10 Foods for Healthy Weight Gain in Babies

It is important to remember that your purpose should be to provide a balanced diet that delivers your child with all the nutrition required, to grow and stay healthy. This will automatically support the child to get a healthy weight gain.

As a new parent, you may be worried about your baby’s weight gain. Healthy babies must come in all shapes and sizes. While some babies are naturally thin, others are lumpier. Sometimes a baby is born with low birth weight and it may take a few weeks to reach up to their equivalents.
As a parent, it is important to understand that your baby’s growth will vary from time to time depending on the food they eat, sleep, etc.
Weight gain is a crucial part of a baby’s development and many concerned parents want to include different types of food into their baby’s diet to boost a healthy long-lasting life.
A few months after birth, a baby must have foods that contain a high-calorie count, so that rapid weight gain can take place. Babies who are 6 months and older should ideally eat around three meals per day along with two snacks each day.

Baby food recipes to gain weight must contain all three dietary categories: proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. These components should be given in variable amounts; a meal should contain 15 percent protein, 30 percent fat, and 55 percent carbohydrate.

How to Increase Weight in Children

Some kids do not appear to gain weight, and there could be multiple reasons behind this. The major reason is the hereditary body of the underweight child’s parents. If your child is active and healthy, they will finally reach the weight milestone as per their age.
You can consider keeping a food diary for your child and making a note of likes, dislikes, preferences, and allergies, and scheduling weekly menus to make mealtimes fun.

Here are a few suggestions you can try to increase weight gain in your child:

• Ensure that the child reaches sufficient exercise and babies in physical activities so that their appetite is healthy.
• Focus on feeding a healthy, well-balanced, and nutritious diet, and do not just consider weight gain.
• As the child grows, introduce to sports such as swimming, cycling, etc. Active participation in sports will help them work up an appetite and also help develop their physique.

Best Foods for Healthy Weight Gain in Babies

While preparing meals for babies and toddlers, parents will need to keep the nutritional requirements of the child in mind. Children must eat a well-balanced diet that will supply important and healthy calories. Parents also need to make mealtimes interesting so that their child looks ahead to it and doesn’t become a picky eater.
Some parents feed sugar-laden sweets to increase weight in babies; however, it is unhealthy and will ultimately do your child more injury than good. There are many healthy alternatives that you can turn to, to increase your child’s weight.

Below are some best weight gain foods for babies to follow

Breast Milk

Let’s start with the most important suggestion there is to feed your child breast milk!
It is recommended as a baby is only breastfed during the first 6 months after birth. This is the most nutritious, easily digestible, perfectly balanced, and healthiest super food that can build your child’s immunity for life.

It also promotes the bond between mother and child. The diet consumed by a nursing mother impacts the quality of breast milk she produces. The mother should eat a nutritionally good diet to produce good quality breast milk as it provides antibodies to the child’s body and helps fight infections.

Pulses

Pulses are full of nutrients.
They are rich in proteins, magnesium, calcium, iron, fiber, and potassium. After 6 months of your baby, you can start daals in the form of soup, which is one of the most popular healthy weight gains for kids.
Moong daal is the best choice and is easily digestible for babies. Cook pulses with rice and vegetables in the form of Kitchidi for nutritional food for weight gain.

You can introduce some more tastes to your baby as semi-solids, and mashed food at around 7 to 9 months. You can start giving your baby homemade cereals available as a ready mix in the market. For homemade cereals, you can wash daal, millets, pulses, and rice and sun-dry them. Thereafter, mildly roast the same and grind these in the mixer. Prepare multiple powders and store them in labeled bottles for quick meal options. Use as and when required.

Ragi

Also known as finger millet, this superfood is perfect to increase weight gain and the growth of the baby. It is rich in dietary fiber, calcium, iron, proteins, and various other vitamins and minerals.
It is easily digestible and can be introduced to babies in the form of idly, dosa, porridge, malt, or cereals. Toddlers can have the same in the form of their favorite cakes, cookies, and puddings made more nutritious.

Ghee

Ghee or clarified butter has high nutritional value. Introduce it around the 7th month of your baby’s life.
Homemade ghee is the best choice and it is a great food to help your baby healthy weight gain. Remember to use ghee in moderation as consuming it in excess can upset the baby’s stomach.
Ghee is a major part of a high-fat diet for weight gain in babies. Since a baby’s taste buds are still unformed at this stage, introducing salt to them until they are older is not advisable. Butter is the most productive source of fat and has all the essential fatty acids.

You can use different high-calorie foods for baby weight gain in different ratios to create a balanced diet.
However, don’t force your child to eat certain foods for the sole purpose of gaining weight. Weight is an unstable factor and can vary from baby to baby. Several environmental aspects can also impact a baby’s weight. Always speak with your pediatrician before starting new foods to your baby’s diet.

