To gain 1 lb. of weight per week, you need an extra 500 calories per day above what you burn. Increasing portion sizes and choosing healthy, high-calorie foods are strategies that help you add these calories. Although junk foods are often calorie-dense, they fail to provide you with enough of the healthful nutrients you need. Instead, stick to foods that are naturally high in calories and that offer vitamins, minerals, fiber and healthy fats.
Peanut Butter
Peanut butter contains 200 calories per 2 tbsp. serving. Most of the fat in a serving of peanut butter is unsaturated, the type that is healthy for your heart. Add peanut butter to toast in the morning or stir it into hot oatmeal. Blend 3 tbsp. into a smoothie made with a banana and 1 cup milk for a 500-calorie snack. Peanut butter sandwiches on whole grain bread make a portable snack to eat between meals or before bedtime.
Olive Oil
Olive oil contains 120 calories per tbsp., most of which is from heart-healthy monounsaturated fat. To add calories to your meals, toss pasta with olive oil before saucing, dress salads with a homemade dressing made from olive oil, balsamic vinegar and Dijon mustard or saute vegetables and meats in olive oil.
Almonds
In a scant 1/4 cup of almonds you get about 170 calories. Eat almonds as a snack paired with dried cherries or sprinkled over cereal. Crust chicken or fish in a mixture of sliced almonds and bread crumbs to add healthy calories to your protein. Almonds are a source of unsaturated fats, vitamin E and manganese.
Milk Powder
Incorporating dry milk powder into foods increases the calories without adding a lot more volume. Add dry milk to liquid low-fat milk to double the calories, without increasing saturated fat intake. Mix dry milk into mashed potatoes, casseroles, soups and hot cereal. Each 1/4-cup serving provides about 110 calories.
Granola
A 1/2-cup serving of granola contains about 220 calories. Compare this to a 1/2 cup of flaked or puffed cereal which only offers about 55 calories. Granola provides fiber and often contains nutrient-dense dried fruit, such as raisins, dried apricots and cranberries.Use granola as a snack, or eat it instead of lower-calorie cereals at breakfast time.
Avocados
Avocados provide vitamin K, vitamin E, fiber and folate. Each fruit contains 300 calories, much of which comes from unsaturated fats. Add avocados to tacos, sandwiches and salads to boost calories. Blend an avocado into a smoothie with pineapple, coconut milk, agave nectar and lime juice for a 500-calorie snack.
Eggs
Eggs provide about 6 g of protein each along with 71 calories. Scrambled eggs make a nutrient-dense, calorie-rich breakfast -- especially if cooked with olive oil. Add a hardboiled egg to salads, stir a raw egg into soup or include in stir fries to increase calories.
Dates
Just four medjool dates provides 264 calories. Dates are a source of fiber and potassium. They make a sweet, portable snack or may be blended into a smoothie, added to cereals and baked goods or included as part of a calorie-dense trail mix made with nuts, seeds and raisins.
Cheese
Cheese provides calcium, protein and about 100 calories per oz. Use it top eggs, salads, sandwiches and noodles. Add low-fat ricotta to pasta casseroles. Sprinkle cheddar cheese over broccoli or baked potatoes.
Pasta
Pasta contains about 200 calories per cup. Boil a large amount at one time so you always have some ready for quick meals and snacks. Use pasta to make salads with vegetables and olive oil dressing. Enjoy pasta tossed with olive oil and Parmesan as a side dish at meals. Choose whole grain versions when possible to benefit from fiber and a higher concentration of B vitamins.
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