To gain 1 pound per week, you need to eat 500 to 1000 extra calories each day. The trick is to make sure that these are healthy calories you put into your system. Fortunately, many high-calorie foods are also healthy foods. For example, starchy vegetables like potatoes, peas, carrots, corn, acorn and other winter squash and beets have more calories that watery vegetables like summer squash, broccoli, and cucumbers. Dried fruits, bananas and apples have more calories than berries, watermelon and other watery fruits.
Protein supplements are promoted as a weight gain food. Be aware that dietary protein isn't stored in muscle, however. If you are looking to gain muscle mass, you need to continue a weight-lifting program. In addition to extra protein, you also need extra carbs and extra fat. Don't overdo the protein portion of a weight-gain program.
What to Look for
Healthy, high-calorie foods include dried fruit, potatoes and other starchy vegetables, bananas, apples, pears and other non-watery fruits, hearty whole-grain breads and cereals, beans, nuts, avocados, peanut butter, jam, soy protein powders, nonfat dried milk powder and fruit juices.
Buy 2 percent milk instead of nonfat milk. This gives you more fat and more calories. You can increase the calorie content of milk by adding Carnation Instant Breakfast, Nestle's Quick or Ovaltine. For eating between meals, try products like Ensure. Some meal-replacement bars are also high-calorie and filling and may be useful as part of a weight-gain program.
Need ideas for high-calorie snacks? Here are a few: soft pretzels with peanut butter; milkshakes; bean and cheese burritos; bagels; baked potato with a cheese or bean topping; granola; cheese and crackers; smoothies; almonds, peanuts and other nuts. Wash it down with fruit juices.
Common Pitfalls
Avoid eating junky foods while trying to gain weight. Foods with high saturated fat content, trans fats and sugar are bad for you even if you are currently underweight. Unhealthy, fatty, salty or generally crummy food is a risk even for slim folks. Focus on healthier foods. Watery beverages like coffee, diet soda, tea andwater won't help you gain weight. Instead, choose fruit juices, smoothies, milk shakes and regular soda.
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