? Like while watching telly etc? Eating out of boredom?

You could make up a little box of nuts (maybe with dried fruit?) and let her carry it about and have some whenever she likes? (To the extent school will allow this.)

bundle · 12/01/2006 11:05

what about smoothie whizzed from her favourite fruits with blob of ice cream on top?

bundle · 12/01/2006 11:05

what about smoothie whizzed from her favourite fruits with blob of ice cream on top?

bundle · 12/01/2006 11:06

twice, even

saadia · 12/01/2006 12:02

Would she have egg? I usually bung a load of grated cheddar into ds's omelette and fry it in butter. He has that with pitta bread and ketchup.

Also add peanut butter and jam to his Ready Brek.

foxinsocks · 12/01/2006 12:18

oh that's really hard enid. I think the organic ice creams (green and blacks) and yoghurts (yeo valley) tend to be full fat so probably best for what you need (if she'll touch yoghurt).

Nuts are great but dd seemed to find them quite filling (they are calorific) so that tended to knock her appetite for a big meal (if you see what I mean).

Trying to fatten them up without too much dairy is hard - dd had a dairy allergy when she was younger and she was positively skeletal. The dietician told us to give her red meat (things like spaghetti bolognaise, stews etc.) and bulk out with lots of carbohydrate vegetables like butternut, sweet potato, lentils. Also as someone else said, sausages, lamb - the more fatty meat products.

Also does she like things like pancakes? Home made pancakes are nice and fattening (especially with a dob of ice cream and a bit of fruit to persuade her to eat it!).

cathyspam · 12/01/2006 12:19

poppiesinaline my ds is 2.5 stone at 2.5 years and big for his age but not fat! I really sympathise with you enid - can only make a few suggestions: adding cream to sauces, oily dressings on salad. peanut butter on oily bread such as foccacia, does she like rice? you could do egg fried rice with any meat/veg in, toad in the hole? good luck

FrannyandZooey · 12/01/2006 12:22

Yes do let her do lots of exercise, swimming in particular should increase her appetite, surely?

Does she like anything fried like falafel or tempura??

hornbag · 12/01/2006 12:38

Home-made nut roast/nut cutlets -you could hide all sorts in those including cheese.
Potato wedges -coated in olive oil and cooked on v high temp
If she likes her fruit and veggies could you make a calorific dip to go with them?

Blu · 12/01/2006 12:41

Enid, I know you are more domestic-godessy than me - but if she will eat pancakes, those ready-made Aunt Bessie ones are quite wholesome and easy and quick to keep in the freezer.
DS has them for his breakfast

Original poster
Enid · 12/01/2006 12:45

wow you are so good

tonight I am going to give her her tea at 3.30 when she gets in - its the only time of day she seems remotely hungry
pasta with meatballs with extra olive oil smuggled in - if she eats two meatballs and six forkfuls of pasta I will be overjoyed. I will offer her cheese too but I know she'll refuse it

then bowl of green and blacks choc mint ice cream - she loves this and so do i

then hopefully she might be a bit peckish (huh pigs might fly) later so its peanut butter/choc spread on toast and some nuts

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bambi06 · 12/01/2006 12:51

my dd is also the same although she does seem to be putting on weight but she ahs a natural aversion to anything too heavy or unhealthy..she adores crudites/pickles/fish/ adorees even more..seafood and would eat it every day but she also loves chicken done in a creamy garlic sauce although she dislikes creamy sauces with anything else.. she also loves nuts and fruit and need to hide the fruit bowl if weve got plums/grapes..she also prefers ryvita crackers to bread and only like wholmeal healthy bread..ive taken her to a dietician who advised just to watch her dairy intake...give her milkshake/icecreams etc as she may end up having a low calcium count but other than that im proud of my dd who chooses to be healthy and i know she will be healthy when shes older because of it and will probably be the envy of all her girlfrinds with a slim figure so dont worry too much but maybe have her calcium checked or give her calcium supplements or bottled water thats got the added calcium in it..hope this helps and well done for ahving a healthy dd

Blu · 12/01/2006 12:55

Good luck, and don't go overboard, Enid - remind yourself to act casual!
Sounds a fab tea!

fruitful · 12/01/2006 12:55

This is very fattening, gorgeous, non-dairy, and contains fruit...

Mangoes with Sticky Rice

You need rice, mangoes, a can of coconut milk, and some sugar.

  1. Get a tin of coconut milk and leave it standing overnight. Turn upside down and open at what was the bottom. Scoop out the thick stuff that has settled at the bottom (about half the tin), and a little bit of the watery stuff, and mix it. = coconut cream

  2. Cook 2 cups of rice. "glutinous rice" is good if you can get to an asian store but any will do. Glutinous rice needs soaking for a couple of hours before you use it.

  3. Heat your coconut cream gently and dissolve 2 tbsps sugar in it. Then mix this into the rice.

  4. Put the coconut rice on plates.

  5. Put sliced mangos on top.

  6. Try not to scoff the lot yourself.

You can also sprinkle toasted sesame seeds over the top.

bundle · 12/01/2006 12:58

would she eat eggy bread with maple syrup and a slice of crispy bacon?

Original poster
Enid · 12/01/2006 13:01

that mango thing sounds lovely

bundle yes she eats 'cinnamon toast' - eggy bread with sugar and cinnamon

will make some pancakes tonight for the morning - she likes them with maple syrup

will NOT eat bacon - not big on meat generally

OP posts:
Original poster
Enid · 12/01/2006 13:02

blu good advice about acting casual

not very good at that atm

do you think telly on in kitchen or not????

see, I am so uncasual about it

OP posts:
frogs · 12/01/2006 13:07

Nigella's banana bread, from the Domestic Goddess book? Has the appearance of cake but actually very wholesome -- eggs, walnuts, bananas, raisins etc.

Mercy · 12/01/2006 14:00

Are you worried about her health, or just the fact that she's very thin?

As for ideas, how about lots of pies (pastry made with lard/butter), potatoes roasted in goose fat, homemade flapjacks (fruit, nuts & seeds); does she like custard? Or curry? (can be made with ghee)

Original poster
Enid · 12/01/2006 14:06

no custard
no flapjacks

loves roasties and have some goose fat so will do that tomorrow
and used to like curry, will make next week.

I am worried about her as she has been very poorly. She is very slim naturally, but she didnt eat for nearly three days over the weekend and has now lost all appetite and/or interest in food. I would leave it and wait for her appetite to come back a bit but she looks so skinny (easily the skinniest in class) and also has no energy and is weepy and prone to outbursts.

OP posts: