Brenda Khan
There are many reasons why you might want to increase your calorie intake. Perhaps you're trying to gain weight or are looking to boost your energy levels. Whatever the reason, there are several effective ways to safely increase your calorie intake.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Meal frequency | Eat small meals every few hours |
| Snacks | Eat snacks throughout the day as you feel hungry |
| Dairy | Consume full-fat dairy products such as whole milk and full-fat yoghurt |
| Plant-based milk | Soy, coconut, almond, or rice milk |
| Fats and oils | Add extra olive or canola oil when cooking lean meats, vegetables, stir-fries, or soups |
| Nuts | Eat 1/4 to 1/2 cup of nuts every day |
| Peanut butter | Use natural peanut butter |
| Olives | Add olives to pasta, pizza, and salad, or eat them plain |
| Avocado | Add avocado slices to sandwiches or salads |
| Salad dressing | Use olive oil-based vinaigrettes as salad dressing |
| Popcorn | Pour a little olive oil over your popcorn |
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What You'll Learn
Eat more snacks and small meals
Eating more snacks and small meals is a great way to increase your calorie intake. Every few hours, enjoy a small, high-calorie meal or snack. Spacing out your meals in this way might make it easier to up your calorie intake. For example, you might eat a small meal at 8 am, 11 am, 2 pm, 5 pm, and 8 pm, and then eat extra snacks throughout the day as you feel hungry.
Snacks are a great way to boost your calories. Nuts are a good choice, as they are high in calories and healthy fats. Have 1/4 to 1/2 a cup of nuts every day. You could also try peanut butter, especially the kind where the oil sits on top. Eat it with fruit or on crackers, or spread it on sandwiches.
You can also increase your calorie intake by adding healthy oils to your meals. The next time you stir-fry some veggies or fresh cuts of meat, pour a little extra vegetable oil into your pan. You can also replace your traditional salad dressings with olive oil-based vinaigrettes, which are a great topping for veggies and pasta dishes.
If you're lactose intolerant or vegan, boost your calorie count with plant-based milk. For example, you might enjoy a bowl of cereal with whole milk, or a cup of full-fat yoghurt.
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Add healthy oils to your cooking
Adding healthy oils to your cooking is an effective way to increase your calorie intake. Oils are a great source of healthy fats, which are calorie-dense. In fact, ounce for ounce, fat has more than twice the calories of either carbohydrates or protein.
When cooking lean meats, vegetables, stir-fries or soups, add a little extra olive or canola oil. You can also use these oils to make an olive oil-based vinaigrette, which is a great topping for veggies and pasta dishes. Alternatively, use vegetable oil when stir-frying veggies or meat.
If you're making popcorn, pour a little olive oil over it for a tasty, calorie-dense snack. You can also add olives to pasta, pizza and salad, or just eat them plain.
It's important to note that while increasing your calorie intake, you should prioritise healthy fats from plant sources, such as vegetable oils, margarines without trans fatty acids, nuts and seeds.
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Eat more nuts
Eating more nuts is a great way to increase your calorie intake. Nuts are calorie-dense, so you don't need to eat a lot of them to get a good boost of energy. They are also a good source of healthy fats, which are beneficial for your body.
Nuts are a convenient snack that can be eaten on their own or added to other dishes. For example, you could sprinkle some chopped nuts on top of your morning porridge or yoghurt, or add them to a salad for some extra crunch. If you're feeling hungry between meals, a small handful of nuts can be a satisfying and nutritious snack.
There are many different types of nuts to choose from, so you can find ones that you particularly like. Almonds, walnuts, pistachios, and cashews are all popular choices, but there are also more unusual options like macadamia nuts or Brazil nuts. You can buy nuts ready-roasted and salted, or you can roast them yourself at home for a fresher flavour.
When adding nuts to your diet, it's important to be mindful of portion sizes. Nuts are high in calories and fat, so a small amount goes a long way. A quarter to a half cup of nuts per day is a good amount to aim for. This will give you the benefits of the healthy fats and nutrients in nuts without providing too many extra calories.
