Mini Whole-Grain Pancakes + High Calorie Foods for Toddlers

Mini Whole-Grain Pancakes are easy to make and nutritious! Make a large batch and freeze for easy breakfasts and snacks for toddlers! These high-calorie pancakes are gluten-free and made with oats.

As a mom, I want the best for my kids, always. When I found out that my son was having trouble gaining weight at 6 months old, my life became all about helping him gain weight (read more about our experience here). Oliver is gaining weight really well now at almost 1 year old but he is still in the 5th to 10th percentile for weight. As a dietitian, I know the foods that are high in calories and nutrients for young kids and aim to give my son those foods throughout the day to help encourage him to gain weight. These high-calorie pancakes are delicious and nutritious for toddlers.

Nutrition for Toddlers

Some of the foods that are great for babies and toddlers that are nutrient dense are: baby oatmeal mixed with breast milk or formula, cashew butter and peanut butter, avocado, egg yolks, whole milk yogurt. I did a concoction of at least one of these foods each meal along with a veggie most meals (squash, peas, kale, etc.). Oliver took to that very well and enjoyed the extra food. Around 7 1/2 months old, we began giving Oliver most foods that we eat including soups, soft vegetables, shredded or very finely diced meats, whole-grain pasta, whole-grain breads with butter for extra fat, all fruits, beans, sweet potatoes and more.

High Calorie Foods for Toddlers

-A quesadilla chopped up that has salsa, cheese and mashed low-sodium black beans on a whole-wheat quesadilla with chunks of avocado on the side

-Whole-grain pancakes with peanut butter

-Bean based pasta or whole-grain pasta with pesto or a homemade creamy sauce

-A hearty soup or chili

Adalyn when she was almost 1 drinking a KABRITA pouch!!

-KABRITA Goat Milk Yogurt and Fruit Pouches- my almost 1 year old and 3 year old both love these

-Finely ground or shredded meats

-Whole milk yogurt mixed with chia seeds or ground flax, sometimes with baby cereal and nut butter

High Calorie Pancakes

Today, I decided to make nutrient dense mini-whole grain pancakes which I made using KABRITA goat's milk formula to add nutrients for my almost toddler. I kid you not, Oliver ate 5 of these for breakfast stuffed with nut butter. I just sliced them in half, filled with peanut butter and stuffed them back together. He loves finger foods and ate them whole. We also ate some blueberries and strawberries with them. Delicious breakfast or snack for kids!

I added some of this formula powder to the pancake mix for extra calories and my son loved them! I'm not sure if he will continue to gain well or if we will have to pay extra special attention to what he eats to ensure that he gets what he needs to gain but I like having some nutrient dense recipes in my arsenal for my son.

High-calorie pancakes

Pancakes for Weight Gain

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Servings: 2-3

Ingredients

1 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup applesauce
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/3 cup water
2 tablespoons KABRITA Goat Milk Formula
1 teaspoon baking powder
Toppings: peanut butter, blueberries, strawberries

Instructions

1. Blend all ingredients for pancakes together until smooth.

2. Heat a skillet or griddle until hot and spray with cooking spray.

3. Using a tablespoon or small cookie scoop and scoop a tablespoon of batter onto hot griddle. Cook until the edges have cooked and bubbles are forming on the tops on the pancakes, about 2 minutes.

4. Flip and cook for 1-2 more minutes. Continue until all of the batter is gone. Spray the skillet each time that you make a new batch.
5. Top with nut butter and fruit.
Enjoy!

**If you are making these for adults or older children, you can replace the water/formula with milk of choice.