1. Boost Your Breakfast With High-Calorie Selections
Breakfast should one of your most important meals because of the energy it can provide for the remainder of the day. For those with cystic fibrosis, this extra energy is extremely important in order to combat the effects of the disease, which can be debilitating. Breakfast can include favorites such as pancakes, waffles, sausage, bacon, eggs, toast, oatmeal or sweetened cold cereals. To up the calorie content, make sure to add lots of whole-fat dairy products such as milk, cream, butter, cheese and yogurt to dishes. Additionally, a glass of whole milk should be added to every meal.
2. Re-energize Yourself With a Filling Lunch
After a few hours of work, school or housework, a nourishing lunch can provide you with the energy to get through the rest of the day. As in every meal, those with CF should concentrate on getting enough calories to fuel their bodies. Lunch menus can include pizza with extra cheese and meat, salads with full-fat dressings and avocado, a baked potato with sour cream, bacon, butter and cheese or creamy soups. Along with these high-calorie foods, remember to eat a variety of colorful fresh vegetables and fruits and whole grain breads for a balanced meal.
3. Use Your Creativity to Make a Substantial and Satisfying Dinner
With the constant need to get in enough calories, those with CF may find themselves at a loss for meal prep, especially for dinner. One important thing to realize is that you can eat foods that aren't necessarily high in calories as long as you fortify them with high-calorie additions. For example, you can make a baked chicken breast with broccoli and a baked sweet potato, which is normally a healthful, lower-calorie meal. By simply adding butter and cheese to the broccoli and butter to the potato, you have raised the number of calories without losing all of the benefits of the original meal. If you make pasta, add butter to the noodles or the sauce to make it calorie rich. Cooking in this manner is also a good option when you are cooking for others who do not have the condition; simply omit the extra calories.
4. Sneak in Extra Calories With Snacks
Mid-morning, afternoon and after-dinner snacks are a great way to squeeze in a few more calories into the diet of someone with cystic fibrosis. A milkshake with dry milk incorporated is a good choice, as is full-fat cottage cheese with fruit. Dried fruits, muffins, trail mix and cheese and crackers are also good alternatives. With cystic fibrosis, it is important to eat any time you are hungry, and snacks are a good way to get in your calories on the go.
