Learn about the importance of healthy fats for kids, sources of healthy fats and easy ways to add them to your child’s diet to help with satiety, brain development and more.
Hi Friends,
Lately I’ve been focusing a lot on healthy fats. A few months ago, I was starting to get a little overwhelmed with feeding Squish because it just seemed like he was hungry ALL.THE.TIME. After talking to several fellow RD moms, including Jill Castle (a childhood nutrition expert), one big change I made was to really focus on giving him a healthy fat source at every meal. I feel this has definitely helped him feel more full so he’s not asking to eat quite as frequently.
Healthy fats are a concentrated source of energy for the body. They help slow the absorption of carbs and helps us feel full longer. Plus our bodies can’t digest and absorb fat-soluble vitamins like Vitamin A, D, E & K without them.
{Fats: Avocado + Whole Eggs}
I reached out to Jill and asked her to share a few thoughts about the importance of healthy fats for kids.
She says, “In our healthy eating obsessed world, parents may make the mistake of excluding fat in the young child’s diet, sacrificing it for more fruit, vegetables, and whole grains. But, young children need fat to grow well. In fact, babies and young toddlers need almost half of their calories from fat, preferably monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which help with brain growth and development. And even older children still need around a third of their calories from a healthy fat source.
Fats can also help with satiation after eating. In other words, a meal with fat will be more filling and satisfying than a meal without it. I always include room for fat (either included inherently in the food itself or added to the components of the meal or snack) when planning healthy meals and snacks for children.” Be sure to also check out this article she wrote about healthy fats for kids.
{Fat sources: Whole Eggs + Peanut Butter}
{Fat Sources: Full-fat yogurt, almond butter, pumpkin seeds}
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Note: I realize there are varying opinions about whether all of these fats are considered healthy. As an RD, it’s my opinion that variety is key. Just like with any food group, I don’t recommend focusing on just one or two fat sources.
While I tend to favor options like avocado, nuts & seeds, eggs & yogurt, I do feed Squish all of these fats throughout the week, including things like butter and coconut oil. I work hard to ensure his diet is well-balanced and varied across all of the food groups and while this is the approach I recommend when asked, I also respect the opinions of others who choose to avoid certain fat sources.
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So here are some of my favorite fat sources, plus some ideas for easy ways to add them to meals and snacks!
Avocado
-Slice or cube and use as a topping for tacos or casseroles.
-Make guac and use as spread on sandwich/wraps or as dip.
-Mix into egg or tuna salad.
-Puree into smoothies or desserts.
Whole Eggs
-Fry and use to top a sandwich.
-Hard boil for a snack.
-Scramble or bake in a breakfast casserole.
Oils (Olive, Coconut, Vegetable, Avocado)
-Toss and coat vegetables before roasting.
-Coat pan before sauteing or baking.
-Use in baked goods.
-Make hummus.
Nuts & Seeds
-Make nut butter to put on sandwiches or in baked goods.
-Make energy bites or trailmix for snacks.
-Crush and use as coating for baked chicken or fish.
-Blend into smoothies.
-Stir into oatmeal, yogurt, pudding etc.
Whole Milk Yogurt
-Top with fresh fruit for a snack or add to smoothies.
-Use in baked goods (or to make frosting!)
-Mix with powdered ranch for a vegetable dip.
Butter & Coconut Butter
-Spread on toast or on the outsides of bread before making grilled sandwiches.
-Melt butter and saute vegetables for main dishes and side dishes.
-Add to soups or smoothies to make them creamier.
-Use coconut butter to make healthy cookies or energy balls.
Milk (Whole or 2%)
-Serve plain with meals or blend into smoothies.
-Use to make chowders.
-Make chia pudding.
**Another favorite- salmon! Grill or bake with a glaze, make salmon salad to eat with crackers or make salmon cakes and serve with a dipping sauce.**
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Enjoy!
–Lindsay–
this is a really informative post. i dont see pediatrics at my hospital but every now and then i will have parents ask me about fats in their diet. they are either uneducated about the importance of fats…or dont know where to get good sources of fats from. i will be using this as a resource moving on. thank you!
I am so happy to read a post like this. For years we have been told fats are bad, but finally people are waking up to the fact that we need good healthy fats in our diets. Same goes for our kids, but we need to be educated more on which ones and how much.
I really love this post! When I was an RD at WIC it was hard for parents to grasp the idea of feeding their children healthy fats-they heard fat and thought it will make their kids fat. It is also good for children having trouble gaining weight or in your case a child with constant hunger! Fat is important for children and adults all in moderation like you said. I will definitely be sharing this with my cousin with an 18 month old…just like all your other posts. 🙂
I think a lot of people still have the misconception that fat will make you fat and don’t realize how essential fat is to our well-being. In my opinion, a big part of this is because when people think of fat, they think or greasy fries or burgers, rather than nutritious options like peanut butter, avocado, or salmon. I’m really glad I’ve learned not be afraid to incorporate some fat into my diet because I definitely feel more satisfied now.
xxMeah
I love this! So important to understand that kids need fat especially healthy fat and omega-3 rich foods in their diets for development.
Great article, Lindsay! Healthy fats are so important for everyone and you’ve provided some valuable tips here.
Great post Lindsay, and important topic. Although people are less fearful of fats than they were in the 80s and 90s I still see so many parents feeding their kids low-fat everything and afraid to give them healthy fats like avocado. Sharing this!
Healthy fats are yummy! Love them! Unfortunately, my daughter suffers from multiple food allergies so she cannot have dairy, coconut or nuts. It’s been challenging to get enough healthy fats into her diet, but I do try to keep avocados in the house as well as evoo. She doesn’t care for sunflower seeds/butter, but I can sometimes sneak the sunflower butter into baked treats.
I LOVE healthy fats! I don’t have kids yet.. but this was helpful for myself 🙂 thanks for all the great info!
Thanks for this. I have 2yr 10m twins who BOTH suffer with toddler diarrhea. We really want to potty train but have had several epic failed attempts as they can (sorry for TMI) poop (sloppy) on average 3-5 times a day (each) and i dont think they get much notice. Someone recommended increasing the fats in their food to try help so Im going to use some of these foods and pray! Wish me luck
Thank you for sharing! As a first time mama, I am trying hard to create a well rounded healthy diet for my little guy. So thankful for resources like your blog to help guide us along the journey!
You’re so welcome!