Mashed Banana and Apple

After the 6th month, the baby will transition to semi-liquid-based food, so you can start including baby food recipes to gain weight. The best food to give your baby at this age would ideally be smashed or pureed fruit.
The fruit of choice would either be bananas or apples. Apple contains a substantial amount of fiber which will control constipation. Apple provides Vitamin C which is required for immune maintenance and will help the baby absorb iron more efficiently.

Mashed bananas have large amounts of potassium, which can help regularize heart functions and muscle contractions. One apple or banana provides 90 calories, and with one of the best high-calorie foods for baby weight gain. Generally, babies can eat these fruits for breakfast or as a mid-morning snack. Following a complete baby food chart can help you decide the right portions of these fruits to feed your baby and at what time.

Egg Yolks

The yolk of a boiled egg is an ideal way for a baby to gain weight.
The yolk has more healthy fat-building capabilities as compared to the albumen. It is also a great source of Omega-3 fatty acids that helps to maintain more elevated cholesterol levels.

The yellow yolk includes high levels of cholesterol, which improves the calorie-building muscle. A large number of calories will drastically increase your baby’s weight gain. It will also make an active baby stronger and healthier.
Egg yolks are rich in Vitamin D, and B12. These vitamins will help the baby gain weight faster in a less period. Egg yolks are one of the top high-calorie foods for baby weight gain that will help to increase your child’s healthy weight. Our baby food recipes for 8-month-olds include easy ways to prepare eggs and help babies gain weight quickly.

Dairy

It will be suitable to add dairy products like yogurt to your child’s diet after the age of one. Yogurt supplies fat and Nutritious food for weight gain in the baby. It also improves digestion, boosts immunity, and helps with gastric troubles. It can be made attractive by making yogurt smoothies or shakes, with added chunks of fruits in it.

After taking the pediatrician’s opinion packed milk, butter, cheese, etc., should be introduced after 12 months of age. Butter and cheese make food interesting for toddlers and adds the fat content to require healthy weight gain.
Ensure that you include at least 2 glasses of milk a day in your kid’s diet till they reach teens. Milk can be made interesting by adding dry fruits or health mixes available in various flavors in the market. Eating fewer dairy products must be taken, as too much or too less can be trouble for your child.

Tropical Fruits and Vegetables

Rich in natural sugars, important vitamins, and immunity-building minerals, tropical fruits and vegetables are a must in every child’s diet chart. These include papaya, mangoes, and pineapples. Steamed vegetables in some butter or put together a colorful fruit salad for your child to tuck into at snack time.

Avocados

They are a rich source of Vitamin B6, E, C, folate, copper, dietary fiber, and pantothenic acid, and also contain a high percentage of fat. Served as dips or spreads, avocados are a tempting addition to any meal. You can even make a tasty and healthy milkshake with avocados!

Conclusion

Remember that keeping healthy eating habits in children is more important than having them reach a target weight. Let your child have a healthy and wholesome diet, and they will finally reach a healthy weight.
If you are worried about your child not putting on weight despite trying the above tips and foods, consult the doctor.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I make my baby chubby and healthy?

• Breastfeeding is the best, few mothers cannot do this at all and some may avoid it.
• Don’t respond to every cry with a feed.
• Don’t overfeed.
• Give healthy solid food.
• Get your baby moving well.

How can I increase my baby’s weight fast?

• Eat the proper quantity of food.
• Choose low-fat dairy products.
• Exercise; allow walking or swimming on most if not all days.
• Limit sweets and high-calorie snacks.
• Limit sweet and sugary juices.

Which fruit is good for gaining weight?
Dried fruits, such as dates, apricots, figs, and raisins, contain more calories which are the best options for healthy weight gain.

What is the reason for the baby not gaining weight?

• Not taking in enough calories.
• Burning too many calories.
• Premature infants need more calories than term babies.

Do babies gain weight every day?
A healthy baby is expected to lose 7% to 10% of the birth weight but should regain that weight within the first 2 weeks after birth.

Does rice make babies fat?
It’s suggested to combine a small amount of rice grain with breast milk and slowly introduce your baby to solids.

Can breastfeeding babies get fat?
It is normal for breastfed babies to gain weight more rapidly than their formula-fed during the first 2-3 months.
Does cerelac make you fat?
Cerelac is an unsustainable diet and isn’t good for long-term results and doesn’t help in gaining weight.
What can a baby eat at 6 months?
Well-cooked grain cereal with breast milk. Cooked and pureed vegetables, mashed banana, or avocado.
Why cerelac is not good?
Even though cerelac is packed with nutrition, but is also loaded with sugar, which raises problems.

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