I need to "fatten up" my 2yo, ideas please?

[cadelaide]

His build is on the slight side, like his Dad,but I instintively feel he's not eating enough atm. I've checked the growth charts (as a rough guide, you understand, I'm going more on instinct with this one) and he's dropped centiles considerably within the last year for both weight and height.

He's just one of those without a huge appetite, he eats very little during the day. He does enjoy a good breakfast though.

So, what can I tempt him with?. What high fat/protein foods do your LOs like?

If he has dropped in height could this indicate that he does not need to 'fatten up' and that he remains in proportion and is just slowing down his growing?

How old is he? Is he sleeping well? If you are going to take some action,only increase the protein - not the fat.

Why no more fat?

He likes cottage cheese, but it's very hard to find a version that isn't "low fat". He needs fat.

Take your point about his height though, perhaps he's going to be a short bloke.

He's just turned 2, btw, and thanks for replying!

Cheese? My DD (19 months) loves it and babybels or other mini cheese, whilst extortionately expensive, are easy enough to take out and about for a quick and easy snack.

Well, I presume he is having a healthy diet already so he'll be getting all his essential fatty acids...

On that basis, there is no need to plump him up, he is in a temperate climate and thus does not need fat for warmth or anything iyswim. After that, all you need to worry about is whether he gets enough energy and tissue building material for growth.. so balanced diet with all vitamins, minerals and proteins (particularly) will suffice.

It is ok for him to be skinny so long as his body has all it needs to grow bone and muscle as he develops.

I'm not a nutritionist- just using logic so don't take my advice as gospel, but I am confident that adding fat to his diet is unnecessary and unhelpful.

Peanut butter

What is his height? (If you dont mind me asking)

my 2 year old would never eat... he lived off his breakfast all day

now he's 3.6... all i get is 'i'm hungry!

he'll eat when he's ready, you can't force him (trust me, been their done that) and if it's in his genes to be that way, not much will change it (my dp is skinny build too, ds1 has same build)

My daughter eats like a bird and always has. She is also incredibly fussy and won't eat any veg or fruit so I have to come up with all sorts of things to get these healthy things into her system.

I have also always given her full fat versions of everything including milk. I figure that if she knows when she is full on full fat products great she'll always be able to eat the right amount for her.

If she just asks for sweet things then I'll encourage her to have the healthy stuff first and then she generally won't have as much of the sweet stuff.

If he looks healthy I seriously wouldn't worry.

I wouldn't worry, my 18mo is very tall for her age and very skinny as well but eats pretty much constantly as we leave snacks like cheese chunks and carrott sticks around for her to pick at. she'll always eat a yogurt or something like that if offered.

The only meal she really eats properly is dinner/tea or whatever you call it, the rest of the day she picks at what she's given for brekky and lunch and would rather munch healthy snacks. If he's happy, full of energy and eats a healthy well balanced diet then don't get too caught up in 'he should be doing this and that' kind of things, just let him get on with it

cadelaide - i totally know where you are coming from. My DS is now nearly 5 and although skinny, is also short and very slight - so I know how worrying it is. My DS also has a small appetite and prefers to "graze" rather than eat a big meal (I don't think he has the stomach capacity for a normal sized meal). But I find the best things that fatten him up are Macaroni cheese, cheese, milk, custard etc. Mine loves croissants for brekkie (or a snack). I know all these things are high in fat, but he also eats a lot of fruit, some veg and enjoys healthy food too.

Message withdrawn

Does he drink? If so do milk shakes with fresh fruit and put some ice cream in. Soup is handy-you can put lots of veg in and liquidise.

I wouldn't get too hung up about charts. My DS2 who eats like a horse is only on the 25 centile however although he has just turned 4 but jeans and trousers for a 4 yr old are huge on him. He looks perfectly normal and no one would really say he was skinny. He does like grazing and he is allowed healthy snacks such as cheese. My DS1 is the healthiest child I know. He is 8 and tall and skinny. He is not interested in food inthe slightest and I need to check on a daily basis that he is imbibing each one of the food groups. Also like Riven he only just made it into the cntile charts when he was a baby and the Dr threatened to have him admitted to hospitial (much to the horror of the HV who said he was perfectly normal).I give vitamins to make sure.

My DS1 has not had a day off school sick in four years so don't worry.

mascarpone stirred into pasta....

I've got another skinny little boy, and he has recently been ill and as a result has lost quite a bit of weight.

He likes to eat little and often, so I give him a mini-breakfast at 6am, preceded by a breastfeed. He usually has scrambled eggs or cereal at around 10ish, "lunch" at 1ish and then a biggish meal at 6pm. He'll usually have a snack in the afternoon. He also drinks quite a bit of milk, both from me and from a bottle.

Some day, despite everything, barely a morsel passes his lips. Other days he truly is the human dustbin and will eat the food from your plate. Just the other day he took a whole bar of dark chocolate from me and wolfed it down.

I find it very difficult to buy trousers for him as he is quite tall but very, very skinny.

Thanks all.

Today he finally tried hummous, which was a bit of a thrill (is this what my life has come to? Hummous thrills me?)

riven

About cottage cheese, Sainsburys do a full fat one which is absolutely delicious.