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Choose full-fat dairy products
Dairy products are a great way to increase your calorie intake. Opting for full-fat dairy products, such as whole milk, full-fat yoghurt, and half and half, will help you to consume more calories. These products are creamier and have a higher fat content than their low-fat or non-fat alternatives.
Full-fat dairy products are a good source of calories because they are nutrient-dense. This means that they provide a high amount of calories in a relatively small serving. For example, one cup of whole milk contains around 150 calories, while one cup of skim milk contains only around 80 calories.
In addition to choosing full-fat dairy products, there are other ways to increase your calorie intake through dairy. For example, you could add cream to your coffee or tea, or use butter or cheese in your cooking. These small additions can help to boost the calorie content of your meals and snacks.
It is important to note that while increasing your calorie intake through full-fat dairy products can be effective, it is also important to ensure that you are getting enough calories from other sources as well. A balanced diet that includes a variety of nutrient-dense foods will help you to meet your calorie goals and ensure that you are getting the nutrients your body needs.
Finally, if you are lactose intolerant or vegan, there are still options for increasing your calorie intake through dairy alternatives. Soy, coconut, almond, and rice milk can all be good sources of calories. These alternatives often have similar calorie counts to their dairy counterparts, so they can be a helpful way to boost your intake.
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Eat more avocados and olives
Avocados and olives are both great sources of calories, and they can be easily incorporated into your diet. Avocados are a nutrient-dense food, packed with healthy fats, fibre, and various vitamins and minerals. They're a great addition to sandwiches, salads, or Mexican dishes like tacos or burrito bowls. You can also make guacamole, a delicious dip or spread that goes well with many savoury dishes.
Olives, on the other hand, are a versatile ingredient that can be added to a variety of dishes. They're commonly used in Mediterranean cuisine and are a key component of antipasti, tapas, and mezze platters. Olives can be eaten as a snack, added to pasta dishes, pizzas, or salads. They provide a good source of healthy monounsaturated fats and also contain important nutrients like vitamin E, iron, and calcium.
Both avocados and olives are high in healthy fats, which contribute significantly to their calorie content. Fat contains more than twice the calories of carbohydrates or protein per gram, making it an efficient way to increase your calorie intake. However, it's important to prioritise plant-based sources of fat, such as avocados, olives, and olive oil, over animal-based sources to promote heart health and maintain a balanced diet.
In addition to their calorie content, avocados and olives offer a range of health benefits due to their nutritional profiles. Avocados are an excellent source of potassium, which helps maintain healthy blood pressure and supports nerve and muscle function. They also provide lutein and zeaxanthin, two phytochemicals that promote eye health. Olives, meanwhile, are rich in polyphenols, which have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, helping to reduce the risk of chronic diseases.
By incorporating avocados and olives into your diet, you can boost your calorie intake while also benefiting from the numerous nutrients these foods provide. Remember to practice portion control and balance your diet with other food groups to ensure you're meeting your nutritional needs and maintaining a healthy weight.
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Frequently asked questions
There are several ways to increase your calorie intake, including:
- Eating snacks and small meals every few hours
- Adding healthy oils, such as olive oil, to your cooking
- Choosing full-fat dairy products
- Eating more nuts and seeds
Some healthy, high-calorie snacks include:
- Natural peanut butter on crackers or fruit
- Hummus with pita bread or crackers
- Guacamole with Mexican food or on a sandwich
- Avocado slices on a sandwich or salad
To increase the number of calories in your meals, try adding:
- Extra olive or canola oil when cooking lean meats, vegetables, stir-fries or soups
- Olives to pasta, pizza or salad
- Half and half to your coffee or tea
- Margarine that doesn't contain trans fatty acids
To gain one pound of body weight, you need to consume an extra 3500 calories. An increase of 500 to 1000 calories per day will promote a one to two-pound weight gain per week.
