Foods That Make You Gain A Lot Of Weight

Gaining weight can be just as much of a struggle for some people as losing weight is for others. To gain weight you need to eat an additional 500 to 1,000 calories per day, eating as much as 3,000 calories a day, according to the authors of "Krause's Food, Nutrition and Diet Therapy." Including high-calorie foods in your diet can help you maximize your caloric intake to help you gain a lot of weight.

Nuts

Nuts are high in fat and act as a concentrated source of calories. Each 1/4 cup serving provides 150 to 200 calories. Including a serving of nuts in your diet can help you gain a lot of weight. Nuts can be added to your hot cereal in the morning or to your salad in the evening. You can also snack on nuts throughout the day to help you meet your elevated calorie needs. Peanut butter and other nut butters can also be used to boost your caloric intake. One tbsp. of peanut butter contains 90 calories and can be smeared on your morning toast or spread on crackers for an afternoon snack.

In addition to helping you gain weight, nuts also have a number of health benefits, including lowering your blood cholesterol and supplying you with the essential omega-3 fatty acids.

Dried Fruits

Dried fruits also act as a concentrated source of calories and can increase your calorie intake for weight gain. Dried fruits contain about 60 calories per 2 tbsp. and include foods such as raisins, dried apricots and figs. Like nuts, dried fruit can be added to your morning hot cereal or evening salad. You can also mix dried fruit into your nut mix for variety at snack time.

Dairy Foods

Eating full-fat dairy foods can also make you gain a lot of weight. Drink whole milk with meals instead of water for an additional 160 calories per cup. Or, make high-calorie milkshakes to drink between meals consisting of whole milk, ice cream and 1 tbsp. of peanut butter. Each 1 oz. of full-fat cheese contains about 100 calories and can be added to your morning eggs, your sandwich at lunch time and your vegetables at dinner. Cheese also makes a high-calorie snack enjoyed by itself or with crackers.

Nonfat Dried Milk Powder

Nonfat dried milk powder is a calorie booster you can add to a number of foods to help you gain a lot of weight. One tbsp. of nonfat dried milk powder contains 33 calories. Nonfat dried milk powder can be added to milk, milkshakes, yogurt, pudding, hot cereal, soups, gravies, casseroles and mashed potatoes.