If you struggle to maintain weight or you have a medical condition that makes it difficult for you to keep on the pounds, your doctor may recommend that you add more calories to your daily diet. There are plenty of ways to do that unhealthily, such as loading up on fast food, but it's much better for your body to get extra nutrients and calories from healthy, natural foods.
Nuts
Use nuts on cereal, in baked goods, as part of salads and plain as a snack to add calorie and nutrients to your daily diet. The Mayo Clinic notes that almonds are a particularly rich source of nutrients, containing iron, fiber, calcium, magnesium and vitamin E in a single serving of about 23 whole nuts. Walnuts, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, peanuts and nut butters are also valuable sources of calories in concentrated amounts.
Wheat Germ
Serve wheat germ with cereal, casseroles, in baked goods or in granola. The flake-like germ contains a high number of healthful nutrients and is also a good source of protein, fiber and beneficial fat. Its relatively high calorie count makes it useful as a condiment for people who want to eat more without sacrificing nutritional value.
Eggs
Eat eggs at any meal of the day or add them to casseroles, sauces and baked goods to increase the total number of calories you consume. In addition to boosting calorie count, eggs are an ideal source of protein and add some natural fat to the diet. It's easy to mix them in puddings and cooked foods or to keep them on hand as a between-meals snack.
Milk
Drink 2 percent or whole milk instead of skim to add calories to each serving. The Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford recommends combining milk with casseroles, puddings, soups, cooked meats and vegetables, hot cereal and the batter for baked goods. If you'd prefer not to use liquid milk, you can use a few tablespoons of powdered milk in its place.
You can also use milk in homemade smoothies to boost total caloric intake. The Mayo Clinic recommends a high-calorie, high-protein smoothie that includes vanilla yogurt, 2-percent milk, a banana and single servings of wheat germ and protein powder.
Cheese
Boost a meal's total calorie count by adding cheese to baked goods, casseroles and sauces or by using it as a condiment. Columbia University Medical Center advises patients who follow a high-calorie diet to keep cheese around at all times to eat as a snack. You can also choose already-prepared foods that contain a lot of cheese, such as pizza, calzones, creamy casseroles or quesadillas.
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