Healthy weight gain results from eating a greater amount of calories from wholesome foods. For a 1-lb. per week weight gain, strive for about 500 extra calories per day. The best foods to eat when wanting to gain weight are calorie-dense, but also loaded with nutrients to support muscle gain and promote good health.
Nuts
Nuts contain a significant amount of calories per serving. For example, just 7 Brazil nuts provides 190 calories and 11 macadamias provide 200 calories. Sprinkle an ounce of almonds over your morning oatmeal for an extra 160 calories. Add 14 walnut halves to a snack of yogurt and fruit for an extra 190 calories. If whole nuts do not appeal to you, try spreading peanut, almond or cashew butter on toast or pancakes. Nuts also provide nutrients such as vitamin E, and may lower your risk of heart disease.
Dairy
Consuming low-fat milk products is an easy way to add calories. Choose to drink milk instead of water or diet soda between meals. Use milk, instead of water, to prepare hot cereal or condensed soups. An 8-oz. glass of 1 percent milk contains about 100 calories. Sprinkle low-fat cheese, such as mozzarella or swiss, over casseroles and tacos, or choose to add a slice to sandwiches for an extra 80 to 110 calories. Dried milk powder also adds calories without adding a lot of volume to meals. Stir it into mashed potatoes, liquid milk or smoothies to increase calories by 110 calories per ¼ cup of nonfat. Choosing low- or nonfat milk products limits your intake of saturated fat. Too much saturated fat, even if you are underweight, can still put you at risk of developing heart disease notes Meghan A.T.B. Reese in a January 2008 issue of "Today's Dietitian."
Dried Fruits
Fruit provides a wealth of nutrients and fiber, but whole fruit is not especially calorie dense. Its high water content can cause you to feel full. Dried fruit, such as dates, raisins and dried apricots, contains significantly more calories per serving and concentrates much of the nutrition of the whole fruit. For example, a cup of whole fresh apricot halves contains 74 calories, 3 g of fiber and 0.6 mg of iron. In 1 cup dried apricots, you get 212 calories, 6.5 g of fiber and 2.35 mg of iron. Dried fruit is also a portable snack for those who find fitting in all the calories needed for weight gain challenging.
Plant Oils
Most plant oils are low in saturated fat and high in unsaturated fats, which may help lower your blood cholesterol. Plant oils also contain about 120 calories per tablespoon. Use safflower oil to dress salads, scramble eggs in canola oil, toss pasta with olive oil before adding sauce or add flax seed oil to smoothies.
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