1. Give them foods that contain fat
Fat provides energy (calories). It’s part of the magic that helps them grow. Fat is not something to be afraid of when it comes to feeding kids. Not only is it important for energy but also for neuron (brain cell) myelination, which helps those brain cells communicate. This is what makes your kids smarter and more social each day.
The type of fat does matter, but I promise you that no one wakes up in the morning planning what ‘type’ of fat to serve today. I know it’s much more helpful to know which foods to offer. But because I’m a dietitian, and I admittedly can’t help myself, I’m going to give you both.
Emphasis should be on a variety of monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat. But babies do also need some saturated fat and cholesterol. The body uses cholesterol to make bile salts which help in the digestion of fats.
Here’s a list of great options for serving up some dietary fat to babies/toddlers/kids:
Monounsaturated fat — olive oil, avocado and avocado oil, sunflower oil, pistachio butter, almond and other nut butter, egg yolk
Polyunsaturated fat — sunflower seed oil, avocado oil, *algal oil, sunflower seed butter, pumpkin seed butter, ground flaxseed, flaked or fork-mashed fish, egg yolk
Saturated fat — whole milk, coconut milk, meat, egg yolk, cheddar cheese, butter
*algal oil is a vegan source of omega 3 DHA that is essential for brain development.