If you have a toddler, it can feel like it’s always sick season - whether it’s a stomach bug, a fever, or an ear infection. While their comfort is the top priority, knowing what to feed a sick toddler can help support their immune system (and your sanity!).

Good nutrition during sickness doesn’t have to be complicated or filled with foods your kiddo won’t touch. In this guide, we’ll break down how nutrition impacts your toddler’s immune system and give you practical tips for feeding them what they need.

How Nutrition Affects Illness

Nutrition and sickness both influence each other.  Poor nutrition can increase your kiddo’s risk for infection and frequent infections can lower their nutrient levels (1).

When your toddler is sick, their immune system pulls nutrients to help fight off the infection. This can result in:

• Suppressed appetite

• Low nutrient absorption 

• Nutrients taken away from growth and development

That’s why nutrition is especially important when your toddler is sick - it helps restore those hardworking nutrients and prevents nutrient deficiencies.

Managing Your Toddler’s Low Appetite

Your sick toddler’s low appetite isn’t just from being extra tired or feeling picky. Infection can increase levels of leptin, the “fullness hormone” (1). This can result in low appetite, picky eating, and even food refusal.

Here’s how to work around this and get some nutrients in your sick toddler:

• Serve small amounts of food frequently: Small portion sizes are easier on the stomach and less overwhelming to your toddler. Offer a small meal or snack every 2-3 hours.

• Maximize liquid calories: Bone broth, whole fat dairy, or smoothies with nut butter can help pack in nutrition efficiently with a low appetite.

• High calorie foods: if they’re able to eat solid food, use calorie dense options like avocado, nut butters, nuts, full-fat dairy, or olive oil to boost calories.

• Let them eat what they’re craving: Prioritizing calories over perfect nutrition is okay! Avoid overly restricting their diet when appetite is low. Boost their favorite foods with nutrient-rich add-ins (e.g., peanut butter in a milkshake, avocado dip with crackers)

Important Nutrients & Superfoods for Sick Toddlers

When the immune system is activated, it depletes certain nutrients to help fight infection. Replenishing these nutrients with the below super foods can strengthen the immune system, increase energy, and encourage appetite (1).

Glutamine & Arginine: These “immunonutrients” help build the gut barrier to prevent further infection and even help maintain muscle mass (2,3).

• Turkey, pork, chicken, pumpkin seeds, peanuts, chickpeas, lentils, milk, cheese, yogurt, eggs, cashews, chia seeds, dark leafy greens

Healthy Fats (Omega-3’s): Calorie-dense to help your kiddo meet their energy needs and naturally anti-inflammatory to aid in immune support (2).

•  Flax seed, chia seed, walnut, edamame, and seafood (salmon, sardines, trout, shrimp, tuna)

Fiber & Prebiotics: Produce short chain fatty acids (SCFA), which help immune cells attack bacteria more effectively (2). 

• Growing Up Prebiotics, bananas, oats, onions, asparagus, flax seed, cabbage, legumes

Vitamin A: Helps keep your immune system strong during infection (2)

• Sweet potato, carrots, squash, spinach, cantaloupe, lettuce, red bell pepper, broccoli, tomatoes

Zinc: Keeps the immune system strong during infection and helps prevent further illness (2).

• Beef, lamb, pork, shellfish, chickpeas, lentils, pumpkin seeds, peanuts, whole milk, cheese, eggs

Vitamin C: Produces antibodies to fight an infection and strengthen the lining of your toddler’s GI tract (2).

• Kiwi, bell pepper, strawberry, orange, broccoli, tomato, snow peas, orange, blackberries

Healthy Recipes for Sick Toddlers

• Yogurt Bark:Full-fat yogurt mixed withGrowing Up Prebiotics (spread evenly across a lined baking tray and freeze for 1-3 hours), top with pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, and kiwi

• Boosted Chicken Noodle Soup: bone broth blended with lentils for a creamy soup base, add chicken, peas, carrots, and noodles of choice. 

• Yogurt parfait: full-fat yogurt topped with pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, and  blackberries

• Snack Tray: cheddar cheese with flax crackers, bell pepper slices with hummus, and orange slices

• PB Berry Smoothie: blend full-fat yogurt, strawberries, peanut butter,  and whole milk 

Summary

Feeding a sick toddler can feel overwhelming, especially when their appetite is low. By offering small, frequent meals packed with immune-supporting nutrients—like healthy fats, fiber, and vitamin-rich foods—you can help their recovery while keeping mealtime stress-free.