Since it's important for me to make sure Avalyn maintains her weight, in a healthy way, I thought it might be helpful for others if I post a short list of my favorite high-fat foods.
#1- Avocado
We used to call these Avie-cados, when Avie was first starting to eat because she LOVED them. They are incredibly easy to serve to a baby when solid foods are first introduced AND you can salt them too! I like to spread avocado on a lightly toasted piece of bread and let Avie much away. You can also slice it into a quesadilla or use in place of mayonnaise on sandwiches for older kiddos.
#2- cheese
Speaking of quesadillas.... we love cheese in our house, so we always have a ton of varieties to choose from. The orange cheeses (Cheddar, Muenster, etc) tend to be higher in fat. Avalyn will eat cheese all day long if I let her. She loves it sliced right onto her plate, but when she was a tiny tot, I would shred it for her, which made it easier to gum.
#3 - Whole Eggs
Eggs are fun. They are quick to scramble, making them an easy go-to, and you can mix so many other yummy ingredients into them! Avie loves scrambled eggs with onion and ham. There's also a lot of egg "muffin" recipes online that are easy to make and give you 12 little muffins to spread through the week (and the family). Before Avie could really eat the chunkier foods, I would mix hard-boiled egg YOLKS into her baby food purees. Once and egg yolk is boiled, it can be mashed with a fork and basically turned into a crumbly powder. You can mix this into yogurt, too.
#4 - Yogurt
I might as well put this one next, since you're already thinking of mixing your egg yolk into it. Just be on the lookout for the low-fat varieties that are stocking the shelves at the store these days. If available, look for the baby-specific yogurts. They come in tiny, kid-portion sizes and are made with whole milk. I've recently started buying Kefir milk yogurt for it's probiotics... right now, Avie needs those little bugs more than the fat in the yogurt.
#5 - Fatty Fish
Salmon, trout, mackerel, sardines and herring. Not all people like fish, we are very lucky that little Avie does! She will dive into a salmon fillet or a plate full of shrimp without even a moment's hesitation.
*Helpful hint: if you're worried that your baby might not like something, give it to them as if it's no big deal. Put in on their plate and move on as if it's something they've had before. Usually they are honing in on our attention/nerves about that specific food item, rather than honestly having a negative opinion about it.
#6 - Chia Seeds
Excuse me while I hug this tree.... yes, this is a very 'trendy' sounding food item but it is a handy little thing to have around. You can purchase Chia seed POWDER if you're worried about how your kid will handle the actual seeds. Mix the seeds or powder into yogurt, smoothies or even your pancakes before cooking them!
#7 - Whole Milk
Your pediatrician will most likely have your baby drinking about 16 oz of milk a day, when they are about 1 year old... don't be surprised if the CF clinic wants your child at 24 oz! It's full of fat and good for their brain development.
#8 - Olive Oil
Feel free to drizzle this stuff on those veggies! If you roast anything for your baby, it's an easy way to sprinkle on some fat before popping it in the oven.
#9 - Olives
If the oil contains fat, then it just makes sense that the source of the oil would too! If you haven't tried giving your child olives, then you definitely should. You might be surprised at how much your child likes them. If they are old enough to eat the olive whole... I guarantee they will have fun sticking olives on their fingers before munching into them!
#10 - Coconut oil
I've posted about this before, and I will probably post about it again. I used to melt this ooey goodness into Avalyn's oat cereal when she was nothing but gums... today I scoop a spoonful onto her whole wheat pasta as soon as it's drained, sprinkle with salt and then serve. You can do the same thing to the pasta with olive oil, too. We even spread a bit on warm pancakes for her for breakfast or mix into mashed potatoes.
It's always important to check with your child's pediatrician and/or specialists when giving your baby new food. Visiting their doctor's regularly, and listening to their directions is the BEST way to keep your kiddo healthy!