Eating healthy high-calorie foods is beneficial in several situations. You might be a person who has difficulty putting on weight, which can be a problem if you're into bodybuilding or certain other sports. You might have undergone an illness, treatment or surgery, which caused you to lose too much weight. It's best for your health to eat nutritious, high-calorie foods when you're looking to put on some weight.
Healthy Fats
High-fat foods have high-calorie density, and some of these foods are recommended for a healthy weight-gaining diet, according to bodybuilder and personal trainer Tom Venuto. Cooking with olive oil is an easy way to add calories, as 1 tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil contains 120 calories. Nuts are also a good bet. A 1/4-cup of peanut butter and 1/2 cup of cashews each contain about 400 calories. Try other nut butters as well, such as almond and macadamia. You can sprinkle ground nuts on cereal for a flavor boost.
Dairy
Whole milk dairy products are high in fat as well, but since this is saturated fat, include only small amounts each day. Use whole milk on cereal, and add it to coffee and cream soup. Put butter and sour cream on your baked potato. Grate cheese on top of vegetables and put cream cheese on your bagel.
Fruit
Fruit is relatively high in calories, particularly fruit juice and dried fruit. You might munch on raisins or dried apricots as a snack, or add them to cereal.
Grains
Restaurants commonly serve plates of pasta containing 800 to 1,000 calories, as explained by Venuto, and pasta and other carbohydrates can help you gain weight. Croissants, buttermilk biscuits and whole-grain bread all are calorie-dense. Certain cereals also are high in calories, such as granola and muesli.
Meat and Seafood
Meat and seafood can add calories to your diet. Eat servings containing 3 oz. of lean pork, beef, chicken and turkey. Add meat to casseroles, pizza and soup. Chicken and turkey skin is very high in calories, but go easy on it since it's also very high in saturated fat. Tuna, shrimp and whitefish also are healthy and significant sources of calories.
Salads
Don't forgo salads, as they don't have to be low-calorie. Use oil-based salad dressings and add avocado, nuts, sunflower seeds, croutons and a hard-boiled egg.
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