A list of 12 high-calorie breakfast ideas for toddlers. Ideas for adding healthy fats and calories to your toddler’s breakfast to help with weight-gain.
Are you struggling with breakfast and wondering: How can I add calories to my toddler’s diet? What are high-calorie breakfast foods for toddlers?
I’m a mom of two boys and am here to help! My toddler has been a slow gainer for most of his life, so I am always looking for ways to add extra calories and healthy fats to his diet to help him gain weight.
Breakfast is a great place to add extra calories. Since it is the first meal of the day it is often one where you child is hungry and will eat a lot. They also might be a little more open to trying new foods since they are more likely to be hungry.
I’m sharing 12 high-calorie breakfast ideas for toddlers based on what my toddler actually eats throughout the week. These high-calorie foods are healthy choices for your toddler and great for the whole family.
If you are looking for more breakfast ideas or high-calorie food ideas be sure to check out these related posts:
- Fun Toddler Breakfast Ideas for One Year Olds
- 8 Easy Toddler Oatmeal Recipes
- 12 Dairy-Free Toddler Breakfasts
- High-Calorie Toddler Meal Ideas
Disclaimer: please consult your child’s pediatrician for advice on your child’s weight or any additional questions or concerns you may have. I am not a doctor, dietician, or nutritionist, but I am a mom of two who has a low-weight toddler and these are the meal ideas I personally use to help him gain weight.
High-Calorie Food Ideas
Healthy high-calorie foods for toddler include healthy fats, whole-milk dairy, whole grains, and high-calorie fruit. I normally try to serve at least one high-calorie food for my toddler at every meal, if not two or three.
Here are some ideas for healthy high-calorie foods:
- Avocado
- Nut Butters (peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, ect.)
- Eggs
- Whole-milk dairy (we like to choose organic grass-fed when available: milk, yogurt, butter)
- Cream cheese
- Coconut cream
- Coconut oil
- Banana
- Raisins
- Whole-grain breads and bagels
Favorite Feeding Supplies
Here are some of our favorite feeding supplies that can make meal times with toddlers just a little bit easier:
Ingenuity Booster Seat: sitting at the table and sitting at the right height can make a world of difference in getting your toddler to sit through a meal. We love the Ingenuity booster seat. Its the perfect height and so durable and easy to clean.
Pillowfort Plates: these are our favorite plates. They have held up so well for more than a year and can go through the dishwasher and are microwave safe. We use them for every single meal!
Dinneractive Utensil Set: my toddler just got these for his second birthday and he loves them! They make meal time so much fun and are extremely cute. They come with a fork and a spoon and are made in a few different colors.
High-Calorie Toddler Breakfast Ideas
- Fried Egg and Peanut Butter Toast: eggs can be a great healthy fat for toddlers. I cook our fried eggs in grass-fed butter which makes them extra tasty and calorie-dense. Side of peanut butter toast.
- Avocado Toast and Banana: smooshed avocado on whole-grain toast (we really like Dave’s Killer Bread). Sometimes I cut toast into strips, small squares, or simply halve or quarter the bread. Side of banana.
- PB&J Mini Bagel: bagels are calorie-dense foods. These mini bagels are perfect because they are toddler-sized! I topped with peanut butter and jelly, butter or cream cheese would be another high-calorie option. Side of avocado and grapes.
- Yogurt Parfait: choose whole-milk yogurt for the most calories. I stirred in some peanut butter and also added extra on top. Also topped with thawed frozen blueberries. This yogurt parfait is like pb&j in a bowl.
5. Cream Cheese Pinwheels: pinwheels are a fun way to change up sandwiches or toast. Roll out a piece of bread and cut off the crust, spread with cream cheese (or avocado or nut butter), roll up tightly and cut into pinwheels. Side of diced peaches.
- Banana Sushi: like pinwheels but with a banana inside. Lay out a tortilla, spread with peanut butter, sprinkle with raisins, and lay down a banana, roll up tightly and cut into strips. How fun is this?!
- Cheesy Scrambled Eggs: scrambled eggs cooked in grass-fed butter and topped with cheese. I often add in veggies, too, such as broccoli, red bell pepper, or potatoes. Side of avocado and blueberries.
- Waffle with Coconut Cream: coconut cream is a fun and yummy way to add extra calories and healthy fat. I took a scoop from a can of coconut cream and briefly whisked with a fork. I stirred in some diced strawberries to make strawberry coconut cream. Add to the top of a whole-wheat waffle and add extra strawberries.
- Smoothie Bowl: take your favorite smoothie recipe and blend it up a little thicker to make a smoothie bowl. Here I used 1/3 cup frozen blueberries, 1 banana, 1/2 cup whole milk, 1-2 Tbsp oats, 1 Tbsp maple syrup. Topped with kiwi and mandarin orange. You can check out some more of our favorite smoothie recipes here: 18 Fun Toddler Snack Ideas
- Banana French Toast: French toast with banana right in the batter. Super sweet and yummy, they won’t need any syrup or honey. You can find the full recipe here: Easy Banana French Toast for Babies & Toddlers
- Pancakes with Yogurt: silver dollar pancakes with whole milk yogurt for dipping. Peanut butter would also be another high-calorie option for a spread. Side of blueberries.
- Waffle with Banana: whole wheat waffle with smooshed banana spread on top. Choose a fairly ripe banana so that it is sweet and easier to spread. Side of peaches.
Thanks for stopping by! You might also like these related posts:
- Fun Toddler Breakfast Ideas for One Year Olds
- 8 Easy Toddler Oatmeal Recipes
- 12 Dairy-Free Toddler Breakfasts
- High-Calorie Toddler Meal Ideas
