List Of Healthy Foods For Weight Gain

Adequate calorie and protein intake is necessary to support normal body functions and growth. For weight gain, you will need to increase your caloric intake by 500 to 1,000 calories a day, according to "Krause's Food, Nutrition and Diet Therapy." To maintain health while trying to gain weight, choose quality high-calorie foods, such as complex carbohydrates, quality protein foods and healthy fats.

Dairy Foods

Dairy foods provide protein, calories and calcium and makes a healthy choice for weight gain. The Ohio State University Medical Center suggests you drink at least two cups of milk a day for weight gain. Choose whole-fat milk for the additional calories. If you have issues with tolerance to milk, look for a lactose-free version. Dried milk powder can be added to milk to increase calories without adding extra fat. Each tablespoon of dried milk powder will add an additional 33 calories and 3g of protein. Cheese can also help you gain weight by adding calories and protein to your diet. Add cheese to sandwiches and vegetables or eat it as a snack with whole-grain crackers.

Nuts

Nuts provide protein, fiber and vitamin E, and each handful, about 1.5 oz., contains about 200 calories. In addition to being calorie-dense, regular intake of nuts can also reduce your risk of heart disease, according to MayoClinic.com. Snack on nuts between meals, or add them to hot cereals and salads. Nut butters are also calorie-dense and can be spread on crackers, toast or celery to increase your calorie intake for weight gain.

Dried Fruits

Dried fruits contain high amounts of fiber, vitamins and minerals and are another healthy food choice for weight gain. Dried fruits provide a more concentrated source of calories. For example, a 1/2 cup serving of raisins contains about 200 calories, while a 1/2 cup serving of grapes contains about 60 calories. Mix dried fruits with your nuts to make a homemade trail mix to eat as a snack or add to your morning hot cereal to give it a healthy calorie boost.

Healthy Fats

Heart-healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats make the healthiest fat choices for adding calories to food for weight gain. Each teaspoon contains about 45 calories. Examples include olive oil, canola oil, soy oil and margarine. Cook your meats and vegetables in oil to add calories. Use olive oil as a dip for your bread at meal times.

Fruit Juice

Drinking your calories can sometimes be easier than eating them when you want to gain weight. One hundred percent fruit juice is a healthy food choice for weight gain. Each cup contains about 120 calories. Drink fruit juice over water or soda at mealtimes for the additional vitamins and calories.