Food Advice for Todder

[~Summer~]

I am needing some advice on how you all feed your todders. My 15 month old is only about 18lbs, and he is less than 3% on the growth charts. I am wanting to start feeding him healthier, because his behavior has gotten really crazy since allowing gluten, and probably too much sugar. I was giving his chocolate almond milk because that is all he would drink, but I am now going to start trying to get him to drink Silk Coconut Milk (he is allergic to cows milk). To encourage weight gain I have been feeding him bananas and avacados. He had surgery on his esophagus when he was born, so all his food has to be really little or he will choke. I am constantly worried that he doesn't eat enough. I would love any advice, and to hear what you all feed your little toddlers.

[babeak]

Sorry to hear of the issues.

I give hemp milk...often it is the tempt unsweetened brand if I have not had time to make my own. My DD has several allergies: wheat, nuts, eggs (not that this is an issue or I would have known since we are vegan), but has outgrown sesame (hurray). I just tried that coconut milk because a friend of mine who had been doing hemp tried it and seemed to like it, but I think it is bleh and DD did not like it either.

Green smoothies are great especially for not being able to chew! YOu can throw all kinds of good stuff into them no limited to the following:
oranges (mine won't eat them by themselves)
kale and other dark greens....which are still difficult for chewing purposes even with my 3yro. She loves green smoothies though.
chia seed for calcium and fiber and omegas
flax seed
vitamins
hemp seed

I have yet to try raw bean hummus (on the go a lot these days and not a lot of time for sprouting), but we do eat store prepared hummus as a quick food when necessary. Otherwise, I have made zucchini hummus, etc. We also do cooked beans...plain. Nothing fancy. Many beans are just not readily digestible or are toxic raw.....so that is another compromise we make.

You can make a porridge of sorts: Grind chia, sesame and hemp seed add in lots of cinnamon, then combine with fruit of your choice...apple, pear and banana. You could add some other things to this as well like ground nuts, for more fat content.

However, I guess I would try to get calorie rich green smoothie....mine likes a kale/ avocado/ dill/ cuke green smoothie/ soup.

I guess it depends where you are on the raw food scale. We have had to venture a bit from it because of the cold climate and availability and allergy issues. However, we keep as many meals as raw as possible and I just can't fret over the rest.

There are flax seed teething biscuits you can make with apricots that essentially dissolve. You can do the same thing with ground up chia seed and they make nice crackers that dissolve into you mouth if you don't dehydrate til they are crisp. You can put all kinds of great nutrient dense foods into these including nuts, veggies, etc. and serve them with avocado. We used to do a LOT of that because it was convenient.

I would try some pates of sunflower seed and nuts too. My DD is not crazy about sunflower seeds in general....at least unsprouted ones.

HTH
Best wishes. Mine gained weight so fast and was in the 95% routinely and I exclusively nursed until she was 9 months before introducing foods. So, I have never had to worry about gaining enough weight. LOL

[babeak]

Coconut oil would be another good source of calories.

Also if you are not in too cold of a climate thing about all of the things that you could blend and make into popsicles.

[qfmother]

Awesome ideas from babeak - thanks! Off the top of my head I would just add nut butters (I don't worry too much about the nut allergy thing for toddlers myself, although I know it is an issue for many people), and dried fruit (of course you have to watch the sugar) that you make yourself in your dehydrator or at least storebought organic raisins, etc. My little ones love this stuff along with avocados, green smoothies, and a lot of the other stuff that was suggested.

[Erynne]

Considering how young he is, you might consider hooking up with the Human Milk for Human Babies network and trying to find a mom in your area who'd be willing to donate extra pumped breastmilk to him. Humans are meant to nurse well into toddlerhood, and the extra, easily-accessible, easily-usable calories would certainly be good for him.

I know there are HM4HB networks in every state... just search for them on Facebook.

Hope this is helpful to you! <3

- E

[michigan roman]

home made nut and seed milks

sesame

hemp

pumpkin

almond

chia

sun seed


make milks , strain out pulp . blend in bananas or berries . wheat germs another good add for vita e and protein


then if have juicer juice ton o dark greens and we are totally
rawk n rolling here

[phytomama]

my little girls love raw pudding or icecream. just depends whether or not i add frozen bananas. tonight we did chocolate ice cream and it came out like soft serve.

1/2 avocado
3 frozen bananas
1 young coconut flesh
squirt of honey
dash of vanilla
2 tsp cacao powder (can use carob)

blend in vitamix and keep on churning while motor is running until it gets super smooth.

i also do a lot of avocado pudding. just blend avocados, bananas, vanilla, honey and sometimes carob, cacao or just a bit of lemon juice. for the little one you can also add some hemp seeds and udo's oil (which i often add to our icecreams and puddings)

good luck!

[Siouksie]

My 6 year old loves raw porridge made out of:

1 cup buckwheat (soaked overnight)
1 banana
1 tbsp maca powder
1 tbsp ground chia
some sort of sweetner - I don't mind using raw honey - but otherwise you can use agave nectar or throw in a couple of medjool dates
1/4 cup nut milk

Really, this is a winner and buckwheat is sooo nutritious!

[Siouksie]

My 6 year old loves raw porridge made out of:

1 cup raw buckwheat (soaked overnight)
1 banana
1 tbsp maca powder
1 tbsp ground chia
1 tbsp of raw honey (if you're vegan you can use agave or throw in a couple of medjool dates)
1/4 cup of nut milk

Blend for 10 seconds and serve!

[Raw Angel Mom]

Give him as much fruits has he wants and you can make a lovely smoothie with hemp seed.