List of Healthy High Calorie Foods for Children

Mother, when your little one is growing, he doesn't only need protein, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. However, he also needs sufficient calorie intake as the main source of energy. Several high-calorie food sources such as nuts, avocado, salmon and milk could be choices to give to your little one.
But, are all foods that are high in calories good for him? Come on, look at the explanation below to find out the information.
Healthy Calorie Foods for Children
Each individual requires a different calorie intake, depending on their age and gender. These needs tend to increase with age. So, here are good high-calorie food choices for your little one.
Red meat
Red meat is an important source of calories for your little one's growth and development. For example, 50 grams of beef contains around 140-150 calories. These calories come from the fairly high protein and fat content in it.
Apart from being high in calories, red meat also contains an amino acid called leucine, which functions to stimulate protein synthesis and add new muscle tissue. So, by consuming red meat regularly, your little one can get complete nutritional benefits to help increase body weight.
Fish
Salmon is not only known as a source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids, but is also a high-calorie food. In 500 grams of salmon filet, it contains around 1,075 calories, 46 g of fat and 70 g of protein which functions to increase body weight and build muscle mass.
Mothers can prepare 100 grams of salmon in one meal which produces 200 calories. So, you can cook 500 grams of salmon for 4-5 meals. You can cook it in various ways, such as steaming, grilling, sautéing or boiling.
To keep salmon fresh and maintain its nutrition, it is recommended to store it in the freezer using an airtight container.
Nuts
If you are looking for a source of protein and fat with high calories to increase daily energy, then nuts could be the right choice. There are various types of nuts that you can choose from, ranging from almonds, peanuts, red beans, and so on.
Of course, each type of nut has a different number of calories. So, if you want to make a dish for children, of course the measurements will be different. For example, if your little one is 3 years old, it is enough to consume 2-3 tablespoons of nuts per day. This means that when prepared in soup form with 3 tablespoons of peanuts and served in a bowl, you will get around 260 calories.
Avocado
Avocado is a high-calorie fruit that contains healthy fats, fiber, vitamins and minerals. Therefore, consuming avocados will help support the development of your little one's brain and nervous system during the growth period.
Generally, half an avocado weighing around 100 grams contains 160 calories. So, when you make an avocado smoothie with the composition of 1 banana, 1 tablespoon of yoghurt and half a ripe avocado, you will get around 380-400 calories.
High Calorie Foods to Limit
Meeting your little one's daily nutritional needs will really help optimize his or her growth and development. But not all foods with high calories are good for health.
Mothers need to limit high-calorie foods and drinks, such as sweet foods/drinks, fast food, and foods high in saturated fat for consumption by your little one. Because these foods have the potential to increase the risk of obesity.
Some other foods that should also be limited for your little one's consumption are potato chips, fizzy drinks, ice cream, packaged fruit juice, and other fast food preparations.
High calorie intake is important for your little one's energy and growth, but their intelligence also requires other nutrients, such as omega-3 which also plays an important role in brain development and cognitive function. Come on, Mother, find out more about other important nutrients that influence children's intelligence here: Optimize your little one's intelligence with these 4 nutrients

Sumber: 

• Healthline. The 18 Best Healthful Foods to Gain Weight Fast. Diakses tanggal 06 April 2024. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/18-foods-to-gain-weight
• Cleveland Clinic. Camilan Tinggi Kalori untuk Saat Anda Perlu Menambah Berat Badan. Diakses tanggal 06 April 2024. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/high-calorie-snack-ideas-for-weight-gain